The Beer Critic

The last few leaves have finally fallen, the temperature has dropped to just above freezing, the mall is teaming with stressed out shoppers, this must only mean one thing…IT’S WINTER BEER TIME! That’s right boys and girls the time of year that all beer lovers wait for with bated breathe is finally upon us.

Thankfully winter beers have changed quite a bit from the time of our parents. Winter seasonals now come in two major categories; Christmas beers and winter warmers. Christmas beers are the more unique of the two seasonal styles. They are more malty and contain a myriad of fruits and holiday spices. There are no rules in place for Christmas beer recipes so each brewery develops it’s own very unique offering. So unique that most brewers change the recipe every year. Winter warmers on the other hand are more defined. They mainly stick to the four traditional ingredients – water, yeast, malt and hops. Even though there is less spice variety in these beers the flavor is anything but lacking. Winter warmers are usually more hoppy and higher in alcohol (must be to give you that “warming” feeling). Winter warmers are the most popular style beer during winter due to fact that most breweries produce some form of a winter warmer.

So if all this talk about spices, pies, hops and malts has perked your taste buds then you are in luck. I have put together our top five favorite winter time offerings.

In no particular order:

1. Abita Christmas Ale 2009 – This is a perfect example of Christmas beer. The recipe changes each winter so every year the flavor is a little different. The flavor is chock full of Christmas spices. Definitely one of our favorites.

2. Samuel Adams Winter Lager – Very popular main-stream winter warmer. Flavors are mild yet spicy enough to keep you warm on those frigid nights. Great session style winter warmer.

3. Anchor Steam Christmas Ale 2009 – Great representation of a Christmas style beer. Everything about this beer says holiday season. Spicy, hoppy, sweet…this beer has it all.

4. Winterhook Winter Ale 2009 – Winter warmer from Redhook that delivers on all fronts. Crisp, hoppy and easy to drink this beer is a great selection for your winter parties. Guaranteed to warm everyone up.

5. Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig Ale - The boys over at the Boston Beer Co. have made an incredible winter warmer. This beer has more of a malt profile then hops giving it a sweeter, more full bodied taste. Hard to find and easy to drink make this a coveted beer.

Of all the seasonal beers available throughout the year winter beers are the most anticipated. Why, you may ask? I don’t know, maybe it is the unique warming nature of winter seasonals or maybe it’s the complex spicy flavors that remind you of Christmas dinner. Whatever the reasons these limited craft brews are some of the best beers available. So take a break from shoveling snow or wrapping presents and treat yourself to a little holiday cheer in the form of a delicious craft winter beer.

Happy Holidays from all of us at The Beer Critic!

It’s that time of year again people. That season where the weather is shifting towards winter and the smell of fireplaces are filling the crisp air. The time in which people gather together to sing,  drink beer and consume large quantities of sausages and pretzels. Yes people, I am talking about OKTOBERFEST! No other celebration in beer culture  is more anticipated.

Chances are while most of us have enjoyed many years of the Oktoberfest festivities very few of us actually know the reason behind the celebration.

History of Oktoberfest –

The Oktoberfest tradition started in 1810 to celebrate the October 12th marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to the Saxon-Hildburghausen Princess Therese. The citizens of Munich were invited to join in the festivities which were held over five days on the fields in front of the city gates. The main event of the original Oktoberfest was a horse race.

Anniversary celebrations were held annually thereafter that eventually became larger and more elaborate. An agricultural show was added during the second year. In 1818, a carousel and two swings were set up for the revelers. Such amusements were few in the first decades of the festival, but party-goers were amply entertained by the tree climbing competitions, wheel barrow and sack races, mush eating contests, barrel rolling races, and goose chases. By 1870s, mechanical rides were an expanding feature of the festival and in 1908, the festival boasted Germany’s first roller coaster. When the city began allowing beer on the fairgrounds, makeshift beer stands began cropping up, and their number increased steadily until they were eventually replaced by beer halls in 1896. The beer halls, like the beer tents of today, were sponsored by the local breweries.

