Although the weather gods don’t appear to be in much of a Christmas mood right now – Sweden is currently suffering from the biggest lack of snow for this time of year for over a century – the Systembolaget is stepping up and doing its bit to create some seasonal cheer with its annual launch of Christmas beers.

Is it Santa? Is it really?

This year no less than 43 (!) beers are hitting the shelves (and there’s even more to be had if you look a little harder) so if you want to try them all it’s just as well there’s still 41 days until Christmas (or 42, if you’re English).

For me there are two good things about Christmas. Firstly there’s Christmas beer itself, which doesn’t actually really exist. You see Christmas beer from the beginning was little more than a cynical ploy from large Humbug breweries looking to fill their profit stockings by taking one of their standard beers, shoving a scrooge-size dollop of sweetness, booze and colour in it, slapping a Santa on the bottle/can and calling it something ‘Christmasy’.

The good news is that in recent years the lack of any real stylistic definition of Christmas beer has led to several breweries making up their own rules, which for us beer drinkers is good news indeed as we can now enjoy everything from a bock and Belgium strong ales to an old ale and even a beer that you can warm up.

The second great thing about Christmas beers is that, like Christmas itself, they come around every year. This means that over the two years BeerSweden has been around I’ve already managed to taste my way through a majority of the beers going on sale today. So here’s a complete list of the 2011 Christmas release in the ordinary assortment at the monopoly together with links to my videos, photos and beer reviews. Remember that there can be some variation in vintages so just because I didn’t personally like a beer in 2009-2010 doesn’t necessarily mean I won’t change my mind this year.

