Ale Nog is Ballast Point’s answer to eggnog, poured from a tap instead of a punch bowl. It takes a cream ale, adds nutmeg, lactose, and vanilla, and serves the whole thing on nitrogen, so it arrives looking like a holiday dessert and drinking like a beer. It shows up on draft around the holidays, and it always draws a crowd of curious drinkers.

The basics

• Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company (San Diego, CA)
• Style: Cream Ale (Nitro, Spiced)
• ABV: 6.5%
• IBU: 25

What to expect

Ale Nog pours pale gold with the slow nitro cascade settling into a thick, creamy head, finished with a grating of fresh nutmeg on top. The aroma is all holiday spice: nutmeg and cinnamon over a sweet, milky base. On the palate the lactose gives it a soft, rounded sweetness, the vanilla smooths out the edges, and the nutmeg keeps it from turning into pure dessert. The nitrogen pour makes it feel pillowy and light, even with the sweetness, and it finishes clean rather than cloying.

This is a one-and-done seasonal pour, not an all-night beer. It shines brightest as a holiday treat, ideally next to a fire or a plate of cookies, and it is at its best fresh on draft.

Our rating

6.4/10

Rated by Alex (6.8) and Nick (6). Alex is a little warmer on this one than Nick, and that split makes sense: if you love eggnog and holiday spice, the nitro creaminess and nutmeg hit the spot, but if you want your beer to taste like beer first, the sweetness holds it back. As a seasonal novelty it is fun and well made. As a beer you would reach for twice, it is a tougher sell.