We round up some of the best brews for Christmas, sorted by style and who’ll love each one.
We all know at least one person who never strays from their beer of choice. This gift guide is not for them. If only everyone was so easy to buy for, right? But when it comes to everyone else, there’s a world of beer just waiting to be chosen, wrapped and handed over this season. That might be for a traditional gift on Christmas Day, a thank-you for a host, a KK present or simply to have stocked for that last-minute gesture. Good beer always comes in handy.
Here to help, we’ve rounded up some of the best beers to gift this Christmas, which we’ve grouped into brew styles. This way, you can choose between lagers, pale ales, XPAs or IPAs, or perhaps go a little leftfield with a beer that’s flavoured, lower in alcohol or even gluten free. Take your pick from the following beers, and here’s hoping they offer you one, too.
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1. Travla Full Strength Lager
There’s no mistaking where this beer is from – it’s made in a classic Aussie style from local ingredients, complete with a ’roo on the can. It’s crisp, clean and also low-carb. Actor Travis Fimmel is behind it, so if your friend is a fan of his work (think Vikings and Boy Swallows Universe) or, let’s be honest, a fan of him, Travla is a compelling pick.
2. Tsingtao Premium Lager
Maybe your mate is always trying to get a crew together for yum cha. Perhaps they’re still talking about their time in Hong Kong when they checked out every bar in Lan Kwai Fong. Or maybe they just love crisp Asian beers. Whatever the case, put Tsingtao at the top of the list for this friend. It’s cleansing, a touch hoppy and bang-on with an Asian feast.
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Here’s a classic European lager with a rich heritage that has a little more going on than you might expect. With a golden colour, striking malt aromas and a rich hop lean, Budvar is a distinctive beer with a mild bitterness and a whole lot of flavour. It’s an excellent intro to classic Euro lagers, and it’ll work with pretty much every dish you can throw at it.
4. Two Bays Brewing Co. Gluten Free Pale Ale
Gluten-free beers are better than ever, so if your beer-loving gift recipient is a coeliac or avoids gluten for other reasons, this pale ale is a slam dunk. Every beer from this Mornington Peninsula brewery is gluten-free, so they know what they’re doing. Brewed with millet, buckwheat and rice, it’s a crisp easy-drinking pale ale with subtle citrus aromas.
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5. Young Henrys Newtowner Pale Ale
When a limited-edition beer makes its way into a brewery’s core range, you can be sure it’s a winner. That’s the case with the Newtowner, which was brewed to celebrate 150 years of its namesake Sydney suburb. Three varieties of local hops create a lightly fruity pale ale with a touch of bitterness. Buying for a Sydneysider who’s a proud inner westie? This is it.
6. Philter XPA
Sydney’s Philter Brewing has snagged a load of coveted awards since launching in 2017, and its XPA remains one of the best in the biz. Cloudy and full of tropical fruit aromas and lifted hoppy flavours, it ticks all the refreshing, easy-drinking boxes. Its striking design also makes it a must-buy for anyone with a soft spot for Aussie nostalgia.
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7. Coopers XPA
Most beer drinkers are familiar with the Coopers brews in the green and red packaging, but this purple XPA is one of the newer additions to the range and it deserves a look in. It’s cloudy, fruity and floral, with citrus and malty notes that keep the bitterness in check. An ideal pick for that staunch Coopers fan who’s open to spreading their wings.
8. Bentspoke Crankshift IPA
This IPA from a much-loved craft brewery in Canberra takes its style cues from the West Coast IPA. Expect floral aromas with citrus and pine notes, a medium body with a decent hit of hops, and a finish that’s all about the malt in this mix. Give this to anyone who digs full-flavoured beers and are loud-and-proud supporters of craft breweries.
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9. Feral Brewing Co. Biggie Juice East Coast IPA
One of many beers from this WA brewery’s range to hit cult status, this IPA is made in a New England IPA style (NEIPA). We’re talking hazy with a creamy mouthfeel, punchy tropical aromas and flavours of apricot, peaches and passionfruit. As the name suggests, this is big and juicy, and it will be a treat for anyone who likes their beer with personality.
10. Black Hops GOAT Hazy IPA
Like that Young Henrys Newtowner above, this is another one-off brew that became a permanent range member. Expect a peak tropical-flavoured drinking experience thanks to Mosaic, Amarillo and El Dorado hops making their presence felt with mango, passionfruit and pineapple notes. Voted Australia’s favourite Hazy IPA four years in a row, this will impress that mate who knows their beer stuff.
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11. Heaps Normal XPA
There’s barely a drinks list in Australia that doesn’t offer the Heaps Normal XPA, which proves how popular it is, as well as how far we’ve come that we now expect quality non-alc beers in top venues. This full-flavoured XPA has tropical and citrus aromas, a balanced bitterness and subtle malty notes. In short, it drinks like a beer but lands at 0.5% ABV.
12. Hiatus Beers Non-Alc Pacific Ale
We probably would’ve gifted this non-alc beer based on the packaging alone, but it also happens to taste good, too. This Pacific Ale style delivers tropical aromas – think passionfruit, guava and mango – but with subtle bitter flavours that balance out the fruity notes. It’s crisp, refreshing and full-flavoured – everything you want from a beer, let alone one that’s 0.5% ABV.
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13. Great Northern Brewing Co. Light
Great Northern is well-known for its 3.5% beer, but their Light comes in at 2% ABV, offering even more choice. Designed to be light, fresh, crisp and clean, this is a smart pick for so many occasions, particularly all those long sunny-arvo catch-ups. Turn up to the next barbie with a case for the host, and you might be surprised by who gets into them (read: everyone).
14. Guinness Draught Stout
Turn up to every dinner or party this season with a six-pack of Guinness for the host, and you’ll be welcomed with open arms (especially if they’ve watched Netflix’s House of Guinness). Having recently hit fever-pitch popularity – with ensuing stock shortages – even if your friend doesn’t drink it, other guests definitely will. Rich, velvety and bittersweet, Guinness is ideal as a starter, with a meaty main or next to the chocolate cake that seals the night.
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15. Boatrocker Stout
Made in regional Victoria, this stout is a classic, full-bodied English style that overdelivers on flavour. That textbook velvety mouthfeel is there, and while it’s rich and hearty, a delicate balance keeps it all in place, creating a moreish, well-rounded stout. It’s ideal for the Guinness fan to show them how our Aussie breweries deserve a much closer look.
16. Stone & Wood Radler Citrus
Stone & Wood have tapped into the age-old Radler style, and the team brewed this with lemon puree to create a light and zesty beer. With grapefruit and orange also in here, it delivers bright aromatics and a touch of sweetness. The Radler has refreshment in spades, and it demands a spot in the esky this season.
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17. Desperados Original
Ever heard of aguardiente? It’s a distilled spirit popular across Latin America that varies in flavour and ranges from sweet to dry. That’s what’s been added to this lager, creating a beer with a subtle spicy kick and sweet lemony notes. This is absolutely for that mate who always rocks up with the latest hot dog/fairy floss/roast beef flavoured crisps.
