3 holiday beers to celebrate the season

Winter beer is usually all about vanilla, but for On the Coast beer columnist Rebecca Whyman, this year the holidays are about Christmas ales from Belgium.

Whyman says all three are vanilla-free, and can be imported from Bravo Beer Company or found at specialty beer stores.

Bonsecours Blonde de Noel : One of the only blonde ales brewed for Christmas, it is made with malt, candi sugar, hops and yeast.  This is a sweet, yeasty and fruity beer with notes of clove, coriander and citrus.

Noel de Silenrieux: An organic spiced Belgian brown ale made with barley malt, candi sugar, hops and spices. It tastes of cherries, figs, grapes and pears.  It has a sweet initial taste, moving to caramel and molasses.

Scaldis Noel: A dry-hopped Belgian strong dark ale made with barley malt, candi sugar, hops and yeast.  It tastes of toffee, oak, nuts, pepper, stone fruit and all spice with the mouthfeel of a sherry or port.