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Drinking does not keep you warm. There is no such thing as a “beer jacket,” even though you might feel ready to trek back home from Woodman’s or the Bear Brew sans coat after tipping a few back. Be responsible. No one wants to dig you out of a snow bank. With that winter safety message, let’s start sippin’.
Slick Nick Winter Ale
by Sebago Brewing Company
Brewed in Gorham, Maine
Smell a little of this and you’ll know what’s coming. A scrumptious medley of chocolate and raspberry. Magnificent. One of my favorites in this batch of 17 ales.
Winter Ale by Blue Moon
Brewed in Golden, Colo.
Addictive; I couldn’t stop sipping. Would I have known about the sprinkle of sugar if I hadn’t read the label? Not sure. But once you know, it’s easily recognizable and tasty. One of my favorites.
Santa’s Private Reserve by Rogue Ales
Brewed in Newport, Ore.
Not for the faint of heart. The intensely sour hops were too much for me, and I love hops and powerful flavors.
McChouffe by Brasseri d’Achouffe
Brewed in Achouffe, Belgium
A dark ale that singlehandedly increased my enthusiasm for Belgian beer – wow. An alcohol content of 8.5 percent but still insanely smooth. A pretty dark offering you can see, smell, and, most importantly, taste the quality here. One of the best beers I’ve had in a long time. My mouth was mesmerized.
Prelude by Shipyard
Brewed in Portland, Maine
Those Shipyard hops are banging around here, for sure. It’s a similar taste to their Export and equally tough for me to describe. It’s just a delicious, quality ale. If you’ve ever agreed with Beer Police, try this.
Winter Ale by Samuel Adams
Brewed in Boston, Mass.
It tastes like another offering from Sam’s approaching macrobrew indistinctness, but still with a smidge of microbrew flair. I’m not going to spend much time on this one because you’ll try it in the pubs where it’s the only micro on tap. It’s quality, but average. Neither great nor gross.
Roxy Rolles by Magic Hat
Brewed in Burlington, Vt.
What the hey does a dude on a motorcycle have to do with winter? A blast of piney hops rolls off this one – although it took a three-person roommate brigade to nail down the scent. The hoppy, almost sour taste sticks around for a while.
Winter Warmer by Harpoon
Brewed in Windsor, Vt.
An abomination of spice, it’s kind of like Pumpkinhead gone wrong. Disappointing to say, after preferring Harpoon’s Octoberfest over many fall brews, but I can’t recommend this one under any circumstances. I could barely finish it.
Winter Ale by Sea Dog
Brewed in Topsham & Bangor, Maine
It reminds me of Shipyard’s Export, which (see Prelude, above) means I can’t describe it, but I can give it a thumbs up. Beer aficionados who turn their noses at Sea Dog’s fruitier beers might be surprised to find a straightforward, quality ale with this one.
Winter Ale by Geary’s
Brewed in Portland, Maine
Okay, I’m starting to look schizophrenic with my brewery loyalty. I love Geary’s Autumn Ale. You wouldn’t know it from the Ales of Autumn column, but it ended up being one of my favorites. But with the first sip of Winter Ale, I knew there wasn’t going to be any prolonged courtship with this beer. I don’t like it. It’s vaguely reminiscent of the usual Geary’s taste, but much lighter. It tastes shamefully similar to a light beer. Even Budweiser, yes, the B-word – crossed my mind. Blech.
Christmas Ale by Gritty McDuff’s
Brewed in Portland, Maine
A good balance between average and dark. Tasty, with more of those distinct hops I can never put to words. The aftertaste isn’t great, but it fades quickly – like the memory of the beer itself. It’s a forgettable Christmas brew in a fun bottle, which is less offensive than their Halloween Ale spice bomb.
Old Fezziwig Ale by Samuel Adams
Brewed in Boston, Mass.
Old Fezz is a jolly fellow. This brew tosses in some cinnamon and orange peel for a sweetly spiced ale, prime for prolonged sipping. This is one of the tastier winter offerings. Certainly preferable to the standard Sam’s Winter but also harder to obtain without buying a pricey 12-pack.
Holiday Porter by Samuel Adams
Brewed in Boston, Mass.
Heavenly aroma – not sniffing this before each sip would border on insanity. Very ‘wannabe-European’ but not as thick as true porter and stout fans may like. The caramel hint is the highlight.
Winter Welcome Ale by Samuel Smith
Brewed in Tadcaster, Yorkshire, England
A true winter warmer, it kindles a pleasant heat. At the same time, this pricey, over-hyped brew didn’t blow me away. It’s kind of fruity and a tad light (in coloration, not Bud Light light) for my taste.
Our Special Ale by Anchor
Brewed in San Francisco, Calif.
A reddish-brown beer. Anchor tries a different recipe for each year’s limited release of this seasonal ale. It looks home-brewed and boldly proclaims “Merry Christmas & Happy New Year” on the bottle, but it’s ultimately boring. I don’t taste much of the alleged spices or anything of much interest. Maybe I’m getting jaded.
Fireside Nut Brown by Leinenkugel
Brewed in Chippewa Falls, Wis.
A little heavier than their Sunset Wheat and kind of a departure from their usual fare. A nutty essence and an agreeable aftertaste. It doesn’t stand out in this batch, and it might not blow away Leinenkugel faithful, but it’s not bad.
Nor’easter Winter Ale by Tremont
Brewed in Portland, Maine
I had a hard time paying attention to this while trying to discover its shady origins. Shipyard is listed in fine print on the bottle, although Tremont presents itself as its own entity. Anyway, the trademark Shipyard hops are only vaguely present, so the Nor’easter has a unique vibe. It’s a quality ale, although not very Christmas-y. Shipyard fans are safe with this, but wiser to pick Prelude.
