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Michigan's 12 Beers of Christmas

Twelve brewers brewing, 11 snifters snifting, 10 lagers laging- OK, I won't go on. But I will share Michigan's 12 beers of Christmas, a baseline guide to our state's winter ales and spicy warmers. If you're feeling festive and thirsty, any of these beers - listed here alphabetically - is a good place to start.

- John Serba

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Photo: Mickey Ciokajlo | MLive.com

Atwater Lebkuchen Christmas Ale

A malty, dark amber ale from the Detroit brewery, Lebkuchen is named after a German Christmas baked treat, similar to gingerbread.

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Tomorrow is the official tapping of Winter Bock!Brewed with respect to the season, Atwater's Winter Bock boasts the... Posted by Atwater in the Park on Thursday, October 22, 2015

Atwater's Winter Bock

The German-style bock is an underrated style for malt lovers, and Atwater offers a hearty one, a high-gravity lager clocking in at 7.5 percent.

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Photo: Mickey Ciokajlo | MLive.com

Bell's Christmas Ale

Bell's touts this offering as a "sessionable" version of traditional holiday ales, unusual for its lack of spices and dry notes.

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Bell's Winter White Ale

Yellow, cloudy and wheaty and brewed with Belgian yeast, this is a fine seasonal favorite from Bell's, an alternative to hops and spices and malts.

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Photo: Mickey Ciokajlo | MLive.com

Dark Horse's 4 Elf

A heavy one clocking in at 8.75 percent ABV, and a dark one, 4 Elf is a nutmeggy seasonal favorite that holds true to the Dark Horse tradition of brewing 'em big and bold.

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Photo: Mickey Ciokajlo | MLive.com

Frankenmuth Brewery's Christmas Town

Frankenmuth, an adorable and touristy Bavarian village, is ground zero at Christmastime, an explosion of lights and nativities and whatnot. So of course, the state's oldest brewery holds true to tradition and offers this traditional spiced Christmas warmer.

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Greenbush's Ursus

Ursus is an "Olde Ale" with an extra "e" for extra oldness. The recipe boasts pureed dates and the label boasts a big, bad bear, symbolizing the Michigan winter, no doubt.

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Griffin Claw's 3 Scrooges

Lightly spicy with a bit o' honey, this medium-bodied warmer from the Birmingham brewer is better than a poke in the eye. Woo woo, nyuk nyuk, ho ho.

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Jolly Pumpkin's Noel de Calabaza

It's sour, of course, but it's also a Belgian style ale aged in oak barrels. The best part about Jolly Pumpkin is reading the wide variety of descriptions of the same beer by various wonks on the review sites, which means it's a complex brew.

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Photo: John Serba | jserba@mlive.com

North Peak's Blitzen Festivus Ale

Inevitably, someone would reference "Seinfeld," although this pleasant, caramel-colored, dry-chocolatey brew probably won't be the object of any grievances being aired.

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Photo: Mickey Ciokajlo | MLive.com

Odd Side Ales' Merry Elf

Known for its unusual brews, the Grand Haven beermaker offers this candi sugar/orange peel concoction similar in the vein of a Belgian-style brown.

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Rochester Mills' Snow Dazed

Big and strong like the season itself, this winter ale is billed as a "robust bruiser of a beer," heartier than most warmers, concocted to be bold in February, after the holiday cheer has long dwindled.

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More beer news and features on MLive

For complete coverage of Michigan beer on MLive, visit mlive.com/beer, or like our Michigan Beer News page on Facebook.

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