Winter brews

Brewing beer has historically been a specialty of regions where winters are harsh and grains are grown, like Germany and the British Isles. For centuries, brewers have made seasonal beers for winter that are fuller in body and maltier than standard styles. Some are festively spiced, others are simply turbocharged versions of year-round recipes. Malty winter warmers have less water in the mix delivering more nutrition and higher alcohol than summer quenchers. These beers are best served no cooler than 50o, which is ideal for showcasing their flavors. Serving “ice cold” suppresses flavor; a good strategy only if you’re not keen to taste your beer.

Winterbraun, from the Lost Coast Brewery in Eureka, CA, is a full bodied brown ale with a rich chocolate taste created from roasted chocolate and caramel malts. Czech saaz hops give it a spicy flavor. The beer has a dark mahogany color with tan head and a medium body with sharp, but mild, carbonation. The finish is roughly sweet, with some bitter to balance and a slight hint of coffee. Relatively smooth as brown ales go.

Samuel Adams Winter Lager from The Boston Beer Company is a spiced lager or Weizenbock. Highly carbonated and spiced, this lager triggers cravings for gingerbread and egg nog. Walnut malt flavors with subtle notes of cinnamon and orange peel make this beer fit seamlessly into the beer drinker’s routine.

Another great beer from the Boston Beer Company is Samuel Adams Holiday Porter. A traditional, British style beer that is robust and full bodied. With it’s rich malt complexity it has become a favorite among our winter seasonal brews. In total, five varieties of malted barley are used in the brewing process including a variety of German malt called Carafa.

Thirty-third Annual Christmas Ale, from the Anchor Brewing Co. in San Francisco who are also the brewers of Anchor Steam Beer. Every year since 1975 the brewers have created a distinctive and unique Christmas Ale, which is available from early November to mid-January. The Ale’s recipe is different every year, as is the tree on the label.

Jubelale, the first beer ever bottled by Deschutes Brewery, is a festive winter ale. Highly anticipated every fall, it’s in a category of its own with a flavor and following that is impossible to match. Dark crystal malt creates a luscious holiday note while the roasty flavor and bountiful hops excite your tastebuds. Jubelale is the perfect holiday beer and only available October through December.

Winterhook, from the Red Hook Brewery in Woodinville, WA, has a rich, full body and deep chestnut color which makes it the perfect beer for chilly winter days. The taste is not far from from the aroma, producing a strong pine flavor, with a slight citrus kick. Along with hints of chocolate and caramel, the alcohol is completely concealed and the flavor was inviting and interesting without overpowering.

2° Below Winter Ale from the New Belgium Brewing Company in Colorado (who also brew Fat Tire) created this seasonal beer with a bright, warming blast of Sterling and Liberty hops. By pushing this beer into a final, nearly freezing state, its ample structure develops a brilliant clarity. Dry-hopping during fermentation creates a rosy, floral nose with a hint of pepper spice and subtle, estery undertones.

My favorite winter beer (best on tap) is still Snow Cap, from the Pyramid Brewery in Washington. A rich, full-bodied winter warmer crafted in the British tradition of holiday beers. This deep mahogany colored brew balances complex fruit flavors with a refreshingly smooth texture, making it a highly drinkable and desirable cold weather companion. It has a warming 7.0% alcohol by volume. The Malts: 2-Row Barley, Caramel, Chocolate malt. The Hops: Willamette, East Kent Goldings. Availability: Mid October - January.

Funniest Winter Beer Label this year is Ridgeway Brewing’s Warm Welcome from England with a classic Christmas painting of Santa coming down from the chimney while the fire was still ablaze. Besides the government warning on the label, it has some other great literature to read to your holiday guests.

Winter Beer Warm Up

Beer is associated more with cooling off than warming up, thanks to the marketing of mass-market lagers. Images of beaches and bikinis and slogans like, “Drink ice cold,” emphasize beer’s role as frosty refreshment. Calling for a “cold one” leaves few Americans in doubt as to what beverage is desired. But, what to do when the weather turns frosty, when we’re already cold enough? Warm up with a “strong one” of course…a hearty winter brew.

