Local brewers describe the secret ingredients that put their beers in the holiday spirit. by Joe Streckert

Every year around November, beer aisles and bottle shops get seasonal. Winter ales appear on the shelves right around the time frost starts appearing on the ground. 

Winter beers aren’t any one thing. Holiday brews are more of a feeling than a prescribed list of ingredients or techniques. The closest thing the beer world has to “official” rules about beer styles is the Beer Judge Certification Program guidelines. The most recent version of the guidelines advises beer judges to “think more about the declared concept than trying to detect each individual ingredient. Balance, drinkability, and execution of the theme are the most important deciding factors” when evaluating winter beers.

In other words, when professional beer judges evaluate a winter beer, they go by vibes.

“For me it’s a cozy beer,” says Jess Hardie, the head brewer and co-founder of TPK Brewing Company. “Something you want to snuggle up with like a blanket.”

“Seasonal beers can range greatly,” says Lee Perry, the event director for the Portland Holiday Brew Fest. “It can be a real mix of whatever brewers are feeling.”

That being said, there are some common features that give a beer that wintertime feeling.

“For me a winter beer is a bigger, maltier, warm-you-up style of ale. They tend to be a little bit darker and a little less hoppy and higher in alcohol,” says Jake Elder, the brewer and co-founder of Lazy Days Brewing. 

For Elder, beers that focus less on hops and more on malt give him an opportunity to break out the spices and get creative with flavors beyond just hops.

Winter is when beers get loaded up with spices, however adding Christmastime spices and flavorings to beer isn’t some kind of craft brew innovation or cute novelty. According to Edler, adding flavor to beer with whatever brewers had available is a long tradition. A tradition that’s even older than adding hops to beer.

“Hops have been a relatively new phenomenon,” says Elder. “Relatively new” here means only a few centuries. Elder estimates that hops only go back about three or four hundred years. Prior to that, spice blends were more popular for adding bitterness or other flavors to brews. Elder specifically names nutmeg, allspice, and mace as common and longstanding flavorings to beer, all of which are popular in holiday brews to this day.

“Pretty much anything that was used in a spice rack was used in a beer,” says Elder. Maltier beers, says Elder, can taste unbalanced or unfinished on their own. Adding additional flavoring agents can round the beer out and make it more palatable. Darker, maltier wintertime beer provide a ready template for brewers who are ready to evoke wintertime feelings with whatever flavoring agents they have on hand.

Kora and Hardie go beyond the spice rack for their wintertime flavors. Kora adds palo santo wood to one of his porters to create a woody, aged flavor that he says “tastes like a thin mint.” He notes that it’s one of his more popular beers and he makes it available year round. Hardie will add ingredients like Belgian candi sugar, cinnamon, and Mexican cocoa to her beers to make them sweeter and more distinctive.

That being said, hops aren’t entirely absent from the holiday parties. Oregon’s favorite (or maybe most divisive) beer style, the IPA, still shows up plenty in the winter, and other hoppy beers make appearances at seasonal brew festivals. 

Hardie made a black rye IPA that she sees as a wintertime brew. “I would still consider that a winter beer because the rye was so forward,” she says. It clocked in at about 68 IBUs and 6.5% ABV, which Hardie puts on the lower end of the alcohol spectrum for holiday ales. But: “It still had that roasty-toasty flavor that I want in a winter beer,” Hardie says.

According to Elder, winter IPAs tend to lean on hops that give the beers what he calls “Christmas tree flavors”: Notes of spruce and pine needles can make a hoppy beer feel like a holiday one, and he calls out Sierra Nevada’s Celebration IPA as a good example of popular beer that gets its holiday flavors from hops rather than spices. It’s pine-forward and is marketed as a seasonal beer while also retaining the ever-salable identity of IPA.

Perry notes that several of the beers at the Portland Holiday Brew Fest are fresh hop IPAs. December is at the very tail end of the fresh hop season in Oregon, but it’s close enough that juicy, fruity IPAs can just barely be in season when snow begins to fall.

Winter beers also aren’t strictly limited to ales.

“Winter ales are a lot quicker to turn over and get into the market,” says Kora. Lagers generally take longer to brew. That means they also take more planning, take up space in a brewery for a longer period of time, and are more of a logistical issue for brewers. But Kora notes that it is possible to brew lagers like bocks and pilsners that include holiday flavors.