Abita Christmas Ale, USA, 355 ml, ABV 5.5% 24.9 SEK

Anchor Christmas Ale, USA, 355 ml, ABV 5.5% 25.5 SEK

Ayinger Winter-Bock, Germany, 500 ml, ABV 6.7% 29.9 SEK

Brewdog There is no Santa, UK, 330 ml, ABV 4.7% 19.9 SEK

Corsendonk Christmas Ale, Belgium, 250 ml, ABV 8.5% 20.9 SEK

Eriksberg Julöl, Sweden, 500 ml, ABV 5.6% 6.9 SEK

Falcon Julöl, Sweden, 330ml, ABV 5.2% 11.9 SEK

Falcon Julöl, Sweden, 500ml, ABV 5.2% 16.9 SEK

Falcons Julmumma, Sweden, 500 ml, ABV 5.2% 17.9 SEK

Flying Dog K-9 Cruiser Winter Ale, USA, 355 ml, ABV 7.4% 25.8 SEK

Fuller’s Old Winter Ale, UK, 500 ml, ABV 5.3% 22.9 SEK

Gouden Carolus Christmas, Belgium 330 ml, ABV 10.5% 29.5 SEK,

Great Divide Hibernation Ale, USA, 355 ml, ABV 8.7% 29.9 SEK

Grebbestad Julöl, Sweden, 500 ml, ABV 5.2% 20.9 SEK

Jacobsen Golden Naked Christmas Ale, Denmark, 750 ml, ABV 7.5% 55 SEK

Jólabjór, Iceland, 330 ml, ABV 6.5%, 28.9 SEK

Jämtlands Julöl, Sweden, 500 ml, ABV 6.5% 26.8 SEK

Liefmans Glühkriek, Belgium, 750 ml, ABV 6% 57 SEK

Mariestads Julebrygd, Sweden, 500 ml, ABV 5.8% 17.5 SEK

Mikkeller Santa’s Little Helper, Denmark, 375 ml, ABV 9.1% 43.5 SEK

Mysingen Midvinterbrygd 2011, Sweden, 500 ml, ABV 6% 31.4 SEK

N’Ice Chouffe, Belgium, 750 ml, ABV 10% 56.9 SEK

Nils Oscar Julöl 2011, Sweden, 500 ml, ABV 7.7% 49.9 SEK

Nils Oscar Kalasjulöl, Sweden, 330 ml, ABV 5.2% 19.5 SEK

Nisse Julöl, Sweden, 500 ml, ABV 5.3% 26.6 SEK

Nøgne Ø Underlig jul, Norway, 500 ml, ABV 6.5% 45.9 SEK

Oppigårds Winter Ale, Sweden, 500 ml, ABV 5.3% 26.5 SEK

Pistonhead Chimney Sweeper, Sweden, 330 ml, ABV 5.8% 13.9 SEK

Pripps jul, Sweden, 500 ml, ABV 5% 15.9 SEK

S:t Eriks Barley Wine God Jul 2011, Sweden, 330 ml, ABV 8.5% 21.9 SEK

Samuel Adams Winter Lager, USA, 355 ml, ABV 5.5% 17.5 SEK

Shepherd Neame Christmas Ale, Sweden, 500 ml, ABV 7% 28.9 SEK

Sigtuna Midvinterblot, Sweden, 500 ml, ABV 10.1% 32.9 SEK

Sigtuna Vinterlager, Sweden, 330 ml, ABV 5.2% 19.9 SEK

Snowblind Strong Ale, Sweden, 330 ml, ABV 7.5% 24.9 SEK

Sofiero Julöl, Sweden, 500 ml, ABV 5.2% 13.9 SEK

Spendrups Julbrygd , Sweden, 500 ml, ABV 5.3% 15.9 SEK

St Peter’s Winter Ale, UK, 500 ml, ABV 6.5% 26.9 SEK

The Shipyard Longfellow Winter Ale, USA, 650 ml, ABV 5.9% 34.8 SEK

Three Hearts Julöl, Sweden, 500 ml, ABV 5.3% 15.9 SEK

Wisby Julbrygd, Sweden, 330 ml, ABV 6% 18.8 SEK

Åbro Julöl, Sweden, 500 ml, ABV 5.2% 15.9 SEK

Åbro Sigill Julöl, Sweden, 500 ml, ABV 6% 18.9 SEK

I’m not going to be reviewing any of these beers this month but will be saving them up and revealing the most interesting 25 of them in BeerSweden’s Advent Beer Calendar 2011, starting live right here on December 1st (and hopefully making it all the way to December 25th). This year no expense is being spared and BeerSweden Trev is, with the help of his little elves, currently hard at work building our Christmas studio. Can’t say too much more right now but I can reveal there will be candles, there will be jingle bells, there will be silly hats, Ho-Ho-Hos and polyester Santa beards. Don’t miss it!

It was only 9 days ago that we were bombarded with 12 Easter Beers and five rather special ‘middle of the month’ brews at the Systembolaget and the hits just keep on coming!

In just a few hours an additional 16 new beers will go on sale at the Swedish alcohol monopoly stores, among them some exciting brews from Europe, a couple of old campaigners from the UK as well as two Swedish brands that have practically been brought back from the dead (and maybe one or two that should have been left there).

Here’s a nuts and bolts linked-up list of the new beers being stacked on the shelves of the Systembolaget from 10am this morning:

Adnams The Bitter 500ml 19.90SEK Systembolaget Article Number 1686
Belhaven Wee Heavy  355ml 17.90SEK Systembolaget Article Number 1562
Bjørnebryg can 330ml 7.90SEK Systembolaget Article Number 1204
BrewDog Trashy Blond 330ml 15.90SEK Systembolaget Article Number 11581
Bryggmästarens Premium Guld  500ml 12.90SEK Systembolaget Article Number 1445
Carlsberg Hof PET bottle 500ml 15.10SEK Systembolaget Article Number 1365
Früli Strawberry Beer 250ml 14.90SEK Systembolaget Article Number 1586
Guldkällan 500ml 14.50SEK Systembolaget Article Number 1472
Jenlain Blonde 330ml (can) 12.90SEK Systembolaget Article Number 1387
Lager No 1 500ml 24.90SEK Systembolaget Article Number 1413
Mikkeller Jackie Brown 500ml 34.90SEK Systembolaget Article Number 1312
Mohawk Extra India Pale Ale 500ml 36.10SEK Systembolaget Article Number 1419
Pripps Blå  330ml 10.50SEK Systembolaget Article Number 11451
St Eriks Pilsner 330ml 15.90SEK Systembolaget Article Number 1453
Sailor PET bottle 330ml 12.90SEK Systembolaget Article Number 1431
TT Green Lager can 330ml 8.90SEK Systembolaget Article Number 1495

