Though it dumped rain just before the event kick off, the skies cleared up Saturday afternoon at the 8th Annual Brew Ho Ho Holiday Ale Festival and thousands of beer-loving patrons, most donning their seasonal best, came out to taste a slew of new craft beer from local breweries.
Guests were given either green, red, blue or black special tin tasting cups that looked like tiny coffee mugs with handles at the gates of the Phoenix Club in Anaheim and set out to explore more than 100 different offerings. It feels like the local brewers really try to do something special for the Brew Ho Ho as they bring in new and rare seasonal offerings alongside a few of their more well-known or even flagship brews.
There were plenty of heavier beer options with lots of creamy stouts and porters that use vanilla beans, hazelnuts and even lactose. For those not into the heavy stuff, which typically boasted a higher alcohol content, there were also hazy, double and triple IPAs, a couple smooth lagers, whisky barrel-aged beer and tarts and sours. We met up with event producer, Brew Ha Ha Productions’ Cameron Collins, to sample some of the best options from the Brew Ho Ho Holiday Ale Festival.
“Let’s go make some bad decisions,” Collins joked as we began our beer journey.
In between visiting with Santa and taking in live performances by Fleetwood Mac tribute band Twisted Gypsy and Elton — The Early Years, which played John’s famous hits as well as some Beatles and The Who, we hit up a variety of breweries and here are some of the standouts.
Green Cheek’s Immaculate Confection
The Orange-based brewery’s collaboration with Ritual Brewing Company was the best tasting pastry stout at the event. It was like a gourmet cup of coffee or a cold cup of hot chocolate. It was made to be sipped and savored, so we drank it slowly, taking in all of the flavor of the roasted hazelnuts and vanilla beans. It’s a cozy and filling beer and with an ABV of 12.5%; one glass would leave your cheeks rosy and your belly filled with holiday cheer.
Artifex Brewing Company’s Infinite Layers
Artifex from San Clemente brought something special to the festival this year, tapping a whiskey barrel at the last minute to offer tastings of its Infinite Layers. They were smaller pours because the brewery only brought a small batch, plus its ABV is 11%. It’s a pastry stout created in Heaven Hill Whiskey Barrels that tastes like a gooey cinnamon roll. It’s thick, it’s chewy and, being aged in a whiskey-soaked barrel, it has just enough fire and kick to really get your attention.
Docent Brewing’s Her Majesty
Docent Brewing in San Juan Capistrano is always a fan-favorite at the Brew Ha Ha events. For Brew Ho Ho, the brewery brought out Her Majesty, a royal and extra special strong bitter beer that they put on nitro for a smooth finish. With a lower 5.2% AVB, Her Majesty is easy drinking and rich in flavor without being so incredibly filling.
Bottle Logic’s Stealth Mode
The hardcore Brew Ha Ha events patrons know what beer to look out for. They come with lists, prepared to hit up the best of the best first to taste the really rare stuff. Bottle Logic Brewing in Anaheim brought its Darkstar November Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout, but it was tapped just two hours into the event. The crowd let its disappointment be known as the crew wiped the offering from its whiteboard. We also missed out on it by mere seconds.
However, we did manage to taste its Stealth Mode Berliner Weisse-style beer that’s made with tons of blueberries. It’s more tart and less sour and the blueberry flavor definitely stands out and is not at all watered down or lost in the pour. Plus it comes in cans that display artwork designed by the creator of Campy Creatures, a card game with cool monsters.
GameCraft Brewing’s There Is No Cow Level
GameCraft Brewing has only been open in Laguna Hills for a year but has already won awards with its There Is No Cow Level Imperial Coffee Milk Stout. There were several patrons who returned for multiple tastes of this very coffee-forward stout. It was less filling and more drinkable than some of the other milk stouts and definitely worth coming back for seconds or thirds.
Brew Ho Ho Holiday Ale Festival
When: Saturday, Dec. 7
Where: Phoenix Club, Anaheim