Kora also notes that lagers have a reputation for being not as flavorful, interesting, or high in alcohol as ales. But, he says, that’s a misconception. “Lagers can be just as formidable as ales,” he says. According to him, an enterprising brewer can create a lager that evokes holiday feelings just as much as a smoky, barrel-aged porter might.

Winter ales tend to stay drinkable long after the Christmas decorations have been packed up. Alcohol is a preservative and the higher ABV in a lot of seasonal brews means that the flavors can stick around even into the next holiday season and beyond.

“Winter ales age really well,” says Kora. He notes that as long as high ABV beers are kept at fifty degrees or lower they stay drinkable and can develop in interesting ways.

“Winter beers can change over time and age out really well. They can be really different beers in six months or so and become quite tasty.” Long after the holidays are over, a little bit of Christmas can linger on in your beer fridge, ready with holiday cheer any time of year.

• The Spice is Right from Lazy Days Brewing: A 6.7% spiced chocolate porter with flavor notes that wouldn’t be out of place in a pumpkin pie or spiced eggnog. 

• Nightfall of Diamonds from Zoiglhaus and Ecliptic: This 7.6% imperial porter is a collaboration between two breweries, blending toffee and coffee flavors with orange and chocolate. It’s not marketed as a seasonal beer per se, but it tastes a lot like one of those chocolate oranges sold around the holidays.

• Yippee-KI-PA from Baerlic: A winter IPA based on everyone’s favorite Christmas action movie. This 7.2% seasonal offering is less about overwhelming bitterness and more about a rounded, roasty flavor that goes well with Christmas trees or exploding office buildings.

• Peregrin Palo Santo Porter from Montavilla Brew Works: A dark porter aged in Peruvian Palo Santo wood with hints of minty sweetness.

Indiana's largest microbrewery embraces the sun.

Craft beer has revolutionized the industry and is moving out of microbreweries and into the main market. According to the Brewers Association, there were over 3,200 brewers in the United States as of November 2014.

Beer drinkers are more likely to have an unhealthy lifestyle than folks who prefer wine or liquor, scientists report.

Wasiirka Wasaarada Beeraha iyo Waraabka Dawlada Puntland Maxamed Cabdulqaadir Saalax (Donyaale) ayaa booqasho ku tegay Xarunta…

The post Wasiirka Beeraha Puntland oo booqday Shaybaarka ciidda ee ugu weyn Afrika appeared first on Horseed Media.

whats that in dog beers LIMITED EDITION CANVAS by Will Bullas is a(n) Limited Edition. The Edition is Limited to Limited Edition of 75 pcs

W oprogramowaniu CraftBeerPi 4 wykryto podatność typu Improper Input Validation (CVE-2024-3955).

British Union Jack Flag Maltese Biker Cross Beer Stein for those that are into British motorcycles and choppers like Triumph, Norton and BSA - British Union Jack Maltese Biker Maltese Iron Chopper Cross t-shirts, sweatshirts and other cool stuff for British bikers, chopper riders, motorcyclists and fans of British motorcycles and the freedom motorcycling brings. Excellent gift for fans or riders of Triumph, Norton and BSA or custom built choppers and motorcycles.

The Ace Biker Iron Maltese Cross Beer Stein is for bikers, chopper riders, custom bike builders, motorcyclists, motorcycle enthusiasts and anyone who enjoys the freedom that motorcycling brings - The Playing Card Ace Biker Iron Maltese Cross for bikers, chopper riders, custom bike builders, motorcyclists, motorcycle enthusiasts and anyone else who enjoys the freedom that motorcycling brings

3D Biohazard Warning Symbol Beer Stein - The Industrial 3D Biohazard Warning Symbol is for you if you are potentialy bio-hazzardous to others or a great gift for those that could be potentially bio-dangerous. After all this is the symbol for a biohazard, or a material which represents a threat to cellular materials or living organisms.

Share the warmth and happiness of a friendly smile with all those around you with this Smiley Face Beer Stein - It's back! The ever popular, the ever lovable, the ever friendly the totally universal smiley face is back once again. Only this time it's in the new and improved wonderful and modern 3d design. Maybe your face isn't always shining with a smile, even if you are smiling inside, but this design will help you share your internal or external smile. People around you and those that see you will more than likely grin and smile back at you as they see the smile that you are sporting on your shirt, coffee cup or other 3d smiley face designed accessory. Share the warmth and happiness of a friendly smile with all those around you directly and indirectly.