Alcoholic beverages give an instant warming sensation, like the feeling of sunshine on your skin, but spreading from the inside. Brewing has historically been a specialty of regions where winters are harsh and grains are grown, like Germany and the British Isles, not of the tropics. For centuries, brewers have made seasonal beers for winter that are fuller in body and maltier than standard styles. Some are festively spiced, others are simply turbocharged versions of year-round recipes. But, all feature that extra richness of texture that comes with heaping helpings of barley malt. Malty winter warmers have less water in the mix, delivering more nutrition and higher alcohol than typical summer quenchers. To best banish winter’s chill, serve these beers no colder than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, which is also ideal for showcasing their delicious flavors. Serving “ice cold” suppresses flavor; a good strategy only if you’re not keen to really “taste” your beer.

Summer Picks 2007

Coors’ Blue Moon Belgian White (yes it’s from Coors) is a refreshing, medium-bodied, unfiltered Belgian-style wheat ale spiced with fresh coriander and orange peel for a uniquely complex taste and an uncommonly smooth finish. It’s unfiltered, allowing protein and yeast to remain suspended in the beer creating the cloudy appearance. Twisting the lime ritual, Blue Moon is served with a slice of orange.

Alaskan Summer Ale is based on the traditional style of Kölsch beer brewed in Cologne, Germany. It balances a softly malted palate with the clean freshness of Hallertauer hops. Both hops and malt come together to refresh and renew the palate. The straw-gold color and easy drinkability are an enjoyable way to celebrate summer.
Pyramid’s Hefe Weizen is left unfiltered for extra flavor and aroma. Handcrafted with 60% malted wheat (10% more than Bavarian tradition calls for), the award-winning Hefe Weizen is unsurpassed in quality and is exceptionally smooth and refreshing. This is America’s first original hefeweizen and is normally served with a slice of lemon.

Pyramid’s Curve Ball is also inspired by traditional Kölsch style beers. Curve Ball boasts a clean, crisp, slightly herbal taste and a lighter body making it the perfect accompaniment to summer grilling and ballpark outings.
Big Sky’s Summer Honey (Great on Tap) is a full-flavored seasonal ale which helps us shake off winter. It’s brewed during the early days of spring and released around the first of May. Light colored, light bodied and very drinkable, Summer Honey sacrifices nothing to create a flavorful beer that can be enjoyed during the height of the summer.
Samuel Adams Summer Ale is an American wheat ale that uses malted wheat as well as lemon zest and grains of paradise, a rare pepper from Africa, to create a crisp and spicy flavor and body. The ale fermentation imparts a tropical fruit note reminiscent of mangos and peaches. All of these come together to create a quenching, clean finishing beer perfect for summer days.

From the makers of Fat Tire, New Belgium’s Skinny Dip is a full-bodied, figure-friendly beer designed for the summer dress code. With the same amount of calories as most light beers, it’s perfect for the lightly attired summer months. Cascade hops, kaffir lime and ample malt create a bright, citrusy nose that’s as crisp as chilling in a mountain pond.
New Belgium’s Sunshine Wheat is a great beer for quenching thirst. Ripples of coriander and orange peel tartness settle nicely into a tranquil sea of apple and honey tones. A filtered wheat beer it’s a crisp, refreshing alternative to heavier-bodied heffe-weizens. Its silky pale golden color seems to beckon, “forget the half-finished lawn, kill the mower and come hither overworked one.”

Brian’s “all time” favorite beer (and a must try) is Pilsner Urquell from the Czech Republic. With a fragrant, slightly sweet aroma, Pilsner Urquell evokes images of grain, flowers and Bohemian sky. A hint of bitterness accompanies a buttery sensation. It’s best served chilled in order to complement the striking clarity and flavor. Just like summers in North Idaho, it’s gone all too quickly, leaving a powerful thirst for more of the same.