Now that fall is in the rear-view mirror we can discuss the darker and heavier winter styles. Snow is falling and you just want to sit inside and warm your bones with a nice strong beer. Here’s our list of five amazing winter beers to try from Denver-area breweries during these cold and frozen months.
Cheers!
Snowed In (Copper Kettle Brewing) - The name says it all. If you’re stuck on the couch, why not enjoy this big-bodied, bourbon barrel-aged, coffee and chocolate-flavored oatmeal stout? This beer has popped up six winters in a row now, and Copper Kettle has really perfected it.
Fireside Winter Warmer (Locavore Beer Works) - Well, the name says it all on this one, too. This is a spiced beer, reddish-brown in appearance, made with Colorado wildflower honey and spices provided by Savory Spice. The result is a malty Christmas-time sensation as you hunker down by the fireplace.
Double Hazelnut Brown Ale (Dry Dock Brewing) - This is part of Dry Dock’s Signature Series, which means a small batch, barrel-aged beer. In this case, whiskey barrels were used, along with an English-style ale. The hazelnuts add further complexity along with caramel and toffee notes.
Mr. Sandman (River North Brewery) - Here’s another barrel-aged stout, and this one is especially high in alcohol (12.8%). Dark chocolate and vanilla bean add to the wonder of this beer.
Dry-Hopped Foeder-Aged Stringbender (Black Shirt Brewing) - Stringbender is one of the flagship beers here (a Saison). For this special version (Black Shirt’s “Featured Beer for January”), they aged the beer in a brand new white oak foeder for 16 weeks and then added tropical fruity aromas by dry-hopping it aggressively with Galaxy and Citra hops. You’ve got to try it to believe it!
