What's Brewing: Three Winter Beers to Try

Image courtesy of Brooklyn Brewery.

The snow may not be falling, but it’s winter all the same, which means it’s perfect weather for sipping porters, stouts, IPAs, and more. Ahead, find a few I’ve quaffed recently.

Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout
ABV: 10 percent
According to Garrett Oliver’s Oxford Companion to Beer, the U.S. produces more imperial stout than any other country. Little surprise, then, that Oliver’s Brooklyn Brewery makes this standout version every season. The Black Chocolate Stout is low in carbonation with a smooth, lightly hopped dark chocolate bitterness and a hint of light, roasted malts. If my fireplace wasn’t broken, I’d be spending all my free time drinking this beer in front of a crackling pyre with a pint of Batch‘s salted caramel ice cream.

Blatant Brewery Blatant IPA
ABV: 6.5 percent
I’ll admit, I was late to the party in trying former Offshore Ale Company and Mayflower Brewing Company brewer Matt Steinberg’s beer — but after a long overdue visit to the OtherSide Cafe, I’m happy to report that Blatant IPA is crisp, bready, and delicious. Its balance of hops and toasty grains doesn’t make for the typical winter warmer, but it proved the perfect complement to my brie and apple sandwich on rye.

Haandbryggeriet Krøkkebic
ABV: 7 percent
This wild ale from Norwegian brewery Haandbryggeriet is made from crowberries, which are small blue berries commonly found in moorlands, tundra, and spruce forests, and from what I’ve read, rather unremarkable. As a result, unfortunately, the Krøkkebic is also rather unexceptional. It’s tannic with a mild sourness, but the flavor of the fruit gets lost behind the subtle vinegar flavor. And maybe I shouldn’t have been drinking it with chicken tikka masala and garlic naan, but even so, despite it’s interesting nature, this one won’t go down in the books as noteworthy.

What are some of the best winter warmers you’ve had this week? Let us know in the comments.