With this Beer Stein you can proudly announce that you are to be used for amusement purposes only - Are you not to be taken seriously? Are you only to be used for amusement purposes only? Do you know someone that is to be used only for your or someone else's amusement? Then these are for you!

Show the world that you are Anti-Anti with the Anti-Anti Beer Stein - Are you against being against? Do you say no on saying no? Are you opposed to being apposed? Then you must be Anti-Anti! Show the world that you say no to no, that you are against being against, that you are opposed to being opposed and most of all that you are Anti-Anti!

For Some There's Therapy, For The Rest Of Us There's Bowling Beer Stein - For some there's therapy, for the rest of us there's bowling. Sometimes the best way escape reality a little bit to relax, unwind, think about life is to head to the bowling alley and knockdown some pins. There's just something about rolling a bowling ball down the lane, hearing the crash of the pins as they plow into each other to release tension and stress.

This Beer Stein shows that you are powered by the caffeine molecule trimethylxanthine also known by its chemical formula of C8H10N4O2. - Yes, it's true; caffeine makes the world go around. Whether it’s in coffee, soda, energy drink or whatever, it seems that caffeine keeps everything going. If you are one of those people (or knows someone that is) that gets their energy and staying power from the caffeine molecule trimethylxanthine also known by its chemical formula of C8H10N4O2 then you need this 3d design of the caffeine molecule structure.

Beer Stein Featuring the Canadian Flag Biker Maltese Iron Chopper Cross - A maltese biker cross made from the Canadian flag for those bikers, chopper riders and motorcylists that are proud to be from Canada as they ride their motorcycles, scooters, choppers and bikes not only in Canada, but around the world. Makes an excellent gift for anyone that is from Canada, is Canadian and loves the freedom that can only be found on two wheels.

This Beer Stein will help you proclaim that chocolate is much better than therapy. Nothing may be better than the sweet sensation of creamy, rich and delicious chocolate melting in your mouth. - Mmmmm... Chocolate... for some there's therapy, for the rest of us there's chocolate. Yes, sometimes there is nothing like enjoying the sweet sensation of creamy, rich and delicious chocolate melting in your mouth to relieve stress, help relax, and sooth the soul. Sometimes it doesn't seem to matter if it is dark chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, extra-sweet chocolate or malted chocolate in bars, kisses, drops or chips. Yes, it is very true, when things get tough or stressful, "For Some There's Therapy. For The Rest Of Us, There's Chocolate".

Label yourself or someone you know with the DANGER: HOT 3D Industrial Metal Style Sign Beer Stein to alert others to how hot you are or they are - Are you hot? Are you so hot, that you are dangerously hot? Maybe you are so dangerously hot that you deserve your own warning sign to alert others to how hot you are. On the other hand... Do you know someone that is hot? Do you know someone that is so extremely hot that they are dangerously hot? Maybe you know that they are so hot that you would like to give them their own danger warning sign to show them how hot you think they are.

This DANGER: Flammable Gas Beer Stein will help give a clear warning to all and get some laughs in return - Give everyone a clear warning of impending the impending possible danger of flammable gas and get many laughs in return with these "DANGER: Flammable Gas" Industrial 3D Metal Style Danger Sign items. They also make an excellent gag gift!

Announce that either you, your beer stein or both are now available for rent, hire or to be used temporarily (for a fee of course). - Are you available for rent, hire, to be used temporarily (for a fee of course) for whatever occasion or event? Or, maybe you are just after making a couple extra bucks and it really isn’t you for rent, but it’s your shirt, coffee cup or mouse pad that is for rent.

Announce that either you, your beer stein or both are now available for for sale, to be had, owned or used permanently. - Are you available for sale, to be had, owned or used permanently (for a fee of course)? Or, maybe you are just after making a couple extra bucks and it really isn’t you for rent, but it's your shirt, coffee cup or mouse pad that is for sale, to be had, owned or used permanently.

