In the tradition of his German heritage, brewmeister Dieter Kuhn of Heinzelmannchen Brewery has crafted a specialty beer for the Christmas season.

Heinzelmannchen’s Merry Gnome ale debuted Dec. 17 and will be available at the brewery in downtown Sylva through the end of the year.

The Merry Gnome is a cocoa-flavored dark porter, spiced with brandy-soaked dark cherries.

“Our other seasonal beers are traditional beers that are lighter in flavor and have more affinity to be paired with food because they are not overpowering,” said Kuhn. “However, our Merry Gnome is a chocolate-flavored porter infused with dark cherries marinated in brandy during fermentation, giving a chocolate-cherry flavor profile with a warming finish.”

Kuhn had considered crafting a Christmas brew for several years, and figured the timing was right this holiday season.

“People always want something new and different. We’ve had success with our specialty beers and I wanted to step out and add a Christmastime beer to our lineup,” Kuhn said. “It’s a time of year when we want to give thanks to our customers and invite them into our brewery and share our success with them.”

In December, Heinzelmannchen Brewery is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and closed Sundays. For brewery info, visit: www.yourgnometownbrewery.com, or call 828.631.4466.