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Followers of this blog will already know what I think about Mohawk Extra IPA so if you like your beers hoppy get out there and buy it!. Mikkeller’s Jackie Brown from Denmark is also a given, as is BrewDog’s Trashy Blonde which I previously wrote briefly about in the very early days of this blog.

Adnams the Bitter and Belhaven Wee Heavy are two beers from the British Isles that are well made examples of their respective styles. Maybe not mould-breaking but then not every beer needs to be does it?

I’m looking forward to trying Lager No 1 from Dugges Ale & Porterbryggeri and seeing whether this innovative Swedish micro can make a beer with a bottom-fermenting yeast that is as interesting as the edgy ales and porters it is well known for.

The sight of Früli Strawberry Beer brings back horrible flashbacks of last year’s Hoegaarden Rosé but the word is that this Belgium wheat beer uses only real strawberry juice and no artificial essence. Let’s give it a chance!

Finally it’s a story of two bottles – the elegant and eye-catching St Eriks Pilsner – a resuscitated Swedish brand given the kiss of life by acclaimed Swedish brewer Jessica Heidrich and the downright tacky looking Sailor in a PET bottle, a sort of ”Carlsberg of the Caribbean” in all its mock plastic porcelain glory.

There’s no better way to kick off a Monday than with the release of some great beers at the Systembolaget.

Here’s a list of what’s coming to a shelf near you from Monday, November 2nd:

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There are some incredible stand-out beers in this list so my advice would be to get your coat on, get down to the SB when it opens today and order at least one bottle of each.

However if you’re suffering from a lack of fridge space or money (or both) my top picks would be:

Beer Geek Brunch Weasel – an imperial porter brewed by Mikkeller at Nøgne-Ø in Norway using coffee containing the droppings of the weasel-like civet cats. These south east Asian animals apparantly eat only the finest coffee berries and after passing through their digestive system workers collect their droppings to flavour this exceedingly rare coffee. You’re reading this right – there’s cat crap in this beer! If you can work past this then this porter is absolute world-class and a must try!

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Brewdog Paradox Isle of Arran – an imperial stout matured in selected Islay malt whisky casks. Expect this 10% ABV monster to be huge, with smoke, vanilla, chocolate and peaty notes.Not for the faint-hearted.

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Fuller’s Vintage Ale – An annual classic that’s always worth waiting for. Some years it can be exceptional, other years ‘merely’ a great English strong ale. It’s worth buying more than one bottle so you can keep some in the cellar for a couple of years.

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Hog Heaven is a robust barley wine beer from Avery Brewing Company in the USA with an insanely hoppy aroma and sweet, sweet caramel malts. Avery recommends cellaring this beer for up to three years. A real treat at the Christmas table when the cheese is passed around.

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Norwegian Wood is an ale from Haandbryggeriet in Norway that is a throwback to a time when malts were fire-kilned and therefore beers traditionally tasted smokey. Flavoured with juniper berries too. Fascinating stuff.

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Thomas Hardy’s Ale from the UK is the very definition of the barley wine style of beer. Bottle-conditioned to mature like the finest of wines this beer will continue to improve with age for at least 26 years! So if I’ve done my sums right you’ll be able to open this 2005 vintage in 2031. Of course you might not be able to hold out that long, so buy a few bottles to drink in the meantime.