by Brian Beauchemin

As we approach the end of 2023, Charlotte-area breweries have produced a wide array of brews perfect for the holiday season — everything from anniversary barrel-aged beers to caramel and peppermint Christmas beers to a glitter brew to ring in the new year. If you are looking for adjunct-free, traditional styles, local taprooms also have you covered.

Unless otherwise stated, all products are currently available in taprooms and/or at local markets.

Birdsong Brewing Company

Birdsong Brewing’s Kodachrome IPA will be released December 9. Photo courtesy

The brewery celebrates its 12-year anniversary on December 9 with two releases. Kodachrome, a 7% ABV IPA, was brewed with 100% Carolina Malt House malts. Carolina Gold and Vienna malts provide slight honey and nutty characteristics to accompany a unique blend of hops. Belma, Azacca, and El Dorado hops lend blueberry and strawberry notes to accompany the malty character of the beer.

The brewery took its Belgian-style “The Pride” abbey ale and aged it on top of cherries in red wine barrels to create Puppies on Penguins. The 8.4% ABV beer was last released in 2017 as part of their “Take Flight” series of barrel-aged beers and was brought back in honor of its anniversary.

Divine Barrel Brewing

The brewery will release three beers on draft and in cans on December 14. The first, Dank Zappa, is a West Coast IPA with a 7.0% ABV. This hop-forward IPA was brewed with Citra, Mosaic, and Idaho 7. A clean malt base supports heavy notes of mandarin orange, drippy papaya, and dank notes of pine sap, which helps balance this brew’s assertive yet pleasant bitterness.

Ice Cream Paint Job, named after a Dorrough song, is a pastry Berliner Weisse. A twist on the traditional German Berliner Weisse, this 4.6% ABV ‘jammy’ brew was fermented with vanilla and lactose in tandem with over 500 pounds of raspberries, sweet cherries, and blueberries. You taste sweet jam-like fruit and vanilla explode on the forefront with a subdued lactic and berry tartness to round out the finish.

Hardcore Handholding is an old-school American stout. The 6.8% ABV jet-black beer has a thick body with inviting notes of chocolate, roasted coffee, and hops seamlessly woven together. This traditional American brew recalls the rich and roasty stouts from the early days of craft beer.

December 28 brings three more releases. Climb a Cloud is a 6.6% ABV hazy IPA double dry-hopped with Citra, Idaho 7, and El Dorado. Czech Pils is a classic Czech Pilsner at a friendly 5.2% ABV. Slightly sweet, toasty biscuit notes present themselves at first sip, followed by a restrained hop presence for balance. With moderate carbonation, this lager a clean easy-drinker.

In another nod to Frank Zappa, Forty Dollar Bill is a West Coast IPA named after lyrics from the Frank Zappa song “Dinah-Moe-Hum.” At 6.5% ABV, it is dry-hopped with the beautifully classic hop profile of Citra, Simcoe, and Amarillo. This crystal-clear hop bomb is perfumed with sweet, juicy navel oranges, fleshy nectarines, and pine resin.

The DreamChaser’s Brewery

The brewery has five small-batch taproom-only releases in December. Salted Caramel Porter shows a deep, rich caramel color from an array of caramel malts and a hint of chocolate malt. Sea salt melds into this brown porter for a lightly sweet 5.6% ABV treat. Releasing on December 10 for National Lager Day as well as the Waxhaw Christmas Parade, Schwarz Side of the Moon is a 6% ABV light-bodied dark lager with a hint of roasted flavor. Raisin D’Etre, a 7% ABV Belgian dubbel, releases on December 11, initially for the brewery’s Mug Club Party, and then to the general public. The beer was brewed with raisins and dates to complement the fruity aroma of the Belgian yeast.

Brewed with toasted coconut, Coconut Porter, is medium-bodied and lightly sweetened with caramel and chocolate malts. The 5.7% ABV porter will be released on the Winter Solstice, December 21. Bejeweled rings in the new year on December 31. Low ABV at 5.1%, this blonde ale is fermented with blueberries and lemonade, in tandem with butterfly pea flower to add a rich blue complexity to the beer’s color. A touch of edible glitter adds to the festive New Year’s Eve treat.

NoDa Brewing Company

This year, Captain Peanut Butter’s Chocolate Revenge returns in its original form, plus two variants. The original  9.2% ABV malty, smooth imperial porter was brewed with a heavy load of cocoa nibs and roasted peanut butter, providing a chocolatey, rich twist to the classic porter style. Captain Peanut Butter’s Tropical Excursion utilizes Bananza yeast to provide a chocolate peanut butter cup with a banana twist. While Captain Peanut Butter’s Foggy Morning After is last year’s version aged in whiskey barrels. Both variants are draft-only at both NoDa taprooms.

