I get a lot of letters with special requests this time of year, but rarely anything like this...

Dear Beer Santa,

Every Christmas, my friends and I get together for our traditional Barleywine Bash, where we all bring something different to keep our bodies warm and our spirits high. And this year, I’m hosting! That’s why I need you to help me get my hands on a Barleywine that I won’t find in my area, something that will really knock everyone’s stockings off.

Sincerely,

A Friend

Alright, I know I’m not actually Santa, but this lucky guy is gonna find himself a big, boozy bottle of delicious Reindeer Tears (2018) under his tree this year. Coming in at a naughty 12% ABV, this Bourbon Barrel-Aged Barleywine is from one of my favorite Washington breweries down in Vancouver - Heathen Brewing.

This barrel-aged bad boy is brewed using 5 different malts. Maris Otter for that “chestnuts roasting on an open fire” flavor. Munich and Double Roasted Crystal Malts bring a beatdown of burnt sugar over caramelized fruit. CaraFoam and Red Wheat lend a fuller, well-rounded body. The Bourbon Barrels smoothe the Barleywine heat with waves of comforting vanilla, while the combination of Chinook, Centennial, and Cascade hops give it an evergreen edge. It’s classic Barleywine meets BBA badass-ery.

So take it from me, the Beer Santa -- From the smooth, caramel start, to the warm, vanilla-whiskey finish, Reindeer Tears is the seasonal treat to make any host a little host-ier, any toast a little toastier, and any Prost a little, well, Prost-ier.

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