Don'tcha just love winter beer season?!?

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ChshreCat

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Not even winter yet and I've gone through my first six pack of JubalAle and I'm working on my first six pack of Brrr. Looking forward to some Snowplow.

What other winter seasons should I be keeping my eye out for? What's your favorites?
 
FREAK YEAH can't wait for the good malty stuff to hit the shelves. I just moved to the northwest, so I don't really know what I'll be finding (came from the flatlands of KS where there's not a great selection).

I used to like NB's Frambozen a lot, but I think that ship may have sailed. Last time I had it it was kinda meh.

This year I'm feeling the dark malts.
 
Oh, if you haven't had Widmer's Brrr yet.... don't walk, RUN and pick some up. Huge hop aroma, but the taste is very malty. I love that.
 
Im looking forward to 2009 Double Bastard, DFH World Wide Stout, and Brooklyn's Black Chocolate Stout. Gonna do a vertical tasting of the WWStout, and Black Chocolate Stout.
 
:ban:

It's that time of year again. Been drinking Jubelale for a couple weeks now and I just saw the first appearance of Brrr in the store today!

:ban:

My favorite time of year!
 
Think I'll be entering a christmas beer competition this year. Should be interesting with so much competition in one category.
 
Hell yeah. Bell's Third Coast, Double Cream, Victory Storm King, and cold weather. I like to stay warm with good friends, good, strong beer, and hearty food.
 
I've got Jubelale, Snowcap and Wassail in the fridge now. There's Widmer Brrr in the stores now, but I've only seen it in cases. Waiting for 6-packs.
 
I've got Jubelale, Snowcap and Wassail in the fridge now. There's Widmer Brrr in the stores now, but I've only seen it in cases. Waiting for 6-packs.

Where'd you get Snowcap, son?
Been throught the first offering of Jubel and Wassail, might pick me up some Brrr tomorrow.
 
I was at the Burlington one the other day and didn't see it. But, I was on a mission for SN Helles and wasn't really looking for Snow Cap.
 
Grabbed some Sleigh'R the other day. Looking forward to some Jubelale.
I really wish Widmer would brew Snowplow again.
 
Of course many of these are unavailable in Nebraska...grrr.. I'm a fan of Avery's Old Jubilation....always a winner. Not sure if it's available any longer, but Left Hand made one called Snowbound...very nice if you can get it.
 
I really can't wait to get back into a state where there's a decent selection of beers. I'm missing out on most of these you guys are talking about.

Any interesting takes on the "Christmas Beer" concept you've stumbled across? I need to, um, do research. mmmm.... research....
 
I love Troeg's Mad Elf. I'm also a fan of Michelob's Winter Bourbon Cask Ale, although it rates pretty low with most people here. Definitely pick up Old Horizontal Barleywine from Victory - that's my beer of choice before I shovel snow on my days off being a teacher and all. Storm King from Victory is a RIS and is available year round, but it has a special place in my fridge as the weather gets colder.
 
Those sound good - I'll have to keep an eye out. Jubelale in hand right now. Nice malty goodness.
 
The Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout is out! I picked up a four pack this past Friday.
 
Chshre, have you seen the Widmer Brother's Reserve Brrrbon? I picked up a bottle of it last week, but haven't had a chance to crack it open yet.

http://www.widmer.com/beer_brothersreserve.aspx

Had that in a bottle and on tap. I thought it was *much* better on tap. Bottle version seemed thin and uninspiring, with very little bourbon, barrel, or brr for that matter. Could have just been an off bottle.


I love me some Brrr and Jubleale. There's a lot of other delicious seasonal specialties out there (Goose Island Bourbon County Stout comes to mind), but for $6/6 pack seasonals you just can't beat Jubleale.
 
Had that in a bottle and on tap. I thought it was *much* better on tap. Bottle version seemed thin and uninspiring, with very little bourbon, barrel, or brr for that matter. Could have just been an off bottle.

on the lookout for Brrrboun here in the SF bay area.
 
on the lookout for Brrrboun here in the SF bay area.

i have a friend who works at bevmo daly city, he basically told me that bay area distributors are *****ey and sit on the holiday brews until they clear enough of their fall beers. all I saw when i was there last week was jubelale, but I'm starting to see NB 2* below in stores.
 
Winter season is my least favorite of the beer seasons. Only one beer I like comes out in the winter, Long Trail's Hibernator is the only one. I hate the Christmas beers most have spice's in them and I am a firm believer that spice does not belong in beer. had Brooklyn's Chocolate Stout and was meh on it.......
 
Harpoon's Winter Warmer or Shipyard's Prelude....I wish I could make those two beers fist fight for my love so I wouldn't have to decide
 
+1 on Harpoon Winter Warmer. Kind of like the one from Shiner too.
 
i have a friend who works at bevmo daly city, he basically told me that bay area distributors are *****ey and sit on the holiday brews until they clear enough of their fall beers. all I saw when i was there last week was jubelale, but I'm starting to see NB 2* below in stores.

Thanks for the info.
Local Bevmo here says many other brands share SKU's as well.
They have Jubelale and Sleigh'r. Brrr and Brrrboun should be in stores soon.
 
Been drinking Brrr the last couple nights and I just picked up a six-pack of Bridgeport Ebenezer to add to it!
 
My favorite time of year is back again! I've had Snow Cap and Jubelale so far and just picked up my first sixer of Brrr this afternoon! :mug:
 
I'm usually not a fan of domestic winter warmers. Typically over-spiced and/or overly hopped. I like Harpoon's ok. NB 2 Below is pretty good, Shiner Cheer is good. I am more a fan of the Belgian and English winter warmers. The spicing seems more balanced and they work well with the esters and Belgian malt flavors.

But I definitely agree, winter makes for the best beer season. Something good out there for everybody.
 
"It's the most wonderful tiiime of the yeeeear..."

Winter seasonals are my favorites. Looking forward to getting some Moerlein Christkindl and Great Lakes Christmas Ale. I also want to try Anchor's Christmas Ale...I realize they tweak the recipe every year, but I've heard good things about it in general.
 
Brewed saison noel yesterday! Baby ginger and lemongrass (not that you'd know if I didn't tell you;)) all saaz, can't wait for Christmas!
 
I'm going to be brewing a bigger Christmas bock next Sunday. And I'll be brewing a Munich/Vienna Ale for Thanksgiving as well. I'm excited for the bock -it's going to actually be a weizenbock fermented with Munich Lager yeast. I'm adding cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and orange peel. Here's the plan. Thoughts?

10lbs of dark wheat
5 lbs Munich malt
2 lbs Maris Otter or biscuit malt
1oz Tettnang 60 min
.50 oz Tettnang 30 min
.25 tsp cinnamon 0 min
.25 tsp ginger 0 min
.25 tsp nutmeg 0 min
1oz orange peel 0 min

Decoction mash
Estimated OG 1.080
Estimated FG 1.020
Estimated Abv 7.86%
 
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