With Thanksgiving gone and the commercial blitz in full force, it’s a good time to grab some good beers and get away from it all. Unless, of course, you are Sebago Brewing Company by the mall, in which case, well, drink more.
Craft breweries around the country are introducing their winter selections, which come from two basic schools: the malty and the hoppy. The winter warmer and the florally hopped Amber ale.
Over break I indulged in four winter brews that stretched the style’s gamut:
Geary’s Winter Ale
English India Pale Ale
6.0% ABV
$7.79/6 pack
Listed as an English Pale Ale on their website, this beer may miss the style mark as far as IPA’s go, but is a good beer on a cold night in Maine. Without the explosion of floral hop flavor that Geary’s promises, the balance of malt and hops in Geary’s winter selection makes it the perfect middle ground. With a relatively light body and a generally quaffable taste, Geary’s Winter Ale pours a coppery color with a nice white head that sticks around for a while. With a fairly neutral aroma that blends fruity-yeastiness and alcohol, the beer’s taste is not hoppy like the IPA it promises to be. More so, the beer’s sweet maltiness comes to the forefront. Despite its maltiness and alcohol content, Geary’s offering is extremely drinkable as far winter beers go.
Overall, Geary’s Pale is perfect for those who can’t handle the matli-sweet goodness of winter warmers and shy away from the hoppy explosions of other amber-style beers of the season.
Results: This beer gets high marks for its drinkability.
Grade: B
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Sebago’s Slick Nick Winter Ale
Winter Warmer
6.3 % ABV
$8.29/6 pack
Slick Nick is exactly what I think of when I think of winter ales. Pouring a nice amber color with a fluffy head and good lacing, Slick Nick’s nose was that of mild hops, alcohol and little else. Sebago’s version of the winter warmer comes equipped with a more-malty-than-hoppy palate, but an amazingly smooth texture. While this is the strongest of the four beers I dabbled in, it was probably the smoothest going down the shoot – surprising, considering its high alcohol content. I wouldn’t go nuts with Slick Nick though, it’s alcoholic warmth sneaks up on you if you’re not careful. If you over indulge-you’ll end up with a rosy red cheeks just like Mr. Claus whose pictured on the beer’s label.
Sebago’s winter ale is brewed for those of you out there who like beers like Shipyard’s Prelude. It’s definitely robust and meant for keeping away Jack Frost.
Results: This is one beer that definitely warrants the not-so-ominous “drink responsibly” mantra.
Grade: B
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Rogue Ale’s Santa’s Private Reserve Ale
Amber Ale
6.0% ABV
$10.49/6 pack
Renowned for their innovation and prodigious brewing, Rogue Ale, based in Newport, Oregon, lives up to their reputation with this beautifully hoppy but relatively balanced Amber Ale. Pouring a seductive amber color with a nice white head, Rogue’s idea of a winter ale leans more toward the bitter end of the spectrum, but does so in a delightfully seasonal way. With hints of evergreen and a beautifully hoppy bouquet, this beer smells and tastes like a walk in a pine grove. As far as drinkability, this beer is great if you can handle the residual hop bitterness, which can be a bit overwhelming; plus, at 6% it’s not exactly Budweiser.
I’m glad Santa didn’t horde this beer into his private reserve forever. Any beer that can wet my whistle and take me to an ice-covered Christmas tree lot in one swill is worth the price of admission.
Results: Just like the Christmas tree salesman, the hop aftertaste of Rogue’s winter brew can be a bit relentless.
Grade: B+/A-
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Magic Hat Roxy Rolles
Amber Ale
5.1% ABV
$7.79/6 pack
Like everything that comes out of Burlington, VT, Magic Hat’s Roxy Rolles is an alternative to the winter-brew template. Roxy Rolles’ spicy-yet-roasty aroma and inviting amber color leads to a wonderfully balanced but exciting brew. The blend of bready-malt and spicy, citrusy hops makes for an intriguing brew. With less hop bitterness than Rogue’s brewer, Roxy Rolles is more quaffable and could be consumed, responsibly, in large quantities without regret. I don’t necessarily think of this as a winter-brew, but I’m sure it’s ideal for sipping after a hard day on the slopes.
In the end, Roxy Rolle steals the show. If you’re into higher-gravity beers, then Roxy probably ain’t your girl. At 5.1% it’s not dangerously strong like some winter warmers, but it offers enough alcoholic warmth to beat out your run-of-the-mill light beers any day.
Results: Avoid the Rocky Moutains and head for the Greens.
Grade: A-
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Regardless of your preference, winter’s an ideal time to belly-up to a bar somewhere and keep yourself warm. These are just some of the hundreds of options available. Other local favorites include Shipyard Prelude and Longfellow Ales, Gritty McDuff Christmas Ale, Sam Adam’s Old Fezzywig Ale, Red Hook Winter Folly and Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale.