Photo: tapdancerblog
Winter is finally here. Honestly, I don’t know how it got here so fast. It really does feel like it was summer a few weeks ago, especially with these warm weather trends, doesn’t it? I only recently finished my Christmas shopping yet (nothing like waiting until the last minute); I have, however, been done with my winter beer shopping for a while already. Everyone has priorities and my priority is purchasing great winter beer.
Who knows if a sudden snowstorm will leave me stranded in my apartment, unable to get out and purchase any more tasty brews? Obviously, food is important too, but you need something to wash it down, right? Here are eight, festive beers to imbibe if (when) you get snowed in this winter.
Christmas Ale (Anchor Brewing)
First brewed in 1975, this is the 41st edition of Anchor Brewing Company’s Christmas Ale. There are two very interesting facts about Anchor’s Christmas Ale. 1.) Every year, the label contains a different tree drawn by artist Jim Stitt (this year the tree is the Deodar Cedar). 2.) Every year, the flavor and the ingredients are subtly different from the year before and Anchor keeps the recipe top secret. You can guarantee that this 5.5% ABV winter warmer will have hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and other festive flavors.
Fireside Chat (21st Amendment)
Franklin Roosevelt used to give “fireside chats” to the American people. It was his way of rallying the people while also making them feel safe. This 7.9% ABV winter spiced ale is exactly like those chats. It’s warm and bold and should be taken seriously. This dark, rich ale is brewed using Pale, Munich, Wheat, Crystal, Aromatic, Chocolate and De-Bittered Black Malts. The addition of spices and cocoa nibs give it a distinct, malted, subtle chocolate flavor.
Celebration (Sierra Nevada)
This 6.8% ABV American IPA is a reason to celebrate hops this holiday season. Brewed since 1981, Celebration gets its massive hop presence from Centennial, Cascade, and Chinook hops. Most winter beers aren’t very high in the hop department, but Sierra Nevada thinks that’s a shame. That’s why they get the party started every year with their version of the American IPA. You probably could drink this beer in the summer, but it tastes so much better when every other seasonal beer is heavy on malts and spices.
Winter White Ale (Bell’s Brewery)
Bell’s winter offering is a 5% ABV winter white ale. Like Sierra Nevada, the folks at Bell’s realize that drinking nothing but malt-filled winter warmers can get old. This is why this beer was fermented using a Belgian ale yeast along with wheat and barley. The addition of spices and cloves gives it a profoundly holiday flavor and aroma.
Accumulation (New Belgium Brewery)
Not only is this a great winter beer, this is one of my all-time favorite beers. This 6.2% ABV white IPA is New Belgium’s stand against brewing dark beers just because the temperature dips. This tasty, bitter IPA is as complicated as the different weather conditions in Colorado where the brewery sits. The combination of Nugget, Centennial hops that are dry hopped with Mosiac and Amarillo hops give this beer a strong, fruity hop flavor and ends with sweetness with a hint of wheat for an extremely well-rounded winter time favorite.
Winter Ale (Weyerbacher)
Weyerbacher’s Winter Ale brings us back to the malty winter beers we know and love. Their version is a toasted, rich, well-balanced 5.6% ABV seasonal beer. It’s brewed using deep-roasted chocolate malt to give it an added sweetness without being overly sugary and cloying. It pairs perfectly with rich holiday foods like smoked meats, salmon as well as smoked gouda and nutty cheeses.
Hibernation Ale (Great Divide Brewing Company)
Great Divide just feels like it should only make winter beers. From their Yeti beers (Yeti, Espresso Oak Aged Yeti, Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti, Oatmeal Yeti and Oak Aged Yeti) to their 8.7% ABV Hibernation Ale that, after drinking one, makes you feel like you could doze off for a few months, Great Divide just screams winter. Hibernation Ale is rich, malty and has deservedly won multiple awards at the Great American Beer Festival as well as the World Beer Cup.
Winter Cheers (Victory Brewing Company)
At first glance, this 6.7% ABV wheat ale seems like it would be more of a fit in the midst of a summer heat wave. But, on a second look, Winter Cheers and its combination of German wheat, oats, barley malts and Whole flower Tettnang and Citra hops is perfectly suited for winter imbibing. The flavor is full of bursts of fruit and finishes with cloves, citrus and various wintery spices. It’s perfectly paired with smoked cheeses and hearty holiday appetizers.
Wassail (Full Sail Brewing)
Wassail is a hot drink made from mulled cider. It was imbibed as part of a medieval drinking festival in England. Full Sail’s Wassail isn’t a cider, but this 7.2% ABV winter ale is made in homage of the ancient drink. This award-winning brew has been made each holiday season since 1988. It’s made with dark chocolate and caramel malts that are combined with a blend of Pacific Northwest hops for a festive treat that is both hoppy and malty and altogether delicious and warming.
Jubelale (Deschutes Brewing)
Available from October to December, this 6.7% ABV winter warmer is made with Pale, Crystal, Extra Special, Carapils and Roasted Barley malts for a strong malt presence. It is balanced by Bravo, Delta, Cascade, Tettnang and East Kent Goldings hops. Jubelale will warm your insides on a frosty evening with flavors of caramel, fruit, citrus and holiday spices.
Other great winter beers include: Bourbon County Stout (Goose Island Beer Company), Chanukah in Kentucky (Shmaltz Brewing), Krampus (Southern Tier Brewing Company), Grand Cru Winter Reserve (Flying Fish Brewing), Snow and Tell (Boulevard Brewing), Christmas Ale (Great Lakes Brewing Company) and Isolation Ale (Odell Brewing Company).
