The Bush beers are renowned for being amongst Belgium’s most alcoholic brews, but still very balanced and drinkable. The Bush Amber (Scaldis) for a time held the record as Belgium’s strongest beer.
So it is no surprise that the Bush de Noel is one of Belgium’s booziest Christmas beers. Introduced in 1991, the brewery responded to consumer demand by producing a beer ‘to add lustre’ to their festive celebrations.
It is a beer made of only malt, hops candy sugar and water. And of course the very distinctive Dubuisson house yeast. Unusually for a Christmas beer, there is no spicing or any other adjunct added to this beer.
This beer is also dry-hopped, with hop flowers added to the tanks in which the beer rests after fermentation. The result is something akin to a hoppy barley wine. A big thick body, full of caramel malt and over-ripe stone fruits with a nice hoppy bite to balance things out.
While it is still only brewed in small quantities, this is one winter seasonal beer that is eagerly anticipated each year.
The 2016 annual vintage Christmas beer from Brasserie Dubuisson
by Brouwerij Corsendonk (at Brasserie Du Bocq)
To help celebrate Christmas in July we have this festive treat from Corsendonk
by Brouwerij Corsendonk (at Brasserie Du Bocq)
The Christmas ale from this well-regarded abbey label
A wonderful winter seasonal offering from the Delirium label - one we look forward to each year
by Brasserie d'Achouffe (Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat)
The winter seasonal offering from the Chouffe Brewery - a dark beer brewed with thyme and bitter orange
A decidedly different and very interesting Kerstbier
A lovely spiced fruit cup of Christmas pudding in a 10% strong dark ale
The Struise Tsjeeses is their blond-amber Christmas seasonal beer, with this 2014 vintage being aged in Bourbon barrels
Tongerlo's Christmas beer is a little different to most of the Belgian Kerstbiers
Struise's winter seasonal offering - a 10% strong blond spiced ale
A dark seasonal offering, capturing all the rich flavours of the festive season.
A Christmas beer that is lighter, drier and hoppier than a standard winter seasonal
Is it a Blonde or is it a Tripel? Either way, it is big and tasty!
The 2016 annual vintage Christmas beer from Brasserie Dubuisson
Once Belgium's strongest beer, this strong amber ale is world-renowned for more than just being an amazing beer.
This is an unfiltered, naturally cloudy lager that bridges the gap between commercial beers and a Belgian Blond Ale
Belgium's strongest fruit beer - a mix of Bush Amber (Scaldis) and fresh peach extract