Beer Hawk Discoveries: Our Favourite Winter Warmers
What's a winter warmer?
It's pretty self-explanatory, really! It's a beer that we like to enjoy while watching a fire crackle and pop or after a dreary day out in the cold. We don't love to say that "this beer is for cold weather, this beer is for warm weather" but there are certainly beers that we feel are best suited for certain situations. Typically, our favourite winter warmers are dark, rich and warming--or, a cheeky bit higher in alcohol. Some have lovely notes of spice others are sweet and unctuous. Are you craving something like that? Well, here are our favourites:
Winter warmers you'll love
Since only beer can make miserable weather more tolerable, you should get trying some of our favourites to brighten the day. Here are our favourite winter warmers:
Anchor Christmas Ale
Brewed to a different recipe each year, 2017's version of the Anchor Christmas Ale features notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and even gingerbread. This forty-third annual release is Christmas in a bottle.
St. Bernardus Christmas Ale
A bit of a theme here between Christmas and a winter warmer; the St. Bernardus Christmas Ale pretty much defines what we mean! This 10% ABV beauty pours a thick, dark ruby colour with notes of spice, cherry and a warming alcohol quality.
Devil's Canyon Full Boar Scotch Ale
We love a rich, swirling Scotch ale to help with the winter doldrums. While admittedly, the Devil's Canyon Full Boar Scotch ale hails from sunny California, this complex Scotch ale's notes of chocolate and caramel and a surprisingly light finish show that they get what we're going through.
Flying Dog K-9 Winter Ale
While Flying Dog changes the hop each year in their annual K-9 Winter Ale release, this delightful ale is perfect for those who are tired of winter beers always featuring spice or intense sweetness. The 2017 version was brewed with cardamom and vanilla for a unique twist.
St. Feuillien Cuvée de Noël
Since we're talking about winter warmers, we've got to include another Belgian. The St. Feuillien Cuvée de Noël is full-bodied with a distinctive spice of clove and anise. Bready, sweet malts and a noticeable booziness will have you wanting to throw another log on the fire.
The rich, warming qualities of these fantastic bring the warmth to a season already full of festive cheer and cosy socks. Enjoy relaxing with ones of these beauties!
Cheers!
