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Photo: Jenene Chesbrough.
When it comes to winter beers, we're often turned off by candy-sweet, overly spiced ales that taste like nutmeg-spiked cough syrup. A seasonal brew should not recall liquefied potpourri or sock us with serious alcohol. In the snowy heart of December, sometimes all we crave is a nice, dark drinkable beer.
The crew behind South Burlington, Vt.'s Magic Hat Brewing Company feels the same way. Since 1994, its brewing magicians have unveiled playful beers such as the unfiltered Circus Boy hefeweizen (made with lemongrass) and Wacko, a summertime refresher brewed with enough beet sugar to turn it Hello Kitty pink.
But for its newest winter seasonal, Magic Hat has turned to the dark side. Howl is a schwarzbier, aka a black lager. The German style melds a lager's drinkability with roasted flavors. It's all the fun of drinking a stout without feeling you've swallowed a lead weight.
"It's a darker, malty beer that matches the weather," says Magic Hat founder Alan Newman, the "conductor of cosmic symphonies."
Fittingly, Howl pours out the color of a coal mine, with a fat head as tan as freshly buffed loafers. The scent is toasted malts with a smidgen of bitter hops and chocolate, heading to a heap of roasted flavor (hey, cocoa and coffee) that's balanced by the crisp finish that urges a second sip.
A drinkable winter beer. Is this an early gift from Santa?
What winter ales put you in a festive mood? Spill some science in the comments section.
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11-30-2009 @5:37PM Jourdan said... This is a truly great seasonal beer. It's exactly what you want after bearing the cold commute home. Magic Hat --outside of the summer seasonal--never fails. Great review!
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12-01-2009 @2:04PM Anibal said... Love anything Magic Hat! Go Vermont!!!
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12-02-2009 @1:09PM BeerGuy said... Very nice I will have to look for that one.
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12-02-2009 @12:30PM Sarah-Jane said... Had this last week with dinner (I believe it was a spicy pumpkin soup). It's excellent. Very drinkable, but heavier and toasty just like a winter beer should be.
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