On the 8th day of Christmas, Julia recommended to me…

Winter Blend from Downeast Cider (East Boston, MA)

and

Scrooge (1970)!

I know it’s not technically a beer, but hear me out: Downeast Cider is the cider for beer drinkers. Downeast brews their ciders with an ale yeast when most other ciders on the market use champagne yeast. Ale yeast doesn’t eat away as much of the natural apple sugars as a champagne yeast does, which means that Downeast doesn’t have to add any sugar back in at the end of the brewing process in order to maintain the cider’s juicy integrity. This also creates a cider with a mouthfeel closer to that of a hazy IPA. Cider in general is a great gluten-free alternative to beer for folks with allergies who still want to engage in the exciting world of craft brewing!

Look, it’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Downeast Cider (or that I was on their payroll when “events” were still, like, a thing). What does seem to be a well-kept secret, however is the Scrooge movie-musical based on the Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol.

Downeast’s Winter Blend is a staple holiday beverage in my household. Back when “going places” and “seeing people” were activities I participated in, I’d be loathe to show up at a holiday gathering without a 9-pack of Winter Blend in my arms. Winter Blend amps up the standard-issue Downeast formula with cinnamon and nutmeg before steeping the cider on toasted oak chips. If you ever wanted to drink a fall-scented candle, but not in a gross way, this cider is absolutely for you. It’s like a 6.5% ABV pumpkin spice bev, but with way less pumpkin and more toasty spice. Available now wherever fine craft ciders are sold (The Wine Press), Winter Blend is our Cider of Christmas Present!

Scrooge is classic holiday tale in which a rich man redistributes his wealth back to the very same poor folks from whom he exploited his earnings! Is this what trickle-down economics is supposed to look like? Regardless of my radical leftist take on the film, it slaps. Especially the track “I Hate People,” which exudes major Grinch energy.

Prickly Pear is a 7.5% ABV seasonal taproom-exclusive release from Downeast that I was lucky enough to snag a growler of this past summer. This cider tastes exactly like the Watermelon Cucumber Cooler seasonal fruit juice from Trader Joe’s and I am obsessed with the Watermelon Cucumber Cooler seasonal fruit juice from Trader Joe’s. Alas, we can only hope that this delicious margarita-inspired cider returns in 2021! Until then, it shall be our Cider of Christmas Past.

Aloha Friday is the cider that made me fall in love with Downeast. This 5.1% ABV cider is infused with fresh pineapple and tastes like everything good about summer. I look forward to the release of Aloha Friday (and it’s boozier rum barrel-aged sibling Aloha Saturday) every year and have been known to stash away a handful of cans to provide me with some on-demand sunshine in the colder months. The return of Aloha Friday in the spring of 2021 is something to look forward to, making it our Cider of Christmas Future (though, to be fair, the Ghost of Christmas Future in the film is a bit more, well, grim)!

Can’t find any Downeast Cider in your area? Fill your chalice with something fit for a Christmas feast! Perhaps something ultra-rare that you’ve been saving for a special occasion, like Samuel Adams’ Utopias or Russian River Brewing’s Pliny the Elder!

Happy holidays ya filthy animals!