I am a big fan of winter. I am a big fan of winter honestly. I enjoy the cold weather and kicking back with a great tasting beer in my hand. If you haven’t tried any of these four winter beers, then I highly suggest you go out and find a way to get to them. These are not in any particular order, but I will go out and say that the final beer at the end of the list is by far, my favorite.
Deschutes Brewery (Bend, Oregon) makes a wonderful winter warmer in their JubelAle. This isn’t overly full of holiday spice and cheer, but tastes great. I would compare this to maybe an English Mild Ale, which makes it a lot smoother and easier to drink. The overall tastes you will get are a caramel backbone along with some dark fruit sweetness, chocolate, roasted coffee and some spices. Definitely worth the buy.
Avery Brewing Company (Boulder, Colorado) makes a lot of great beers. Avery is one of my favorites. Avery’s Old Jubilation Ale is balanced and definitely full flavored. The smell is almost like a malty banana bread smell with some sweetness in it, almost like a cherry. We all smell things differently, but that’s what I got out of it. There is a sweet taste with this and also some darker fruit smell, probably where I can smell the cherry. The finish is sort of boozy, which I am all about.
Stone Brewing (San Diego, California) is a top dog in the craft beer industry. They keep making amazing stuff, and their Enjoy By 12.25.16 is AWESOME. I am a hophead, so I love me some good IPAs, and this definitely is one that most will enjoy. The smell is heavy of pine resin, hints of honey and pine needles. Yes I said pine needles. From the smell alone, this is an amazing winter beer. This is a heavy beer. By heavy, I mean it’s a 9+ ABV. You can’t even tell, so don’t let that scare you away. In a way it’s quite dangerous due to the fact I can probably drink 10 of these and think I am ok, when I probably really am not. The taste is piney and of green hops. If you haven’t ever had an IPA before, I would suggest maybe something a little lighter to start off with first. But, if you have had IPAs, definitely get this.
Kinkaider (Broken Bow, Nebraska) is making huge moves in this region for their amazing product. I am always amazed when locals have told me that they never have had Kinkaider before. I am always quick to sell them on the greatness that is known as Kinkaider. By far, my favorite winter beer, and actually in my top five for overall beers, is their Snow Beast. The smell is full of vanilla, spices and almost like a gingerbread. The flavor is out of this world. The vanilla flavor is so smooth, it almost feels like you’re drinking a dessert. If you see this in the store or if it’s on tap at the bar, GET IT.
That’s my rundown of the 4 must try winter beers. If you have some favorites, let me know!
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