Best Spiced Beers

Hmmm... I got no taste from this one when I tried it a few weeks ago. Didn't taste like Christmas or New Years, maybe more like Presidents Day. Could be a bad bottle?

 

To hell with your rules about ambers, I second what others have mentioned - Xocoveza is the truth.

I also recently came upon a spiced stout by SN called Rain Check (http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/140/122667/) which was mostly ginger and lime... kind of like a dark and stormy.

 

I don't know what beers are available in your neck of the woods, but see what Christmas/Holiday beers are still on the shelves at your favorite beer stores. Many of these beers are brewed with extra rich malt flavor to celebrate the season, but many are also spiced. Be sure to look up their rating here on the BA site because if they are still on a store shelf, they may be the less popular ones.

 

Southern Tier's 2XMAS is awesome, and you still might be able to find some on the shelves, collecting dust. The joke is on those who are turned-off by the dust. The beer ages well, and the spices get more pronounced. I finished up my last bottle of 2014 shortly after Christmas of 2015.

 

Bells Neptune is a Black IPA with Star Anise - it is excellent.

Deschutes Zarabanda is also excellent - it has both lemon verbena and sumac in the brew.

 

If you can count a sweet spice Anchor makes a (seasonal) maple red ale that was pretty good. If you dig estery yeast id suggest belgian dubbels. While not amber, more of a darker red mahogany color, they are very spiced usually with coriander, orange peel, anise even. Ommegang uses cumin in their abbey dubbe

And again not familiar with spiced ambers as i do not like winter seasonals which is when id see them in fear of cinnamon atrocities so Clown Shoes does Chocolate Sombrero which is a stout with ancho chilis i believe. I tasted the subtle heat regardless of seeing some say its not there.

If you can get your hands on New Glarus i here their spiced apple ale is one mean mug.

 

I like Blue Moon's gingerbread seasonal

 

Thought of another one: Cascade Gingersnap.

 

Yeah this was tasty better then last years for sure.

 

Traquair House Ale is pretty fantastic if you can find it, you can mail order it fairly easily, or a bottle shop who deals wit Shelton Brothers as a distributor ought to have it.

Anchor X-mas is pretty sweet for such standard easy access brew. I think the Traquair House Ale would do you right, it's on the malty side and slightly darker in color than an Amber.

If you can home brew I'd recommend doing a spiced amber lager, the key is to relax and don't go crazy, if go subtle the reward can be more complex than you might think.

 

Had Jolly Traveler recently and found it very interesting.

 

Trinity just released their Hopped Toddy braggot a few days ago. I didn't love the beer (but it did grow on me) and it fits all of the parameters the OP is looking for (contains fresh ginger, lemon zest, Orange and Black Pekoe tea).

 

Ommegang Hennepin. Also, Great Lakes Christmas Ale is loaded with ginger.

 

Martin House Sugar and Spice is one of my favorites - it's a spiced barleywine.

http://martinhousebrewing.com/the-beer/sugar-spice/

 

Stone Xocoveza
Ommegang Abbey
Bell's Neptune

 

Imperial Stout, not a Black IPA. http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/287/181519/

 

From New Zealand, Emerson's Taieri George.

I also like Traquair House Ale. And Bush De Noel.

 

To date, I still think it has the best usage of cinnamon in a beer yet.

Also, Southern Tier's 2XMAS kicks ass - and I don't even really like spiced beers that much.

 

A lot of the xmas beers will be disappearing from store shelves now, but look for winter warmers. Sam Smith makes a decent one (called winter welcome). Anderson valley winter solstice is really good and should also still be on store shelves. Harpoon makes a decent one as well.