Admittedly, it’s a funny thing about winter beers. There’s a reason beer sells like mad all summer long; it makes for ideal cold refreshment when the mercury’s high. But when temps dip, brewers bust out “winter warmers,” or beers that are typically brewed to higher gravities, meaning punchier in the alcohol by volume (ABV) department so as to fight off Jack Frost. The biggest bummer is that we don’t get to enjoy them en masse at Pioneer Square, for the second pandemic year running, as the joyous Holiday Ale Fest isn’t slated to return until 2022.
Christmas beers have been around since before Christmas. For millennia, agrarians celebrated the winter solstice by brewing beers made heavier with extra grains, as well as fruits and spices. From the Romans gorging themselves on strong brews during Saturnalia to the Vikings drinking themselves blotto during Yule, humans throughout history took their winter intoxication seriously, so as to commune with deities and supernatural spirits. And since nowhere else is as spirited as Portland, it’s time to dive into some of Oregon’s wintry traditions and some new twists as well.
Winter warmers are hardly an Oregon thing, though we do it with a broader range than possibly anywhere else. Given that Santa manages to coast around the world in a single night, he’d be well served going to bottle shops and picking up Britain’s Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome, generously robed in malts connoting sticky pudding. In Austria, Samichlaus is brewed once a year and spends a full calendar maturing. Let’s not forget the Belgians, who offer various Noel beers such as d’Achouffe’s N’ice Chouffe and Dubuisson’s Scaldis Prestige. Taking cues from their European brethren, where Christmas markets abound and glühwein (warm, mulled wine) is commonplace but glühbier can also be found, Portland’s Cascade Brewing offers warmed, sweetened, spiced versions of Baked Apple Sour (“Mulled Apple Sour”), and the beer by which calendars are measured—Glueh Kriek. Alas, those are only served at Cascade Barrel House and require some preparation for enjoyment at home. So, for those on Santa’s high-key nice list, here are five local beers that make good gifts, festive dinner companions, or gifts to thyself.
Brrr
Brewery: Widmer
Style: Hoppy Red Ale
ABV: 7.2%
This year marks the 15th anniversary of Widmer Brrr, the Northwest-style red ale. By calling itself a hoppy red versus a red IPA, they’re letting us know the emphasis is still more malt-forward than those three magical letters would’ve implied. Yes, it abounds with hops, chiefly Widmer’s signature blend called Alchemy and mega-OG American hop icon Cascade, so the beer packs plenty of citrus character. Coupled with the caramel malts and a bit of astringency from dark chocolate malts, the resulting beer smacks of that delicious brûléed rosemary grapefruit at The Hazel Room for a taste of how the Best Coast does Xmas.