Winter Warmers

The chill winds of fall are blowing along the Bay Shore, the geese are flying south in formation, the Stripers are back in the bay, the election rhetoric has reached a fever pitch and its time to for a warmer wardrobe. For beer aficionados this can only mean one thing – It is time to break out the maltier, higher gravity beers to ward off the chill bay shore winds. No need to abandon the front porch, just break out the barn jacket and a snifter of the strong brews mentioned below:

Going from lightest to darkest my Fall- Winter lineup is as follows:

Wheat Wine

A newer style just coming into it’s own can also be described as a strong wheat ale. Wheat Wines contain a large portion of wheat malts, often upwards of 50%. The wheat provides a softer mouth feel. The Wheat Wines that I have sampled have been a hazy pale yellow, with a rocky head, with a floral nose and a dry-hop finish. Smutty Nose’s Wheat Wine is available on local shelves in a 22 ounce bottle. At 11% Alcohol by volume this is a perfect size for sharing.

Tripel

This Belgian Style takes its name from part of the brewing process, in which the brewers use up to three times the amount of barley malt than a standard “Single Ale”. Traditionally, Tripels are clear bright yellow or gold in color. The head tends to be big, dense and creamy. Aroma and flavor is complex, spicy, with fruity ale yeast evident, along with a sweet finish. The style’s sweetness comes from both the malts used and the higher alcohol. Tripels tend to be heavily hopped to offset the alcohol aroma and the sweet malt palate. The lighter body comes from the use of Belgian candy sugar in the fermentation tank, which not only lightens the body, but also adds alcoholic aroma and flavors. Small amounts of spices are sometimes added as well.

Some North East craft breweries include a Tripel in their regular line-up including Allagash (Maine) and Weyerbacher (Pennsylvania). Chimay (White Label) is a fine imported example that is available in most good outlets.

A Similar Style to the Triple is a Belgian Strong Pale Ale. Heavyweight Brewing in Ocean Township makes a brew called “Lunacy “at nearly 8% alcohol by volume it will warm you and sustain you during the long nights of the waning year. Broueri Moortgat’s “Duvel” falls under this style.

Barley Wine

Despite its name, a Barley Wine is very much a beer, albeit a very strong and often intense beer. It is among the strongest of the beer styles. Fruity, rich and sometimes sweet, sometimes dry, a Barley Wine is always alcoholic. A brew of this strength and complexity can be a challenge to the uninitiated palate. Expect colors ranging from amber to deep brown with an aroma ranging from dark dried fruits (dates, figs currants), to spicy and floral hops. Body is typically thick, alcohol will definitely be perceived in the nose and palate, and flavors can range from fruity and sweet to highly hopped.

English varieties are quite different from the American efforts, the American versions are more intensely hopped, usually with West Coast hops (Cascades, Willamette, etc.). English versions tend to be more balanced, with slightly lower alcohol content, though this is not always the case.

Most Barley Wines can be cellared for years and will mellow and improve with age. Consider trying “Monster” by Brooklyn Brewing, “Old Horizontal” (affectionately known as “Old Ho”) by Victory Brewing or Sierra Nevada’s “Bigfoot”. Buy a sixer of each and enjoy one bottle now and cellar the rest in a cool dry space.

Wee Heavy (Scotch Ale)

In 19th century Scotland, these brews would also be known as a “160 Shilling”, a name derived from the now obsolete shilling currency. Tax was levied on the Original Gravity of the Brew, The higher the Original Gravity the higher the tax. Scotch Ales traditionally go through a long boil in the kettle for a caramelization of the wort. This produces a deep copper to brown in colored brew and subtle caramel and toffee undertones. Compared to 60 and 90 Shilling Scottish Ales, a Wee Heavy will be sweeter and fuller-bodied, and of course higher in alcohol, with a much more pronounced caramel and roasted malt flavor. To add to the complexity and offset some of the sweetness a portion of the malts used may be smoked over turf (peat) as are the malts used in Scots Whisky. For an added flourish you can serve this brew in a “Thistle” shaped glass. This glass style will pay homage to the Scottish National Flower as well as concentrate the rich aroma of this fine restorative elixir.

I recommend “Robert the Bruce” (9% ABV) by Three Floyd’s Brewing as a fine domestic example of this style. Sam Adam’s makes a decent Scotch Ale, though at 5.4% ABV it is hardly a Wee Heavy. On the import side Orkney Brewing’s “Skull Splitter” (8.5% ABV) will take the bite out of the fiercest Northeast Wind off the Raritan Bay. (The scary looking Viking on the Label is all the warning you need mate.)

Doppelbock

Stylistically speaking Double Bock or Doppelbock (also Weizenbock) are huge beers with enough malt packed in them to consider them a meal in its self. Generally these beers have a full-bodied malty profile with a creamy tan head and darker coloration than “single” bocks with a much higher level of alcohol as well. They range in color from dark amber to nearly black. Dark versions may have slight chocolate or roasted characters. For more information you can read my earlier column on this style. ( Ahhh Bock ). For two excellent examples try Sam Adams Double Bock or Paulaner’s Salvator.

Imperial Stout

Created by English brewers back in the 1800’s to win over the Russian Czar, this is the king of stouts, boasting high alcohol by volume and plenty of malty character. An Imperial Stout unlike its Nitrogen Carbonated cousins has a low to moderate level of carbonation with huge roasted, chocolate and burnt malt flavors. An Imperial Stout will have a palate with hints of rich, dark fruit and alcohol quite evident. Hop character varies from balanced to aggressive. This style inspired the Baltic Porters of Sweden and Lithuania.

Enjoy these beers with care.