After a summer of light, citrusy lagers and ales, the arrival of fall typically brings darker, more malt-driven beers. But once December hits, things get serious — malty red ales, heartier IPAs and pumpkin beers and the like make way for the festive flavours of the holiday season.
From fruit-infused meads to rich, boozy stouts and beyond, local producers are serving up all manner of seasonal sippers to cut through the wintry chill of December.
The Bee Boyzz Winery & Meadery Winter Cranberry (Oak Bluff — $3.88/355ml can, meadery, Liquor Marts and beyond), for example, is made with local cranberries and honey from the Oak Bluff producer. It’s deep pink in colour and slightly hazy; aromatically it brings deep spice notes (think clove and cinnamon) along with fresh floral honey notes and a more subtle red berry component. It’s light-plus bodied and medium-sweet, with loads of wintery spices that come with those fresh honey notes, while there’s some tartness and a hint of tannin from the cranberries. A fun and festive alternative for those who aren’t crazy about mulled wine. 3/5
The Fort Garry Brewing Co. Dark Neapolitan (Winnipeg — $4.19/473ml can, brewery, Liquor Marts, beer vendors) is a twist on their classic dark English mild ale, infused here with vanilla and strawberry extracts as well as cocoa nibs. It’s dark cola brown in colour with an off-white head, and on the nose brings a chocolate milk note along with roasted malt and dried strawberry components. It’s medium-bodied and off-dry, with almost-jammy strawberry notes flavours front and centre on the palate, with some slightly cloying vanilla and chocolate flavours, underlying dark malt notes and a relatively short finish (at five per cent alcohol). Drink with (or instead of) dessert. 2.5/5
The festive flavours are a little creepier in the One Great City Brewing Co. Krampus Christmas (Winnipeg — $4.29/473ml can, brewery, Liquor Marts, beer vendors). This beer, named after the monstrous Alpine creature, is deep cola brown with an off-white head, and brings aromas of roasted malt, chocolate orange, vanilla bean and modest herbal notes. It’s medium-bodied and just a touch off-dry, with dark chocolate and roasted malt working well with the orange flavours; the bitterness clocks in at 40 IBU but it’s certainly subtle, and the seven per cent alcohol is barely noticeable. Crack one of those orange-shaped chocolates on the kitchen counter, pour yourself a glass and enjoy. 3.5/5
The Good Neighbour Brewing Co. Chocolate Cherry Stout (Winnipeg — $4.60/473ml can, Oxus, One Sixteen, Liquor Marts, beer vendors) is a milk stout with chocolate malt, cocoa nibs, milk sugar and vanilla added into the mash before the whole thing is “conditioned on cherries.” It’s deep cola brown with a beige head, with a Black Forest Cake-like core of baked cherries, chocolate and vanilla that’s enticing. On the medium-plus bodied, chewy palate that surprisingly delicate core of candied/stewed cherries shows well, with depth coming via richer chocolate and vanilla flavours, a nice malty undertone and a relatively modest 6.5 per cent alcohol. It’s like Black Forest Cake in a can — no complaints here. Brewed at Oxus. 4/5
Back for another year is the Trans Canada Brewing Co. 2022 Cranberry Stout (Winnipeg — $10.74/750ml bottle, brewery, Liquor Marts, beer vendors). This year’s version is cola-ish in colour with a medium beige head, offering dark chocolate, roasted malt, a touch of mocha and some subtle cranberry aromas. It’s rich, full-bodied and just a touch off-dry, with the cranberry flavours front and centre, dark malt and chocolate components adding great depth and just a touch of chalky bitterness (it’s 25 IBU) that arrives with the relatively modest seven per cent alcohol. It’s drinking very nicely now, but with the crown cap sealed under wax, you could easily set it aside until next Christmas. Delicious, as always. 4.5/5
Last but absolutely not least, the Barn Hammer Brewing Co. Oubliette Imperial Stout (Winnipeg — $5.08/355ml can, brewery, Liquor Marts, beer vendors) is deep brown-black with a dark beige head — about as dark as dark beers come — while aromatically it offers raisin, dried plum, cocoa, vanilla and some booze-soaked cherry notes. It’s full-bodied, rich and off-dry, with an espresso note that comes with the deep chocolate, roasted malt, resinous hops (it’s a whopping 75 IBU), a hint of white pepper and well-integrated dried fruit flavours before the long, lingering finish (thanks to the gutsy 10.4 per cent alcohol). A complex, warming stout that’s not for the faint of heart — savour this slowly now or set it aside for 2-3 years. 5/5
Twitter: @bensigurdson
Ben Sigurdson
Literary editor, drinks writer
Ben Sigurdson edits the Free Press books section, and also writes about wine, beer and spirits.
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