While winter beer isn’t a specific style of beer, they’re typically brewed with spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, ginger, and allspice.
Winter beers are typically ales that are tweaked a little bit from their traditional recipes. They’re often more malt-forward than they are hoppy, and the sweetness balances the holiday spices.
These beers are elaborate and give you a pleasant warm feeling that pairs well with a holiday cookie or other roasted winter dish. Enjoy them by the fireplace.
A winter warmer is either a Wassail or a strong English ale, both spiced of course. Winter warmers are these styles of beers, changed to include traditional wintery spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves.
The spices that are normally used in the kitchen around the holidays are – no surprise here – the ones you’ll find in winter beers: nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, ginger and all spice.
The beer styles that go best with a bit of nutmeg and other winter spices include some darker colored (and some lighter) beers, like: American pale ales Red ales American brown ales White IPAs Stouts
If you can get your hands on any of these winter beers, definitely pick them up and give them a try! – Anderson Valley Winter Solstice Ale – Harpoon Brewery Winter Warmer – Stone Brewing Xocoveza Tres Leche – 21st Amendment Brewing Fireside Chat – Sly Fox Christmas Ale
– Great Lakes Christmas Ale – Southern Tier 2XMAS Ale – Deschutes Jubelale – Great Divide Chai Yeti – SweetWater Festive Ale