Not only are microbreweries and brewpubs releasing winter warmers faster
than a speeding bullet, but even the breweries entrenched in light lagers
have hopped aboard the seasonal beerwagon. Coors, for example, brews a nicely
spiced seasonal lager dubbed Winterfest.
Traditionally, winter warmers have been hearty, slow-sipping English-style
ales; guzzling them would be a travesty.
They are released for a limited time during the winter months, primarily
to celebrate the spirit of Christmas. But the style has expanded, and today
lagers as well as ales qualify as winter warmers.
A WINTER WARMER can range from a German dopplebock to an American
barleywine and everything in between, but the most frequent distinguishing
characteristics include a combination of the following: brown to deep copper
to black opaque in color; increased alcohol content resulting in a more
warming effect; and a myriad of fruits, spices or other ingredients added
during production.
The recipes and flavor of some seasonal beers change from year to year but
retain the same name, such as Anchor Brewing Co.'s trend-setting Our Special
Ale. Adored by beer lovers since its introduction in 1975, Our Special Ale
is released exclusively during the week of Thanksgiving and remains available
only through mid-January.
Holiday beers are usually available during a narrow window of time because
most beer drinkers, though not most connoisseurs, consider the style outdated
after New Year's, when holiday gift giving and celebrating wind down.
Nevertheless, these beers are often good candidates for laying down for
future tastings because of their high alcohol content. Some veteran beer
collectors lay down holiday beers for vertical tastings to compare, in one
sitting, variations of the same beer from several years past.
IT'S NOT unusual to find fruit flavors in winter warmers. Some popular
fruits that brewers add are cranberries, oranges, raspberries and cherries.
Adding to the warm glow of the Christmas spirit, some beers have one or
two spices in them while others may include a wide array of pumpkin spices
such as nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and even coriander.
And very often a winter warmer recipe may call for both fruit and spices.
Wheat and honey are popular additions to winter warmers, and they may also
contain a myriad of uncommon ingredients; last Christmas season, San Luis
Obispo (Calif.) Brewing Co.'s Holidaze sported refreshingly strong pine
characteristics.
Anticipating the annual offering of winter warmers is as much fun as awaiting
the opening of presents early Christmas morning - maybe even more now that
we're adults. One of my favorites is Samichlaus, Swiss for Santa Claus,
the potent beer made in Zurich by the Hurlimann Brewery on but one day of
each year. On Dec. 6, Saint Nicholas' Day, a new batch is brewed and the
previous year's batch is released. The young batch of this high-alcohol
dopplebock is lagered until bottling time.
OF COURSE, AN important part of beer tasting is not only the flavor
of the beer, but also the nose, or aroma. But perhaps names of beers play
an important role as well. Part of the fun of seasonal beers (or any beer
for that matter) is the creative and interesting monikers each brewery tags
on its beers.
For example, Stille Nacht, or Silent Night, is a highly recommended strong
Belgian Christmas beer brewed by De Dolle Brouwers (The Mad Brewers) in
West Flanders. The name rather says "Drink me while trimming your Christmas
tree."
