Warm Up To Winter Warmers

As the nights grow longer and colder, I find myself wanting to snuggle up with something warm and handsome.

Well, yeah, my husband, too. But I was thinking more along the likes of a nice winter warmer.

For centuries, brewers have created these special beers to celebrate the winter season and the holidays. Complex in aroma and flavor, and often higher than alcohol than most beers available year-round, winter warmers are perfect for cuddling with on a cold winter night -- or to serve to special guests and family during this festive season.

Just like those special goodies that come out only once a year for the holidays, winter warmers are highly anticipated among fans. And just like any good cook, brewers enjoy showing off a little when they create their special winter beers each year.

A winter warmers isn't so much a beer style as it is of a loosely framed category. Unlike pale ales, porters or stouts, for instance, winter warmers don't have to meet specific guidelines for color and flavor, so brewers are allowed to experiment, often adding fruit and spices like orange peel, cinnamon, clove, coriander and cranberries. Some brewers even add spruce tips. Actually, it's not as crazy as it sounds. Spruce tips often were used in beer in the time of sea travel because it is a source of vitamin C, which could help shipmates combat scurvy. And a little extra C never hurt anybody during the cold and flu season!

At the holiday table, winter warmers can be just as lovely to look at and delightful to taste as a premium wine. Ranging in hue from bright amber to deep garnet to opaque black, winter warmers poured into pretty glasses or goblets can hold their own at the finest of dinner tables, and pair nicely with hearty special meals that often accompany the holidays.

Many beer lovers also seem to enjoy a winter warmer after dinner, like a liqueur or a glass of port. In fact, a number of winter warmers possess chocolate, coffee or fruity notes that easily accompany many holiday desserts. Some of us even prefer our winter warmers for dessert.

Because they often are higher in alcohol content than most beers, winter warmers can benefit from "laying down" in a cellar or basement for future enjoyment, just like a fine wine. As the beer ages, it takes on different flavors, often smoothing some flavors and even drawing out others. Some beer fans like to store away bottles of several different years' versions of the same winter warmer to enjoy in a "vertical tasting," or a sampling of each years' bottling in one sitting. Some breweries make their winter warmers just a little different each year just so people can enjoy the subtle nuances in each brew during such tastings.

Now's the time to start searching for local, regional or imported winter warmers; the season usually runs from about Halloween until sometime in January. But hurry! Like everything else that's special about the holidays, winter warmers disappear far too quickly.

Lisa Morrison's award-winning column, Liquid Solutions, can be found here every other Thursday. You can reach Lisa at lisa@ibsys.com.