When most think of winter beverages, they think tea, hot chocolate, or hot apple cider. For me winter is known for another slightly stronger beverage: stouts. Summer has lagers and pilsners, winter has stouts, porters, and ales.
The colder months bring out stronger beers with a plethora of wonderful variations.
There is more to the world of stouts than Guinness, the Irish classic. But if you are unfamiliar with stouts Guinness is a great place to start. Guinness boasts the typical characteristics of a stout with a roasted flavour and black colour.
The main complaint about Guinness is that it is bitter, but this is not a problem with the beer but with how it is being served. If Guinness is served on tap it should taste roasted and nutty, with a smooth finish. If it is bitter it is likely that the lines for the taps are not clean. In Ottawa, the Aulde Dubliner and Heart and Crown both pour an excellent Guinness.
If you like Guinness and still want more from the world of stouts why not try a milk stout. Milk stouts have the addition of lactose to make the beer sweeter and have a taste similar to plain yogurt. It may sound disgusting but the beer ends up having a clean and refreshing taste. A good one to try that is always available is Beau’s the Tom Green beer. Additionally you can mix the Tom Green beer into hot chocolate to make a delicious concoction. I tried it at Oktoberfest and can honestly say this was the best hot chocolate I have ever had.
Both of these beers are on the lower range of alcohol content. Imperial stouts are for those who like their stouts to hit them over the head with flavour and alcohol content.
A fine example of this would be Bolshevik Bastard by Nickel Brook Brewing Company. This beer has a smooth, coffee-like taste. For the adventurous, Nickel Brook has released two variations: Kentucky Bastard and Winey Bastard. Nickel Brook gets points for great beer names. Kentucky Bastard is aged in bourbon barrels to give it a sweeter, smoked flavour. The only problem with this beer is that it is rough, and definitely does not go down easy—think young scotch. For those interested in this brew, I would recommend laying it down to age to see if it mellows out. Winey Bastard is aged instead in Pinot Noir barrels.
Probably one of my favourite imperial stouts for both flavour and name would be Sawdust City’s Long Dark Voyage to Uranus. Imagine saying that to your bartender. This beer is a nice match with dark chocolate for it’s bitter qualities. Speaking of chocolate, a nice finish to a day braving the cold would be Flying Monkey’s Chocolate Manifesto. This is not a beer you guzzle but a beer you sip, like you would brandy or whiskey. Think of the best chocolate you’ve ever had—it’s not too sweet, has a clean taste and that rich cocoa flavour. Now put that in beer form.
Instead of reaching for the hot chocolate or tea in these brutally cold times, maybe try a stout to warm the soul.