Proudly announce to the world, "I Feel Much Better, Since I Gave Up Hope" with the Beer Stein - Are you tired of looking forward to things only to have plans fall apart? Do you try to see the bright side of life, only to see even darker clouds? As you attempt to get closer to your dreams and desires, do they seem to get farther away? Whenever you anticipate something good to happen, do you get crushed in the end? Then maybe you will feel better if you just gave up hope and be able to proudly announce to the world, "I Feel Much Better, Since I Gave Up Hope". Think about it, it may be the only way to go, without hope, there is no more let downs or disappointments. After giving up hope you will feel better, because there will no longer be any expectations for anything good to happen, so everything will be either good or business as usual.

This Beer Stein proclaims that for you, playing golf is so much better and heathier than visiting with any kind of therapist - It's very true; sometimes the best way to work things out mentally is to get out on the golf course for a few hours and wack that little white ball for a few hours. There is just something about getting out in the open, breathing in the fresh air and going for a walk along the 18 holes of a beautiful golf course focusing your mind and energy on hitting that great next shot to clear your mind of other distractions and problems of life. It is amazing how solutions to some of life's problems can just appear to you when you get your mind off of them when you can step away from them and concentrate in a relaxing way to other things, like playing a round of golf. No matter how well you play, "For some there's therapy, for the rest of us there's golf".

WARNING: Handle With Care Beer Stein - WARNING: Handle With Care 3D Industrial Metal Style Sign Coffee Cups, T-Shirts, SweatShirts, Mousepads and MORE!

With this Beer Stein, you can declare to your self that you are stylish, hip, cool, youthful and comfortable with whom you are by saying, "I am Not Old... I'm... Retro". - I am not old! I am Retro! Do you think you are old? Have you ever felt old? Just remember, you are only as old as you feel, you are only old if you let yourself feel old. Nowadays, with retro styles, retro attitudes and all things of the past being very hip, cool and popular, it is even easier not to feel old and not be old. Now is your chance to declare to yourself and to the world that you are not old. Declare to your self that you are stylish, hip, cool and comfortable with whom you are by saying, "I am Not Old... I'm... Retro". After all, you are not old, you are retro!

With this Beer Stein you can share with the world that Jesus Christ is your therapist, He is better than any therapy that has ever existed, He is your healer, your counselor, and your guide. - For some there's therapy, for the rest of us there's Jesus. Trusting, believing and following Jesus Christ is better than anything that any therapist can do. When we allow Jesus to be our guide, our counselor, and friend we know that all things through Him will be full of peace, love, happiness and genuine satisfaction because it will be right. The personal pressure it takes off our shoulders is awesome when we trust in Jesus, because we no longer have to worry about doing anything, except believe in Him and His promises and allow Him to work out everything else. It is an awesome and wonderful feeling to allow Christ to be our therapist, counselor and guide by just asking Him how we should be and seeking His advice in the Bible. Everything else is up to Him to do, it doesn't get much better than that! And to think that His love, His advice, His salvation, His healing is all completely free, all we need to do is ask for it and believe in Him.

This Beer Stein announces that there just isn't any fun in not seeing any evil, hearing any evil or speaking any evil. - See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil? Where is the fun in that? Evil or not, you have got to have some kind of fun sometime. Ok, maybe fun doesn't have to be evil, but sometimes being a little bit evil or sarcastic can be fun.

Just like the Beer Stein says, "No!". I said no and that's all there is to it. End of discussion, No, and that's final. - No! Whatever it is, no. No, as in no way, forget about it, not going to happen. I said, no. No, and that’s final. It doesn’t matter what it is you want, no. When I say no, I mean no! I don’t care what you think you need, no. Don’t even bother to ask, because the answer is no. I don’t even care what the question is, the answer is no. No, Nadda, Nein, Non, Nyet, No Way, Not a chance, Forget about it, Don’t even think about it, Never, Not now, Not ever. No means no. And, not only no, but heck no!

WARNING: Does not play well with others 3D industrial metal style sign beer stein - "WARNING: Does not play well with others" 3D industrial metal style sign for those who may have a chip on their shoulder, an attitude problem, or just want to be alone.

