Winter Warms the Soul

The end of the year and the beginning of winter brings all sorts of traditions and fun. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s are times of year that people remember for the rest of their lives. It always seems like this time of year creates memories that are even more vivid than other seasons. I can remember sounds and smells of these times like no other.
It is no wonder then that brewers take advantage of these sensory images to create some of the best beers of the years.
There are certain great seasonals all year long, but winter always brings out the most flavorful. It is very hard for a brewer to pack much flavor into a beer you will have to drink fast in order to avoid dehydration as in a Summer seasonal. Fall beers are a bit stronger, but brewers still have to keep in mind that many people are going to be at a festival drinking many beers at a sitting. If you brew a 9% beer this time of year there will be a good deal of cleanup.
That leaves winter as the brewer’s great white canvas. I remeber many years ago brewing a small batch of dark India Pale Ale. It was my first brew and it just seemed right in winter.
This is definitely the time of year to pick your favorite brewer and see what they have to offer. This is going to be the beer that should define them.
Sam Adams is one of the best examples of this. You can drink every one of the millions of Sam Adams flavors on the shelf, but you will never find one that beats Fezziwig Ale. It is hard not to be happy just looking at the bottle. Little Dickens characters dancing around on the front of the bottle. How could this possibly be bad. This beer blends all kinds of different flavors, but in the end they mix to make a warm feeling all their own.
This one tops my list, but there are many others. Here in Weston we brew our Festival Ale for the fall and winter holidays. A bit darker than an Octoberfest, this beer has a malty base that lasts into the cold nights.
Many brewers rely heavily on malt and alcohol to make their winter beers special. This is a great feature if you are relaxing at home in front of the fire, but can cause some problems if you have enjoyed very many of these treats at your favorite pub. This is not an overall problem as there are plenty of these beauties that are in the normal content range, but it certainly something to keep an eye on.
If you are not next door to Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams or any of the other producers of distributed winter beers, this is a great time to check out the local brewpub. Almost every small brewer is going to be trying their hand at something that is likely to be wonderful to sip with some food. Depending on the day, a stop by the Weston Brewing Company will lend you a chance to try one of Justin’s "Reserve" batches that are certain to warm the soul. These and many other reserve beers, are made with the first run off the mash of a standard beer. The result is a much richer flavor. These styles of beer are also a great way to enjoy the holidays.