The festival was eventually prolonged and moved ahead to September to allow for better weather conditions. Today, the last day of the festival is the first Sunday in October. In 2006, the Oktoberfest extended two extra days because the first Tuesday, October 3, was a national holiday. Over the past 200 years, Oktoberfest was canceled 24 times due to cholera epidemics and war.

Modern Day Oktoberfest

Today, the Oktoberfest in Munich is the largest festival in the world, with an international flavor characteristic of the 20th century. The modern celebration has replaced the small tents with giant brewery-sponsored beer halls that can hold up to 5,000 people apiece. The party has also grown in length, to become a 16-day extravaganza ending the first Sunday in October. The festival opens with a grand parade of the Oktoberfest “landlords” and breweries, and features traditional dancers and costumed performers, the Riflemen’s Procession, music…and, most definitely, beer!

Oktoberfest beer

Oktoberfest beer is of a variety called Märzen. Darker and stronger than traditional beer, Märzen contains up to 6% alcohol, is bottom-fermented, and is lagered for at least 30 days. Before the advent of modern refrigeration techniques, this type of beer was brewed in March (as its name suggests) and allowed to age through the summer, so that it was ready to drink by late summer or early fall. Like all German beer, the Oktoberfest beer is brewed according to strict German standards (called the Reinheitsgebot and in effect since 1516) that precisely define the four ingredients allowed in the brewing of beer: barley, hops, malt, and yeast.

Just 6 Munich breweries – Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, and Spaten – are permitted to serve beer at the festival. 14 larger and several smaller beer tents and beer gardens provide enough seating for 98,000 visitors at a time. Beer is served by the Maß, a one-liter mug, and costs about 8 euros. Beer maids and waiters must be able to carry 10 of these beer-filled mugs at a time.

*Some information provided by Wikipedia and Destination360

Once and a while you come across a brewery that seems to have beer brewing down to a science. Chimay is one of these companies.

History – The Chimay Brewery (“Bières de Chimay”) is a Belgian brewery founded inside Scourmont Abbey, in the Belgian municipality of Chimay in 1862. The brewery produces three widely distributed ales and a patersbier exclusively for the monks; they are known as Trappist beers because they are made in a Trappist monastery. The brewing plant was updated in 1988, and now produces 120,000 hectolitres annually (over 3 million gallons!).

The Beers: Ok enough with the history lesson, on with the beer! This trio of goodness comes in three outstanding concoctions -

• Chimay Rouge (Red), 7% abv. In the 75 cl bottle, it is known as Première. It is a dark brown colour and has a sweet, fruity aroma. The malt in this beer has a nutty character that goes well with the hints of pepper from the house yeast.
• Chimay Bleue (Blue), 9% abv darker ale. In the 75 cl bottle, it is known as Grande Réserve. This copper-brown beer has a creamy head and a slightly bitter taste. Considered to be the “classic” Chimay ale, it exhibits a considerable depth of fruity, peppery character. The taste continues to evolve and develop with a few years of age, and is extremely popular with the Belgian population.
• Chimay Blanche (White…and our favorite), or Chimay Triple, 8% abv golden tripel. In the 75 cl bottle, it is known as Cinq Cents. This crisp beer bears a light orange colour, and is the most hopped and dryest of the three.

Interesting side note about these beers is they actually are ok to age. Many beers do not age very well but Chimay states that you can age the White and Red for up to 5 years and the Blue for up 15. Now that is a long time to wait for a beer!

While all three of these specially crafted Belgian beers are very good the White (Triple) is simply fantastic. While it follows in the tradition of other Belgian triples this one stands out due to it’s unique hoppy character and easy (sometimes too easy, $$) drinkability. The Bleue (blue) was our second favorite as it’s the classic Belgian Ale with tons of flavor and quality.

Where to find: Luckily over the past few years good beer is getting easier and easier to find. We have found bombers of Chimay at our local supermarket. But we warn you ahead of time…this beer is not cheap.

We hope you get to try this beer and experience what real Belgian beer made by beer loving monks since 1876.

Cheers!
Some information provided by Wikipedia