Winter Warmers on Aisle 5
By James Robinson, Your Co-op Sommelier
It’s that time of year when the days grow shorter, the nights colder and beer drinkers cozy up to darker brews to ward off winter’s chill.
Enter, Winter Ales.
Although not technically a beer style, ‘Winter Ales’ cover a broad spectrum of beers, and although different from brewer to brewer, Winter Ales typically share a few key characteristics: higher ABVs – from 5 to 8 percent and sometimes as high as 10 percent – darker malts and many feature baking or exotic spices alongside the hops for additional flavor. In Europe, winter ales with a strong spice component are often called ‘Christmas Ales.’
Winter Ales, in essence, are simply seasonal riffs on popular recipes that often gush with layers of malty goodness. Generally, but not always, malt comes before hops as the dominant feature of a Winter Ale. Some brewers, however, opt for a hop-forward approach but with a strong malt backbone. The Pfriem Winter Ale below is a classic example of the hop-forward approach. Christmas Ale, the celebratory cousin of Winter Ale, still features a strong backbone of malt, but is more tied to spice or other special ingredients applied late in the brewing process. In a nutshell, a Winter Ale, spiced or not, is a heartier, maltier, fuller bodied brew crafted explicitly for the season.
Boundary Bay Cabin Fever
Style: Winter Ale
ABV: 8.5%
IBU: 45
What the Brewers Say:
“Rich and malty with a balanced hop character, our Winter Warmer is, by nature, deceptively strong. And with an extended conditioning period, Cabin Fever is blissfully smooth.”
Fremont Barrel Aged Dark Star 2021
Style: Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Oatmeal Stout
ABV: 12.7%
IBU: 50
What the Brewers Say:
“This year’s release is a blend of 24, 18, 12, and 8-month Bourbon Barrel-Aged Dark Star in 7-12-year old Kentucky bourbon barrels. The roasted and chocolate malts complement the smooth oats to bring you a stout delight wrapped in the gentle embrace of bourbon barrel-aged warmth. A touch of sweetness dances in balance with the hops to finish with a wave, and then she’s gone.”
Pfriem Winter Ale
Style: Winter Ale
ABV: 7.5%
IBU: 65
What the Brewers Say:
“Bright tawny amber with an off-white head. Fruity aroma with a touch of spice; waftings of fresh baked fruitcake with a touch of spruce tree. Rich bold flavors of hops and malt meld with a touch of orange zest and huckleberries. The finish leaves the mouth covered with a trace of caramel, cut by an assertive hoppiness.”
Food Pairings: Holiday cakes and bread. Roast turkey, cranberry stuffing, glazed ham & roasted potatoes, and pan-roasted black cod. Baked apples, pear chutney, holiday pies, and vegetables.
Port Townsend Winter Ale
Style: Winter Ale
ABV: 7%
IBU: 65
What the Brewers Say:
“Our Winter Ale is made from a blend of pale, caramel and chocolate malts with each contributing an interesting malt character reminiscent of a traditional English Old Ale. We then add a NW twist by aggressively hopping this ale to provide contrast to the malty body.”
Terminal Gravity Festivale
Style: Winter Ale
ABV: 7.9%
IBU: 37
What the Brewers Say:
“Brewed to be fairly dry, yet highly drinkable. With a complex malt and hop profile and a full, rounded, deep ruby colored body- Festivale is a winter favorite that rings true to a wide variety of beer drinkers.”
Abt 12 Christmas Beer
Style: Christmas Ale/Quadruple/Top Fermented
ABV: 10%
IBU: 20
What the Brewers Say:
St.Bernardus Christmas Ale is an intensely dark beer with a full, yet slightly fruity flavor, overflowing with the tastes of winter and zesty seasonal aromas. Aniseed notes are complemented by hints of creamy caramel and fire-roasted chestnuts. This zestiness shows no signes of abating, pushing through to a magnificent finish of dried fruits and chocolate.
Food Pairings:
Christmas and chocolate is a tried and trusted combination, and the Christmas Ale forms a perfect match with a wide variety of desserts, but especially those made with chocolate. Also, when game is in season, make sure you serve a Christmas Ale. A less obvious pairing that is perfect in its own special way can be made with Scandinavian dishes, rich with wintery spices.
Duchess de Bourgogne Chocolate Cherry
Style: Sour – Flemish Red Ale, Kriek, mixed fermentation
ABV: 6.8%
IBU: 11
What the Brewers Say:
“Brewed only with real Belgian cherries – no flavor enhancers or cherry extracts. The fruit comes from the region of Sint-Truiden in Limburg, Belgium.
The base beer of the Chocolate Duchesse Cherry’ is a red-brown from West Flanders with mixed fermentation. This beer has a high fermentation base and is then matured in oak casks where it undergoes a second wild fermentation. The tannins in the foeders (very large barrel used to store Bordeaux wines) give Chocolate Duchesse Cherry its sweet, fruity, refreshing and bittersweet taste.
Once the base beer is ready, the master brewer adds 20 kilograms of "Kriek Gorsem" (Belgian sour cherries) per 100 liters to the beer. For 6 months, the beer macerates with the cherries. The cherries give a fresh and fruity taste to the beer which has a sweet and sour base.
After, we add cocoa to the beer which will soften the beer and give it a chocolate aftertaste. The total process take 24 months.”
Food Pairing: Chocolate desserts or just sip it on its own