WARNING: Contents Under Pressure Beer Stein - Maybe either you or someone you know is under constant stress, pressure or suffers form anxiety attacks and needs to let everyone else around know that they could be approaching a bit of a dangerous situation if messed with too much. The "WARNING: Contents Under Pressure" 3d industrial metal style caution danger sign could be the notice that either you or that someone else in your life needs.

WARNING: Do Not Operate Without Proper Protection Beer Stein - "WARNING: Do Not Operate Without Proper Protection" 3D Industrial Metal Style Caution Danger Sign Shirts, T-Shirts, Coffee Cups and More!

3D Radioactive Symbol Beer Stein - 3D Radioactive Symbol Mega Cool Shirts, Sweatshirts, Clocks, Stickers, Mugs And More

WARNING: Read Instructions Before Operating Beer Stein - WARNING: Read Instructions Before Operating 3D Industrial Metal Style Sign Shirts, Sweatshirts, Coffee Cups, Mousepads and MORE!

This Beer Stein will help you tell the world that shopping is much better than therapy. Nothing may be more satisfying for the mind and soul than a few hours or an entire day shopping. - Are you a shop-aholic? Is shopping one of your favorite things to do? Is hopping a hobby for you? Maybe you are the kind of person that shopping helps sooth your mind and soul. Maybe you feel so much better after a day or even a couple hours of shopping whether it is visiting your favorite store, going to the mall or even shopping online. If any of these statements ring true for you then you need to get a “For Some There's Therapy, For The Rest Of Us There's Shopping” shirt, mousepad or coffee cup. Spread the word that shopping is much better than therapy.

The No Longer A Danger To Society Beer Stein will help you reassure the world that you are No Longer A Danger To Society - Are you reformed? Are you no longer a threat or danger to society? Are you now a person that is safe for society, maybe an asset to society? Whatever the case may be, make sure the entire world knows that you are "No Longer A Danger To Society".

With the Evil Genius Beer Stein you will be letting everyone know that not only are you super intelligent, but you have a brain, and you're not afraid to use it! - Are you smart? Are you a genius? Have you made plans to try to take over the world? Would you like to try to rule the universe? Is global domination your goal? Do you long for evil minions? Do you have a brain, and you're not afraid to use it? If you answered yes (or even maybe) to any of the above questions, then the Evil Genius design is for you. It also makes an excellent gift for anyone else you may know that is ingenious with a slight hint of crafty mischievousness or arrogance about them.

This Beer Stein lets everyone know whose fault it really was, the flying monkeys made you do it - It's absolutely true. It's not really your fault. In fact, even though you were the one that actually did do it, it still isn't your fault at all. Of course you shouldn't take responsibility for what happened, you just couldn't help yourself. But, first and foremost when you do get blamed, make sure you point the blame in the right direction. It's not the dog's fault nor is it the fault of the voices in your head that you have been listening too, nor was it the ghost of Elvis, and the devil definitely didn't make you do it either. Certainly, that can only leave one option left, the ones that are truly behind it all, the flying monkeys. That's absolutely right. It was the flying monkeys that made you do it. Now is your chance to fianlly reveal the truth of who's really behind it all.

For Some There's Therapy, For The Rest Of Us There's Motorcycles Beer Stein - For some there's therapy, for the rest of us there's motorcycles. Sometimes the best way escape reality a little bit to relax, unwind, think about and make sense of life is to hop on our motorcycle and head for the open road whether it's through the twisties of a canyon or mountain or the open desert highway. The freedom and peace of being at one with a machine and the open road is therapy that is almost unequalled by anything else. So, forget the shrink. Forget the counselors. Forget the psychiatrists. Forget the therapists. Relieve the stress, makes some sense out of life, grin from ear to ear. Just get on your bike and ride.

Show your support for freedom of thoughts and actions with the Legalize Freedom Stein - Left Wing, Right Wing, Conservative, Liberal, Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, it just doesn't seem to matter much any more. They all are trying to pass more laws one way or another to dictate how we think, how we live, restricting how they think we should think and how they think we should live. It doesn't matter anymore if you agree with conservative or liberal ideals. Having different ideas, thoughts and attitudes is what use to make the United States terrific. We didn't use to have the politicians shoving their personal beliefs down our throats. We use to be able think and act for ourselves. We use to be able to be responsible for our own lives and our own decisions. Freedom use to be legal. Freedom of choice use to mean something. The freedom to choose anything is almost non-existent anymore. Left Wing, Right Wing, Conservative, Liberal, Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, it just doesn't matter any more, all of their beliefs that they try passing laws on telling us how to think, breath and live will only lead to one thing eventually... socialism and communism... UNLESS it is stopped before it is too late. Legalize Freedom! Enough is enough already!! Stop restricting us! Stop telling us how you say we should think! Stop telling us how we should live! Stop trying to protect us from us! Let us think for ourselves! Let us act for ourselves! Let us be responsible for our own lives! Let us be responsible for our own decisions! LEGALIZE FREEDOM!!

