From Golden Gaytime beer to a pot of pavlova: 9 best beers for your Christmas lunch

Craft Cartel’s Ben Malouf shares his top picks so you can have yourself a beery little Christmas. See the list.

In Australia, Christmas and beer go together like Santa and his sleigh. While the northern hemisphere might be quaffing eggnog while roasting chestnuts on an open fire and dreaming of a white Christmas, we’re more likely to be cranking up the aircon, playing backyard cricket and pondering a trip to the beach.

And that can be thirsty work.

Thankfully, the explosion of craft beer in recent years means there are now more options than ever to complement your Christmas meal and set yourself up for a lazy Boxing Day in front of the cricket.

Our resident expert, Ben Malouf from Craft Cartel, shares his top picks on how to have a yourself a beery little Christmas.

Wolf Of The Willows – Xmas Spiced Nitro Pastry Amber Ale

If you were planning on leaving milk and cookies out for Santa, think again. This limited Christmas ale is sweet but complex, chock full of your favourite Christmas flavours.

Wolf Of The Willows – Xmas Spiced Nitro Pastry Amber Ale

Bridge Road – Magical Christmas Pavlova Unicorn

The unicorn, formerly known as ice cream, returns with another magical creation, the pavlova beer. It’s a lush cream ale with a hint of passionfruit for MAXIMUM PAV™. It screams Aussie (Kiwi) icon!

Bridge Road – Magical Christmas Pavlova Unicorn

Wayward – Raspberry Berliner Weisse

If you’ve drawn the short straw and have to peel the prawns, make sure you have one of these handy. This is a ridiculously refreshing beer, a take on the classic Berliner Weisse style. Bursting with bright raspberry flavours, balanced by zippy tartness and a crisp, dry finish. It’s summer in a glass (or straight from the can).

Wayward – Raspberry Berliner Weisse

Mountain Culture – Status Quo Pale Ale

Status Quo is a juicy New England Pale Ale. Made for hop lovers with massive late and dry hop additions, it’s full flavoured and more tropical than the Hawaiian ukulele orchestra. If this doesn’t complement your Christmas ham, I don’t know what will!

Mountain Culture – Status Quo Pale Ale

Little Banger – Super Session Ale

Need to keep your eye in while playing backyard cricket? Why not stick to this great mid strength. This bright, aromatic, punchy APA is only 3% so you can smash a million cans on a sunny day. Mids don’t need to be boring.

Little Banger – Super Session Ale

Philter – XPA

If the Christmas table doesn’t have this as a place setting, you’ve missed a trick! Philter’s XPA will meet you with tropical fruit aromas,
delivering a distinctly refreshing
hop flavour and leaving a balanced finish. Naturally cloudy and easy-drinking.

Philter – XPA

Atomic – Hazy Pale Ale

Inspired by the big juicy hop flavours found in New England IPAs they set out to create a beer radiating with hop character. While an Atomic Hazy might not be for the traditionalist at the Christmas table, it won’t disappoint the more adventurous soul.

Atomic – Hazy Pale Ale

Gage Roads – Pipe Dream Coastal Lager

Hot days and cold beers. That’s what summer is all about. This beauty ticks all the boxes. There’s a little bit of malt sweetness to balance it out with a crisp, refreshing bitterness that is key to this beer style.

Gage Roads – Pipe Dream Coastal Lager

Big Shed – Golden Stout Time

The pudding is on the way and you yearn for a flash back to your youth. Look no further! A hearty stout infused with toffee and honeycomb and light on hops, taking you back to childhood summers spent enjoying Golden Gaytime ice-creams.

Big Shed – Golden Stout Time

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