Cold, Snowy Weather Inspires Warm, Cozy Thoughts for Local Brewers
Every year, as the warmth of the holiday season wanes, NEPA braces for its long haul toward spring. We pass the time by hitting the slopes, enjoying chilly hikes and dining in cozy igloos. Maybe we’re gathering for the game at our favorite pub, or rounding up the fam for an indoor waterpark getaway. Honestly, now that I think about it, NEPA winters really don’t seem so bad.
In fact, around here, once we get past the shock that first day below 20, we’re basically game for anything. And, it seems like our local craft brewers are on to us. All winter, all along the DiscoverNEPA Brewer’s Loop, there are brew masters toiling diligently over boiling kettles. They’re poring over classic recipes, contemplating new twists on IPAs, barrel-aging porters and stouts and beefin’ up beautiful lagers.
For NEPA’s beer-lovin’ faithful, a new season means new beer. And winter means we’re looking for those rich, full-bodied brews that wrap themselves around our bellies like cozy, soft mink stoles (faux, of course). Luckily, our local craft brewers are up to the challenge.
We made the rounds. We did all the painstaking research. Now it’s time for you to put in the work. Get out there. Warm your bones at a few NEPA brewhouses this season and check out this list of awesome local winter beers.
Field Jacket Liner
American Smoked Porter / ABV: 5.5%
A bold, roasty, and slightly smokey version of the American Porter style. Fermented with a clean American Yeast strain that is complimented by a small addition of smoked malt and a rich roasted flavor. This is sure to keep you warm on a cold winters night, just like a dirty old Field Jacket Liner.
Wanderlust Chocolate Porter
Porter / ABV: 5%
“Beginning with a blend of pale, chocolate, biscuit, and crystal malts and finishing with three pounds of chocolate per barrel, this porter is heaven in a glass. Rich, roasted and sinfully sweet, you’ll find notes of candied plum, raisin, pretzel and, of course, tons of chocolate! This porter is terrific with smoked and roasted meats or soft and creamy cheeses.”
Oatmeal Chocolate Stout
Stout (Brewed with Cocoa) / ABV: 5%
“A full-flavored, rich-bodied, dark ale brewed with oats for a smooth and creamy texture and loaded with chocolate to compliment the dark and roasted malts.”
Winter Warmer
Seasonal Ale / ABV: 5.4%
“Our Winter Warmer is a full-bodied ale with a strong malt backbone and a smooth finish. With hints of cinnamon and ginger in this year’s batch, you’re sure to be feeling warm all winter.”
2022 Bourbon Barrel Aged Belsnicker
Winter Warmer / ABV 11%
“2022 Bourbon Barrel Aged Belsnickler Ale is our Belgian inspired Winter Warmer. Brewed with delicate 2 row, various degrees of caramalt, honey malt, and dark Belgian candy sugar then aged in bourbon barrels. Sweet Sticky Notes of honey covered plums and dates, juicy raisins, and cherries abound.”
Wet Hopped Dunkel Lager
Dunkel Lager / ABV 4.2%
“A single decoction dark lager that was hopped with over 50 pounds of fresh chinook hops in the whirlpool. These hops came from Murphy’s Hop Yard in Effort, PA.”
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Captain Cooper’s Dunkel Lager
Dunkel Lager / ABV: 4.7%
“The Captain’s back with his special batch of lager but this time he swapped out his lightly colored barley for the amber stuff! A classic Munich-style Dunkel lager brewed with a balance of toasted malts and German noble hops to create a light but flavorful drinking experience.”
The Russian Concussion
Russian imperial stout 9.4%
“Roasted dark malts with a jammy, plum/raisin nose and a light body finish. The ABV will keep you warm on these cold winter nights.”
Rasberry Chocolate Imperial Stout
Imperial Stout / ABV: 10+%
“This hardy imperial stout will sure turn up your love sensors. Brewed with chocolate and cacao nibs and fermented with raspberries. This rich stout shouts Will You Be My Valentine?”
Slab Castle
Stout / ABV: 6.4%
“We’ve heard about this place called Slab Castle. History tells us that it was an uptown attraction in Honesdale. It’s hard to find much more than that. What we did find, though, was inspiration for a rich, luxurious stout with dark chocolate and coffee notes that finishes with flavors of cherries and stone fruit.”
Flying Hammers
Hazy IPA with Grape Skins / ABV: 8%
Flying Hammers is a collaboration brew with Three Hammers Winery. We brewed this juicy hazy IPA with fresh Merlot grape skins from Three Hammers then used thiolized yeast to boost the grape skin flavor and aroma. Bursting with tropical fruit flavors from dry hopping with Citra and Mosaic hops.
Christmas Morning 2012
Imperial Stout / ABV: 9.1%
“Remember stouts before we started loading them with pastries and other crazy adjuncts? This stout takes you back to the times on Christmas morning where you’d wake up and crack open a stout out of your favorite seasonal variety pack. Cheers!”
Cherry Kriek
Barrel-Aged Lambic Sour on Cherries / ABV: 6%
“Cherry Kriek began as ShawneeCraft’s house blonde sour ale, Prometheus. After 12 months of aging in stainless tanks, this beer spent the next six months aging in our brand new French oak puncheon – the first ShawneeCraft beer to do so – along with 146 pounds of cherries! This small-batch, fully attenuated and complex Lambic Sour Ale will not last long. Releases: January 12th.”
Stoker’s Christmas Ale — 2022
Winter Warmer / ABV: 6.5%
“Ale brewed with raw orange blossom honey, fresh ginger root, and seasonal spices.
CHRISTMASTIME is full of traditions. At Stoker’s Brewery, our annual tradition is to brew a new and different style of beer each year to celebrate the Christmas holiday season. One that we’ve never brewed before. One we will never brew again. Simply throw caution to the swirling winter winds, believing that something magical is bound to happen.”
Toboggan
Chocolate Doppelbock / ABV 8%
“The perfect end to a winter day, this rich amber lager is brewed with Munich, Crystal and Chocolate Malts, cocoa, finished with Hallertau hops for a malty yet balanced beer.”
Black Diamond Lager
Black Diamond Lager
Schwarzbier / ABV: 5%
“This German-style lager is the perfect way to unwind after a day on the slopes. Dark in color from roasted chocolate malts but light on the tongue like your favorite lagers.”
