Where would you go to buy a nice bottle of beer for Christmas Dinner?

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I should amend to to go with Christmas Dinner not just sitting down to a bottle of beer (though he might not mind.....)

Last year I hunted down a couple of Christmas bottles of Stella Artois (only available in some Sainsburys)
This year, I want a couple of nice, non-novelty (so no 'Christmas Pudding Flavour' types) in a nice bottle with a cork of possible but a cap is fine .

I don't drink, DH doesn't drink wine. The DC and I have Appletise in our nice glass, need something nice for DH.

(I'm up in London in December but I could go earlier to search some out)
TIA

bit of an overkill on nice but I don't drink and I can't stomach the smell of beer so I wouldn't use delicious or gorgeous .

What sort of beer does he like? Is it lagers, bitter, mild, stout, processed 'sparkly' beer or real ales?

The Docks (i.e. The microbrewery in my city). There are microbreweries all over the country.

www.beermerchants.com/deus-brut-des-flandres-blond-biere-brut-11-5-75cl-bottle.html

Not a Christmas beer as such but Leffe (a Belgian beer) is lovely. The larger bottles come sealed with a champagne style cork. It is available in Blond (lighter colour) and Brun (darker colour). Last year Tesco sold a gift pack with the smaller bottle (normal beer cap), bottle opener and special Leffe branded "chalice".

Craft lager and real ale is a bit of a thing at the moment, If you are heading to London google Borough Market, I know there is also a micro brewery at Greenwich called meantime brewery. Basically if you head to any hipsterish area of London (think east like Spitlefields, Hoxton, Shoreditch ) you will probably be spoilt for choice. The other place to look in London is Selfridges - they have all kinds of food and drink

Harveys brewery in Lewes (Sussex) always do festive beers. They even do one for bonfire night being Lewes!
They are well worth buying according to DH Often go over there in the next month or so. Do online orders.

Get some Duvel from Sainsburys, it's Belgian so it's very good.

i'd go to Dobbies or a local farm shop which stocks beers from the local breweries...

Dublin is probably not much good to you, but there's a really good independent off licence called Deveneys in Dundrum who bring in a load of seasonal beers. A couple of the Christmas pud flavour, but mostly seasonal beers with a hint of spiciness and suited to cold weather. Winter ales. Christmas beers. Lots of seasonal specials from continental breweries, and things like Goose Island brewery in he US.

Would you have a look around for a good off licence specialising in craft beer and flavoursome beers? I know 1 years I got over 30 for DH, as a single bottle of quite a few I could find I that vein, but not all! Most are regular beer strength, but beware as some pack quite a punch alcohol wise!

We'd also be reasonable drinkers of Leffe, Duvel and Hoegarten in our house. The blond ones are nice and light, so should be nice with turkey.

But a good beer office would give you the right advice too.

Thank You - he does like a Leffe Blond or two , and Duvel .

I did like the look of that beer in daveyfish link (even though it's £17 a bottle but it looks like a beer/champagne hybrid)

Selfridges before it gets too busy I reckon, then maybe some small breweries - Greenwich is most vertainly within reach (I'm sure he's had Meantime)

I've just remembered a beer I got him years ago 'Orval' it's a Trappist beer.
Might try and search some of that out.....

Adds to list

Tesco do lots of real ales and usually on offer of 3 for £5 all year round. some dark some light. My exh only drinks real ale so always tried to get him a different one at xmas.

Samuel Smith ales are delicious and widely available. Their chocolate stout is my favourite beer in the world! For something lighter try Wild Swan from Thornbridge Brewery - Waitrose stock it. You can't go wrong with anything from Thornbridge actually. Tyne Bank Cherry Stout is incredibly Christmassy. Also some of Marks and Spencer's ales are really good - their chocolate porter would be delicious with Christmas dinner.

I love real ale, me!

Local farm shop for good local beers.

I'd go for a microbrewery beer. Farmers' markets and Christmas markets often have someone selling bottles and small casks