liquid assets
WINTER SUDS
From left, Young’s Double Chocolate Stout and North Coast Brewing Company’s
Old Rasputin Imperial Stout. Available at 775 Gastropub in Reno.
Full-bodied beers celebrate the season.
WRITTEN BY MARC TIAR
PHOTO BY JACI GOODMAN
When you think of winter food and drink what do you imagine? Perhaps you dream of warm drinks after playing in the snow, fruitcakes given by wellmeaning relatives, and sweet treats. When cold weather comes, beer lovers’ thoughts turn to warming and spiced treats, too.
Historically, various styles of beer have evolved based on climate, agriculture, and our seasonal appetites. The origin of winter beers lies in a past of pagan holiday celebrations, spiced breads and cakes, and a taste for strong drink during the cold winter months, making people feel warm and celebratory until the spring thaw.
Styles to look for are wassail and winter warmer. The original wassail was a bowl of mulled ale or wine, including a piece of bread –– the original toast to one’s good health. The winter warmer, as you might guess, includes a wide range of higher-alcohol brews to ward off the chill this time of year. These styles continue to be some of the most popular and anticipated beers released each year. The complex and varied flavors, rich mouthfeel, and strength of many winter holiday beers create a special sipping-by-the-fire-after-shoveling-snow appeal that many beer lovers enjoy.
Our local brewers have some great winter offerings as well. Here are a few suggestions:
Great Basin Brewing’s Red Nose Wassail is an annual tradition, with varied spices each year. And a small amount is hand-bottled and signed by the brewmaster as a special release.
Buckbean Brewing Co.’s Very Noddy Lager is an extra-strong version of its regular black lager, available early in the season as a limited-availability release at the brewery.
Silver Peak Restaurant and Brewery’s South Town Holiday Spiced Ale includes local spruce tips in its recipe. And later in the winter you’ll find Big Daddy Hooch, a strong doppelbock, a special après-ski sipper.
To read about local brewers’ favorite winter seasonals and other recommendations, visit Ediblerenotahoe.com.
Marc Tiar is a local librarian and co-owner of EcoReno. He loves to make, read about, discuss, and most importantly, drink fine craft beer whenever possible.
RESOURCES
Greatbasinbrewingco.com
Buckbeanbeer.com
Silverpeakbrewery.com
