Open Flavor Fridays: Why are winter beers so malty?

In the days before refrigeration, ales were brewed in the Summer and then drunk in the Winter, while lagers were brewed in the winter to be drunk in the Summer. Malt forward ales were also used as a meal substitute. Some of the ales were also used during periods of fasting.

I imagine that the higher caloric content of some of the malt forward styles helped during the winter months as well. The lagers often were brewed to act as thirst quenchers.

Needless to say, as a malt guy I cannot wait until the winter months kick in and all my favorite seasonals start returning.

Alaska’s Baltic Porter is one of my all time favorite winter seasonals. It normally starts showing up around now. Another winter favorite is the Southern Tier Chocolate Black Water Imperial Stout which shows up close to Valentines day. If you want to try a true chocolate beer, this is one that is worthy of making into an ice cream float.

Sierra Nevada Celebration, Fish Brewing Winterfish, Maritime Pacific Jolly Roger just off the top of my head. They’re all maltier than your typical IPA, but they’re hoppy beers first and foremost. I wish Winterfish was available year-round, because it’s an excellent IPA and one I would love to have in June.

As far as other winter beers, Anderson Valley Winter Solstice continues to be my favorite forever and always. 21st Amendement Fireside Chat is also quite good. Great Divide Hibernation is both delicious and dangerous as it’s a sneaky, sneaky 8.7% ABV. I’m really impressed by Snow Day, I think it’s a big step up from whatever New Belgium’s previous winter ale was.

I still haven’t had Anchor’s Christmas Ale yet this year, as for whatever reason it’s shot way up in price. It was $10 last year, now it’s $12-$14 depending on where you look. It bums me out that I haven’t had a chance to try it, but with so many other fantastic winter beers available, it’s just not worth the price.

In non-winter warmer beer, Left Hand’s latest Fade to Black limited release is out. This year it’s a pepper porter, and though it’s not something you’ll likely want to drink a lot of at once it’s both interesting and fantastic.

along the same lines, when will we Sounders fans have some offseason news to celebrate…..the Rosales deal? a GK? something…

I have no idea if Brooklyn Breweries has anything available on the west coast, but if you find yourself between NYC and DC for some reason from October through January, you’ve really got to seek out their Black Chocolate Stout. It has plenty of coffee notes to go with the chocolate, and I’ve always felt it has a tiny bit of caramel to it. It’s pretty boozy (10% ABV) without going over the line and being too upfront about it.

The pub 2 blocks from my friend’s house recently started serving it on tap. He is successful in a lucrative career and has a side business that brings him plenty of joy, but I told him that having Black Chocolate Stout on tap within a couple hundred yards was the single thing I envied from his life.

Both are Montana beers both will change your life

it was delicious.

I love my life where I am, but your average store where I am carries five beers, the best of which is comparable to something you’d buy in cans in the states. No American micros at all, and if you want something from Europe, there are only a couple stores where you can get them, at which you can expect to pay roughly $5 a bottle at the low end.

The sneaky lawyer side of me has come out. Assuming a DP slot exists, how about SSFC get a high-powered ringer but just for the duration of the European season (May 2012) on a “semi-guaranteed” contract (loan) with the intent to primarily use them specifically for CCL knockout. The CCL finals conclude April 24. The Rules allow that we can waive a player at anytime and “Players on semi-guaranteed contracts can be waived prior to July 1 of any year and free up the corresponding budget space.” The DP Rules don’t include a special exclusion from this. There a lot of players out there that teams would love to loan out simply for the rest of the 2011-2 Euro season. This way, all the complaints about who would want to come “here,” turffield, etc. go out the window on a 3 month loan, and I would think we could afford anyone’s wages for that short of a period. MLS has done this before in reverse, e.g. Donovan. I really want us to go into CCL QF all out, guns-a-blazin’.

Aged on rum soaked cedar planks. At 11.4% this one’ll warm you up in a hurry.

Sigh.

What’s everyone’s favorite non-alcoholic winter drink? I’m fond of the classic hot chocolate myself, but I can be seen drinking the occasional apple cider during the colder months.

At Cooper’s Alehouse on Lake City Way. It’s a top 20 beer in America according to several beer snobs.