MSN: Gingerbread Stout Included in Top 14 Beers That Will Get You In The Holiday Spirit

“If you're looking for a dessert beer to sip on with your sugar cookies or fruit cake, Hardywood Gingerbread Stout is a good bet. This imperial milk stout gets its Christmas flavors from vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and wildflower honey. Fun fact: the wildflower honey comes from local farms in Central Virginia, which is where Hardywood is based. The stout is rich, creamy, and laced with holiday spices. The ABV of 9.2% also gives it a slight kick that will warm you up on a cold winter day.

Hardywood's Gingerbread Stout gets rave reviews from tasters with a "world-class" score of 95 on Beer Advocate. Fans love that the beer lives up to its name with aromas and flavors of gingerbread cookies. It sounds like it would be ultra-sweet, but many tasters say it's not overly sugary. Instead, it's well-balanced with touches of sweetness, spice, and sharpness from the ginger and hops. As one reviewer said, "I love how [the] sugar aromas do not translate into the taste ... The overall harmony and balance in the beer is excellent." Another reviewer said, "It's a damn near perfect occasion beer for the holidays."