I’ve just returned from Germany to the US, and visiting places like The Thirsty Monk in Asheville, NC reminds me of what I’m missing living in Germany. That makes it all the more amusing that my inaugural post will be about a beer from Evil Twin out of Denmark, my neighbor to the north back in Germany.

The Thirsty Monk had Evil Twin’s Soft Xmas, a Christmas version of their Soft Dookie in 500ml bottles. This brew isn’t your standard Christmas fare, however. The Soft Dookie is a vanilla stout, and added to that here was a subtle, but not hard to notice, taste of cherries. The Soft Xmas does a good job of allowing the vanilla and cherry favors to shine separately without either being too overpowering. Complex and warming, clocking in at 10.9% ABV, this beer is a worthwhile experience, and seems like it would do especially well paired with a well cooked meal.