ABV: 9%

Krampus: an under-appreciated mythic figure during the holiday season. That is, up until recently. We have always received the stories and quaint images of good old St. Nicholas, the jolly fellow who gives the “good” kids gifts in their stockings. Krampus is the imp-like figure that, depending on the European myth, bestows upon the naughty kids bad gifts or even kidnaps them and brings them to his lair. Sounds pleasant…

Thankfully, the Krampus that I will be talking more about today is the complete opposite from our devilish comrade; it is a present provided to us from Southern Tier, and it is the perfect refreshment for any of your December festivities.

For quite a few years now, Southern Tier has annually dispensed this imperial Helles lager, a beer that has its roots in the same spot that the legend of Krampus materialized. As I have not had too much experience with this kind of lager, and I had never tried Krampus until recently, I jumped ahead with the sinful assumption that I would be opening and pouring out a tall, golden beverage as my fiancee and I trimmed the tree. Little did I know that it would pour out a glorious amber color.

I was also pleasantly surprised at the strength of the bouquet. Pine filtered out; it made decorating even more enjoyable as we were opting for an artificial tree this go-around. Krampus is a nice substitute.

The pine and citrus bite did not remain simply in the smell. Krampus is as crisp as a lager should be, with just enough of that bitterness to make us realize why it indeed was named after the ghoulish counterpart to St. Nick. Thankfully, this particular beer is not a punishment, but a gift that any festival-goer needs to obtain. A gift to oneself even, especially if St. Nick has ignored some of the more pressing wishes on your list this year.