Like there was that one gift you really wanted but didn’t get?
January is the traditional time to take care of unfinished business and make new resolutions. And the first thing you should resolve to do is reward yourself with one of the myriad of holiday ales from local Colorado breweries which you missed.
There are certain special brewing seasons in the beer world, and they kick in gear with Oktoberfest then culminate in the big Winter brews. You may refer to them as Christmas beers or Wassails, but this is when brewmasters go for enough creative gusto to give themselves bragging rights all the way through the summer.
Winter specials tend to be big on everything, especially malt (and therefore alcohol level), hops, and my personal favorite, spices. Cinnamon, coriander, orange peel, even actual chocolate are favorites as the lines to speak with Santa start to build.
Unfortunately, these extra efforts are usually in limited production, due to their costly nature and specialty audience.
All is not lost, though. Now is the time to act!
Due to their high alcohol feature, these wondrous brews have excellent preservation. It’s just a matter of hunting them down.
Here are three treasures from our great state that you should rush out and try to find. After introducing them to a loved one, who knows? Maybe next year you’ll find one in your stocking instead of an indestructible chunk of fruitcake.
1.) Snow Bound Spice Ale from the Lefthand Brewing Company of Longmont, Colorado
This is my personal favorite. It’s a strong ale generally spiced with all natural ingredients, including local clover honey, cinnamon, chopped ginger, orange zest, cardamom, and cloves. Its deep red color looks amazing when held up to a crackling fireplace, and it’s not too heavy to have a second, or third. Alcohol is 8.6% by volume. At only $5.99 a bomber, it’s a late Christmas miracle!
www.lefthandbrewing.com
2.) Frambrozen Raspberry Brown Ale from New Belgium Brewing of Fort Collins, Colorado
Comfort food in a bottle! When you uncap it, the aroma of fresh raspberry makes you forget about long lines and credit card debt. Its crimson color reflects not only the addition of the raspberries, but its delightful malt balance. This smooth ale is also a big hit with the non-beer aficionados. 7% alcohol by volume. Available in six packs.
http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/frambozen
3.) Cocoa Porter Winter Warmer from the Tommyknocker Brewery of Idaho Springs, Colorado
This is the post-roast beast dessert beer. Roasted cocoa beans and honey make this European style porter a perfect complement to a big slice of fudge cake. Well balanced with 5.7% alcohol.
http://www.tommyknocker.com
So stock up on those holiday ales today--or you’ll have to wait another ten months!
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