Winter Brews
by American Way StaffWhile a beer-enhanced cooling off is always
welcome during a sweltering summer day, hearty winter beers offer
such a burst of flavor that, quite frankly, we look forward to the
return of snow all summer long. Here are six flavor-soaked brews to
get you through the cruelest months. But take them slowly - their
alcohol content is a bit higher than that of their run-of-the-mill
brethren. And since everybody needs a hobby, try brewing up a batch
of your own. We tapped (pun intended) Gary Glass, director of the
American Homebrewers Association, for some tips on how to get
started and what to expect. - Jenna Schnuer
SCHLAFLY BEER'S BARREL-AGED
IMPERIAL STOUT
Chocolate desserts will thank you for treating them so kindly if
you pair them with this concoction, which has hints of caramel,
oak, and Bourbon. Brewed in St. Louis, Missouri. www.schlafly.com
HARPOON'S WINTER WARMER
If you like pumpkin pie (or want to charm somebody who does), buy
all the cinnamonand- nutmeg-spiced Winter Warmer ale you can fi nd.
Brewed in Windsor, Vermont. www.harpoonbrewery.com
DOGFISH HEAD'S CHICORY STOUT
Even though the brewer uses oatmeal and organic Mexican coffee to
produce this hearty stout, you still might want to wait till, say,
the afternoon to crack one open. It's delish with barbecue. Brewed
in Milton, Delaware. www.dogfish.com
ALASKAN BREWING CO.'S ALASKAN WINTER ALE
Salmon, shmamon. Our favorite taste of the state right now is this
beer, brewed using glacier-fed waters and Sitka spruce tips, which
add a bit of a fl oral aroma to every sip. (Don't worry, it's still
quite a manly beverage.) Brewed in Juneau. www.alaskanbeer.com
ODELL BREWING CO.'S ISOLATION ALE
Odell shies away from anything fruity or spicy for its boldly
traditional winter warmer, a higher-malt, big-fl avor brew. And
though we don't judge a beer by its label, we love this one so
much, we'd like to hang a poster of it on our wall. Brewed in Fort
Collins, Colorado. www.odellbrewing.com
REDHOOK ALE BREWERY'S WINTERHOOK
This is another big one with a smooth caramel fl avor. And the
deep ruby color? It'll make many a glass of wine hide in shame.
Brewed in Seattle and Woodinville, Washington, and also in
Portsmouth, New Hampshire. www.redhook.com
Make Your Own
In four to six weeks, and with enough patience,
you could have some fine beer to show off to your friends. "[These
days] people who are home brewing can expect to make beer that's
just as good as anything they can buy in the store," says Gary
Glass, director of the American Homebrewers Association. "You
actually have a much wider range of possibilities than somebody who
has a commercial brewery and has to sell their beer." First, do a
little learning about brewing by checking out the American
Homebrewers Association guide, Zymurgy for Beginners (303-447-0816,
www.beertown.org/homebrewing/beginning.html).
Then, for a quick start, Glass recommends buying an all-in-one kit:
"It doesn't give you much room to experiment, but it's a good way
to get your fi rst batch in." After that, it's brewer's choice.
Chilepepper beer? Cinnamon beer? Paprika? If you can dream it, you
can brew it. The website Beertown.org lists home-brewing supply
shops throughout the United States. Beginner beer kits - with your
choice of extract, which will produce beers such as American cream
ale, Irish red ale, American Amber Ale, and many more - hover
around $120.
Leeners Northfield,
Ohio (800) 543-3697, www.leeners.com
Keystone Homebrew Supply Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania (610) 997-0911, www.keystonehomebrew.com
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