Defrost at the ski lodge after a day on the slopes, crack open a bottle as a reward-to-self for shoveling snow or enjoy at the season’s abundance of holiday parties… In addition to warming the belly with golden ale goodness, hearty spices and toasty wood aging kick these winter beers into gear. Start counting down the days until winter solstice for an official excuse to stock up on goodies from your neighborhood brew-masters (alternatively, crack open a bottle today).
1. Pike Brewing Co. Auld Acquaintance Holiday Ale (Seattle): Pick up a freshly poured pint of Pike’s longtime winter offering and toast to the holidays in honor of owner Charles Finkel’s longtime buddy Jack Joyce, otherwise known as the founder of Oregon’s Rogue Ales. This year, Auld Acquaintance celebrates the life of Joyce with its classic dark ale. With a hefty body and bite, Pike delivers a hoppy holiday refresher infused with not one, but two orange peel varieties, nutmeg and coriander. The overall hearty seasonal treat clocks in at 6.5 ABV and could just be the proper way to ring in the New Year.
2. Granville Island Brewing Lions Winter Ale (Vancouver): Cocoa, caramel, vanilla, toffee and bready malts combine in Granville Island’s bold attempt to bottle holiday warmth. This seasonal’s smooth, creamy body and luxurious palate earned it a silver medal in the 2011 World Beer Championships and continues to defrost icy bodies throughout its annual limited-time run (a staple for surviving a Canadian winter).
3. Redhook Ale Brewery Winterhook Ale (Woodinville, WA): “Redhook doesn’t mind a little nip in the air.” Neither do we, with the brewery’s ever-evolving dark winter ale recipe. For Winterhook’s “dirty 30,” this year’s blend will feature big malt flavor followed by smooth caramel notes and a bite from the dry-hopping process. Catch the brewers and sip on favorites at Winterhook’s upcoming 30th birthday party on Saturday, December 13.
4. Double Mountain Brewery Fa La La La La Winter Ale (Hood River, OR): Hood River Valley’s Double Mountain is brewing up a serious strong ale for maximum taste bud comfort, best described by the brewers as a “sweater for your insides.” A hefty dose of Centennial hops is balanced out by an equally hefty malt presence. Enjoy by your own fireplace (or furnace) or bundle up and head to the taproom for fresh-tapped pints.
5. Alaskan Brewing Co. Winter Ale (Juneau, AK): The Great Frontier tends to have a reputation for an unforgiving, seemingly eternal winter, and it’s no surprise considering the Juneau brewery’s claim to 90 inches of annual rainfall. So it’s also no surprise that Alaskan Brewing Co. offers a survival elixir in the form of this hefty English Olde Ale. Brewers follow Southeast Alaskan tradition by adding Sitka spruce tips to an alcohol-forward blend of Pacific Northwest and European hops.