This Beer Stein will help you show your passion and dedication to your martial arts discipline and that it truly is better than therapy - For some there's therapy, for the rest of us there's martial arts. Who needs therapy; when the martial arts are your outlet? There can be several reasons of why you do not need therapy when you use martial arts as therapy. In martial arts, whether it is taekwondo, karate, kung fu or jujutsu, there is a physical and mental level of discipline that is achieved that overflows into every area of your life, helping you to be able to have respect for others, maintain focus to achieve other goals and also to help overcome problems and situations. Then there is the physical release that martial arts bring whether it is working on your forms, during sparing or breaking boards. Another way that martial arts helps bring tension release and peace top the mind and body is the mental preparation and focus bring a single mind to the task at hand creating self-control, self-restraint and a mental readiness to handle potentially stressful situations and diffuse them easily.

WARNING: Approach With Caution Beer Stein - Let other people know that you need to be approached with caution with the "WARNING: Approach With Caution" 3D Industrial Metal Looking Sign Mega Cool Shirts, Sweatshirts, Clocks, Stickers, Mugs And More. Makes an excellent gift for those that are slighty tempermental too!

This week you should start seeing two new Epic beers arriving at your usual craft beer outlets. Epic Brooklyn OTP (One Trick Pony) is the next in a series of single hopped IPA’s. The Brooklyn hop is a brand new release from NZ Hops, and was made commercially available in December 2015, with Epic being the first brewery to place and order and brew with it. One Trick Pony beers all use the same recipe, and just replace the hop. The Brooklyn hop, as all the others before it (Zythos, Mosaic, Comet & Equinox) is added in three additions to […]

MEDIA RELEASE 29 February 2016 Craft beer industry growth fuelling demand for skilled brewers Attracting and retaining highly-skilled brewers is the vital next step in continuing the growth trajectory of New Zealand’s brewing industry, says the Brewers Guild of New Zealand. Already a $2.2 billion industry in this country, growth in the number of professional brewing operations has continued in response increasing thirst for Kiwi beer overseas. That growth has put the heat on breweries to recruit and retain skilled personnel, said Brewers Guild president Emma McCashin. “The number of professional brewing operations in New Zealand has almost trebled in […]

Happy Easter. I did a tasting of some of the Epic beers to see how they would match with hot cross buns.

So I got a press release from the Brewers Guild of New Zealand today about the New Zealand Breweries that entered the World Beer Cup. I’d like to find out more about the following breweries, so if you know anything please share. I do know Williams Warn, but unsure of the rules and how a home-brew equipment manufacture can entered a commercial beer awards. Any additional information or commentary you have would be great if you could share. Who are these companies, what beers have they entered? New Zealand Beer Ltd (Auckland) The Fox Sporting Bar & Restaurant (Auckland) WilliamsWarn […]

Why don’t I hear more concern from craft beer drinkers about the recent purchase of Panhead by Lion? Are the warning signs from the US craft beer industry or even from history not being listened to?   This comment from Sam Calagione hopefully sums up what is happening Dogfish Head founder crafts brewery’s future Q: What does growing consolidation mean for the craft beer movement? A: Everyone needs to realize that right now in every bar in every state there are massive global breweries going in and trying to sell those bars kegs of beer that they are hoisting off as […]

Last night I was triggered to writing this post. I haven’t wanted to post for ages because my observations of the craft beer market had become progressively more negative. So after being told last night that Epic beer was shit and it would never get on tap I thought why not share some observations. Where to start?  The monster we are all responsible for. If we go back 20 years or so, craft beer came about because of the endless sea of industrial lager beers post World War II. There was no real diversity available in the beer market. Which […]

Catégorie - HOMMES » Genre - Country