St. Bernardus Christmas Ale is a Belgian Brown Strong Christmas Ale brewed by the St. Bernardus Brewery in Belgium, arriving in a pack of four 11.2oz bottles. At 10.0% ABV, it is top-fermented and bottle-conditioned in the traditional abbey style.

The ale pours dark reddish-brown with a frothy beige head and medium carbonation. Its aroma offers sweet caramel, dark fruits, raisin, cinnamon, clove, chocolate, bread, and notes of anise. The flavor follows with sweet apricot, banana, licorice, marzipan, molasses, peppery spice, and a slight hop bitterness. The mouthfeel is creamy and light to medium bodied, with a long, bittersweet, dry finish. The 10% ABV is well hidden but warming.

The St. Bernardus Brewery was founded in 1946 and traces its roots to a licensing arrangement with the Trappist monks of the St. Sixtus Monastery in Westvleteren, Belgium. When that arrangement ended in 1992, St. Bernardus launched its own award-winning line of abbey ales now distributed to more than two dozen countries. The Christmas Ale holds a 94 rating on BeerAdvocate and a 99 on RateBeer. It pairs well with pizza, meat and cheese plates, winter stews, honey ham, duck, turkey, and desserts such as bread pudding. Serve at 45–50°F.