As an adult, the magic of Christmas can often get lost. Much of what fascinates children is the mystery of Santa Claus and the anticipation of gifts. But as we age, sometimes the biggest holiday of the year can be filled with more chores than cheer. But the cheer(s) can be put back into Christmas through beer advent calendars.
These celebratory boxes of craft beer restore the kid-like wonder in all of us as it provides a fun way to discover new beers as we count down the days until Christmas.
History Of Advent Calendars
Just like much of the beer we enjoy, advent calendars have their roots in German culture. Counting down the days until Christmas has always been an important tradition for those that celebrate Christmas. To help her son get into the spirit of Christmas, Gerhard Lang’s mother made a cardboard calendar with 24 pieces of candy attached to it.
When Gerhard grew up, he started a printing company. Eventually, he made Advent Calendars that eventually evolved to include small pieces of candy, prizes, and Bible verses.
And with much of history, there are other claims to how Advent Calendars began but this seems to be the most widely accepted and it has a nice feel to it.
Still to this day, children enjoy opening up a small door each day to reveal a small candy. But as adults, a small piece of chocolate doesn’t create the same level of excitement as beer. So it only seems fitting to have beer advent calendars.
12, 24, or 25
One element to be aware of is these Christmas countdown sets come in a few different varieties. Technically, Advent starts a few days prior to Dec 1st (specifically Nov 29th in 2020). But for simplicity, most Advent Calendars start on Dec 1st and contain 24 or 25 items depending on whether it includes Christmas Day. Advent ends on Dec 24th but I am sure no one is complaining about the beer advent calendars that include the extra day.
You’ll also see lots of 12 Days of Christmas sets from your favorite breweries. This period of time is the 12 days from December 25th through January 6th, the Day of Epiphany aka Three Kings’ Day. And at least one brewery has made Hannukah box which features 8 beers, one for each night of the holiday.
I’d imagine making a 12- or 8-pack is much easier for these breweries. And creates a product at a price point that more people are willing to purchase. But there’s no reason you can’t use a “12 Days of Christmas” set to count down to Christmas rather than celebrate the time post holiday. For that reason, I’ve included Holiday-themed sets of any quantity on my list below.
Looking for other Christmas gift ideas? Check out my list including many that can be found on Amazon!
DIY Beer Advent Calendars
For those of you that enjoy making stuff or hand-selecting the beers contained in the Advent Calendar, Pinterest is probably your best friend for inspiration.
There are hundreds of options to teach you how to make a beer advent calendar as well as pre-made kits for purchase. Most use some kind of box but there are also Christmas trees, snowman, and other winter themed shapes that are all designed to hold beer.
Check out my Craft Beer Advent Calendar Pinterest board
I love the idea of creating a custom beer advent calendar because then you can include any beer you want. This is a great way to create a one-of-a-kind gift for a beer lover that embraces their favorites styles and breweries.
Pre-made Calendars
Arts & Crafts isn’t for everyone. And even if you buy a kit, you still have to pick out the beer to include. All of that work can be done for you by purchasing one of the many options below.
Some of these are only regionally available while others sell out the day they hit shelves (Aldi). But regardless, each should give you an idea of how breweries and retailers are creating great Christmas countdown calendars to help spread the cheer.
And as always, check out your local breweries and bottle shops to see if they are offering something.
Higher Gravity: I had to start with an option local to Cincinnati. This year, they have two options. One with basic craft beer offerings and another with a hard to find selection (and even a few exclusives).
Rochester Mills: Primarily filled with variants of their well-known Milkshake Stout. This is perfect for the stout lover with a sweet tooth.
Troegs: Technically, this isn’t a 12 Days of Christmas pack but it does contain 12 beers. They modestly call it the Most Wonderful Beer of the Year sampler. It includes their immensely popular Mad Elf.
Almanac: This brewery has created both Christmas and Hanukkah options. Pick your option of an 8 or 12 days celebration . . . or get both!
Clown Shoes: A great selection of some of their favorites along with options that fit the season.
Aldi: This one includes a variety of import beers that will be a nice change of pace from American craft beer. In addition, Aldi also has a popular wine option and added a hard seltzer version in 2020.
Warning: These sell out instantly on release day
Costco: It only makes sense that a big box store would sell a big box of beer. This is easily the most widely available option.
BrewDog: Exclusively available on their website, this pack includes 19 beers, 3 ciders, and 2 pieces of merch.
Final Thoughts
I’m not alone when I say that Christmas is my favorite time of year and beer advent calendars are a great way to incorporate our love for beer with this magical time of year. And even if many of these options don’t cover the full length of Advent, you can easily make your own or combine two of the 12 Days Of Christmas sets to fill the entire month with cheer.
So be merry, be joyful, and celebrate the Holiday season with plenty of craft beer shared with friends and family.