by Jason Jugenheimer, Mahoning Valley Flight Crew

The guys at Birdfish Brewing Co. in Columbiana, Ohio, just keep brewing beers with all the whimsy of a Dr. Seuss book. Week in and week out, you can stop by the brewery on a Friday or Saturday and find something just tapped that you’ve never encountered before.

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The Mahoning Valley Fight Crew has been fortunate enough to build what we believe to be a great relationship with Birdfish owners Josh Dunn, Jared Channell and Greg Snyder, as well as the many friends and family that help out there. It’s that relationship that keeps us heading back to try their latest and greatest brews.

This past weekend, fellow Mahoning Valley Flight Crew member David Anderson and I popped in to try The Grynch, Birdfish’s Christmas Ale. It’s a palate pleaser.

Eloquently served in a snifter glass, this dark, caramel-colored imperial amber checks in at 8.5% ABV. It’s a combination of cinnamon, ginger, clove, honey and nutmeg and is spiced to please. There are many quality Christmas and holiday ales with subtle spices, but The Grynch takes the spice to another level. The nutmeg and clove is apparent immediately, with a kiss of cinnamon and honey on the back end. This is definitely a brew that will warm your insides on a cold and blustery night.

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We got a chance to talk to brew master, Jared, about The Grynch and found out this was the first attempt at brewing a Christmas ale way back in 2010. The beer just worked and the recipe has remained unchanged since.

Jared assured us that they brewed plenty, but the way the crowds flock on Fridays and Saturdays, you might want to get their before your advent calendar runs out.

Birdfish is open on Fridays from 4 to 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 2 to 10 p.m. Bring a growler to fill or pick one up there.