Kokua Project, a 4.9% ABV session IPA was brewed with Mosaic and El Dorado hops. The clean and bright beer benefiting the Maui Wildfire Relief Fund releases on draft December 8. Bourbon Barrel Aged Olde Voyageur is a hefty 10% ABV English barleywine aged in Great Wagon Road whiskey barrels. This indulgent brew debuts December 15, draft only. A 9.3% ABV hazy imperial IPA, Lamentation of Conformity, was brewed with Mosaic Cryo, Experimental 17704, and experimental Crosby 008 hops balanced by a complex malt bill providing the higher alcohol. Strong, citrusy, and tropical, this juicy brew will be released on draft December 22.

Under the C, a black IPA brewed exclusively with “C” hops and cuttlefish ink to provide a unique color, releases on draft December 29. The 6.4% ABV was a group brew with NoDa Brewing Company employees.

The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

Dortmunder Export is a German pale lager available on draft only at their taproom. The 5.2% ABV lager has more malt fullness and a higher ABV than a pilsner but not as much hop flavor and aroma. The hard water profile of Dortmund was mimicked in the brew, which accentuates the hop bitterness and provides a crisp, dry finish.

Protagonist Beer

Ruby red Protagonist Snow was brewed in collaboration with Incendiary Brewing. Photo courtesy

In celebration of the brewery’s five-year anniversary, the brewery is introducing three “big” beers both on draft and eight-ounce cans. Copernicus is a 12% ABV barrel-aged imperial stout that is smooth, chocolatey, and oaky. Copernicus with Vanilla is a variant of the beer utilizing Ugandan vanilla. A 10% ABV Belgian tripel-style ale, Persephone, is made with candi sugar and grains of paradise. A classic style brewed in honor of the Goddess of Spring. Snow is an amber winter lager brewed in collaboration with Incendiary Brewing. Ruby red, malty, and smooth, this warming 6% ABV beer is set to fight winter cold.

Sycamore Brewing

December marks the return of their 7.5% ABV Christmas Cookie Winter Ale and the 8.1% ABV Barrel-Aged Christmas Cookie Winter Ale. The beers are an ode to Santa’s favorite treat: fresh-baked spiced sugar cookies. Merging comforting flavors of caramel, rich toffee, honey, and figs, they are also backed by additions of fresh cinnamon, ginger, orange zest, and vanilla — resulting in a malt-forward blonde ale with a satisfyingly sweet yet balanced spicy finish.

Town Brewing Co.

Velvet Riot is a dark lager from Town Breing Co. Photo courtesy

Velvet Riot is 4.9% ABV Czech-style dark lager. Although the beer is light-bodied, a considerable burst of malt with toasted bread and light toffee flavors comes through with a clean, crisp finish.

Triple C Brewing Co.

The brewery’s first two beers will be released December 8. A Stout Named Sue is a 6.5% ABV tiramisu cream stout, brewed in collaboration with Town Brewing. The stout has aromas of coffee-soaked ladyfingers with a sweet cream and chocolate dusting. This sweet, roasty stout is reminiscent of the classic tiramisu dessert. An 8.0% ABV hazy double IPA, Hazy Maker was brewed with various hops to provide a melody of candied orange, sweet papaya, and juicy pineapple with a hint of pine sap aromas. Pours opaque yellow with a slight juicy sweetness.

Four beers will be released on December 15. Another collaboration, Quittin’ Time was brewed with Hopfly Brewing. The 4.8% ABV Czech dark lager offers aromas of dark fruit, light chocolate, and caramel and blend seamlessly while being light-bodied and easy to drink. Flip the Tip is a 7.3% ABV spruce IPA. This West Coast-style IPA was dry-hopped with Centennial and Simcoe hops and fresh Colorado spruce tips. Aromas of fresh-cut pine and citrus notes with a medium bitterness lead to a crisp, dry finish. The other two December 15 releases are variants of the brewery’s winter seasonal, White Blaze, a 6% ABV spiced winter ale. The original brew pours deep amber in color with welcoming aromas and flavors of freshly ground cinnamon and vanilla beans. The variant releases are Oatmeal Crème Pie and Toasted Coconut.

Wish is a twist on a classic Irish dry stout with the additions of white chocolate peppermint bark. The 4.5% ABV dry and roasty brew reminds one of peppermint hot chocolate on the nose. Releases December 22. To be released on December 29, Barstool Built For Dreamers was brewed in tandem with Fiddlin’ Fish in Winston-Salem. The 6.7% ABV brew utilizes Centennial, Simcoe, and Amarillo hops for the piney and citrus flavors of a traditional West Coast IPA.