There’s no wrong beer to drink in the winter — all beer is good — but there are certain styles that people tend to want when the temperature drops.
The general consensus seems to be this: When it’s warm out, the average beer drinker wants something light-bodied, with a lower alcohol by volume (ABV), that pairs well with barbecue; it’s hot outside and you need something refreshing. In the colder months, however, the focus shifts toward more syrupy, malt-forward beers that really pack a wallop on the booziness and come loaded with a potpourri of aromatics. People want a beer they can hunker down with as they stare into a fire while snow falls outside.
Several local breweries shared their favorite winter beers (and ciders) with us, so treat yourself and the ones you love to a few six-packs this holiday. Greater Cincinnati breweries need your support more than ever this season. And you most likely need their beer.
Brink Brewing Co.
5905 Hamilton Ave., College Hill, brinkbrewing.com
Moozie // Milk Stout (5.8% ABV)
If you’ve ever been put off by how acrid some stouts tend to be, Moozie is a great path to conversion for a fledgling stout devotee. “We call Moozie our chocolate milkshake without the straw,” says Andrew McCleese, founder and co-owner of Brink. “It features chocolate and coffee notes and is almost chewy thanks to the addition of lactose and oats.” Creamy and rich, it’s a snack in itself that’ll leave you hungry (actually, thirsty) for more. For the past two years, this brew has also taken home the gold medal in the Sweet Stout or Cream Stout category at the Great American Beer Festival.
Hold the Reins // English Mild (4.5% ABV)
Pleasantly light and quaffable thanks to the low ABV — but with a depth of flavor as robust as its gorgeous coffee hue — Hold the Reins is more an invitation than a demand. Take a sip of this ale and you’ll appreciate how simply beer can achieve excellence when produced intentionally with high-quality ingredients.
Rhinegeist
1910 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, rhinegeist.com
Barrel Aged Ink // Imperial Stout (13% ABV)
Perhaps the closest thing to a magic potion you can drink this winter, Barrel Aged Ink is profoundly revivifying to the spirit. There’s a slight shoyu presence on the nose and with one sip you’ll flash between oak, dark vanilla and stewed stone fruit. This stout is aged one year in barrels selected from New Riff Distilling, making it a perfect gift for the ardent beer localvore.
Snug // Hard Cider (5% ABV)
Like biting into a dish of Southern-style baked apples at the family table, this cider is the perfect accompaniment to any traditional Western holiday dish. Snug is a good bet for those sensitive to gluten who’d still like something crisp and bubbly to toast with at the family table. Seasoned with anise, fennel, cinnamon, clove and black peppercorn, fans of chai lattes will get a kick out of what Snug accomplishes on the palate.
Slangria // Fruited Ale (5% ABV)
Hate the cold reality of winter? Wistful for summer? This is the drink for anyone who’d rather wear sandals than overcoats. Fruity, incredibly crushable and easily indulgeable, Slangria is the kind of ale that you would never suspect of being an ale. While perfectly enjoyable straight from the can, pour Slangria into a clear glass to appreciate its vibrant plum hue.
Wooden Cask Brewing Co.
629 York St., Newport, woodencask.com
Winter Ale // American Strong Ale (7.5% ABV)
“We call it a winter warmer,” says Karen Schiltz, co-founder of Wooden Cask. Loaded with cinnamon and molasses, this dark amber ale is fragrant with baking spice and, if you want to drink all night, a sixer should do you well past fine. As far as ales go, this winter selection should easily make you feel warm inside.
Maple Corruption // Double Barrel Scottish Stout (10% ABV)
With a heavy bourbon presence from the barrel in which it first aged, this dark stout has a short finish and a strong, heady punch in every sip. It’s jet-black with an alluring whiskey aroma and has a slight sweetness, perhaps in part derived from the maple barrel where it enjoyed its secondary aging. If you plan to have this with your pancakes on a lazy Sunday, be sure to sip slowly and eat plenty of breakfast lest the Maple Corruption corrupt your day-drinking and send you to an early bed thanks to its generous alcohol content.
Rebel Mettle
412 Central Ave., Downtown, rebelmettlebrewery.com
Volume // Juniper Schwarzbier (8.5% ABV)
“It’s a strong, slightly herbal and roasty dark lager that pairs well with fireside quaffing,” says Joshua Deitner, director of brewing at the recently opened Rebel Mettle. You wouldn’t know from first sip Volume has a hefty ABV compared to common lagers, which is to say the palate is not overwhelmed by any single component. Juniper berries are prized for their medicinal value across the globe, so Volume is perfect to sip on when you’re not feeling a hundred percent, or whenever, really. Preventative medicine?
All Moussed Up // Chocolate Milk Stout (6.2% ABV)
Seriously smooth, creamy and delectable, this is one of the easiest drinking stouts around. If you’re looking to treat someone who’s ready to venture into the intimidating world of stouts, you’d do well to gift them a growler of All Moussed Up. It’s both rich and robust, but does not taste like it’s got training wheels, something aficionados and novices will both find more than agreeable.
Sonder
8584 Duke Blvd., Mason, sonderbrewing.com
Otto // Double Tiramisu Stout (11% ABV)
Just like a good shot of espresso, Otto slaps you in the face and follows up with a kiss. This is a heavy hitter of a stout — something you need to psych yourself up to face head on — but once it hits your lips, you’ll savor each sip (and, seriously, sip slowly: it’s twice the potency of a common lager). “Hints of creamy chocolate, rich cocoa, and balanced coffee are prevalent when sipping on Otto,” says Danny Herold, director of marketing for Sonder. “Enjoy one as a delicious night cap, drink it as a dessert after dinner, or sip on one to warm you up on a cold night.”
This article appears in The Holiday Issue.