Geek out at holiday gatherings this year with one of these warming winter stouts. Brewed with fresh herbs, fruits, and spices, these brews are bound to add some sparkle to the holiday season.
Gingerbread Stout - Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Richmond, Virginia
This Virginia-proud stout, brewed with ginger from Casselmonte Farm and wildflower honey from Bearer Farms, won bronze at the 2012 World Beer Cup in the Herb and Spice Beer category. It boasts a spicy ginger and cinnamon aroma, milk chocolate and vanilla flavors, and full-bodied roastiness. It finishes surprisingly dry for 9.2 percent ABV and unexpectedly smooth for a beer of its brawn. Pair it with rich desserts and/or a crackling fireplace.
Vernal Minthe - Ska Brewing
Durango, Colorado
“This beer tastes like a Girl Scout cookie, like a Thin Mint,” says Ska Brewing Cofounder Dave Thibodeau, admitting that it “definitely isn’t for everybody and is definitely a dessert beer.” This sweet milk stout is brewed with real peppermint, spearmint, cocoa nibs, and vanilla beans.
Santa’s Little Helper - Port Brewing
San Marcos, California
Port Brewing’s imperial stout has big dark cocoa and roasted coffee aromatics, crystal malt sweetness, and subtle hoppiness. It was brewed with leftover fruit cake and sugar cookies in mind and packs a cheery punch at 10 percent ABV.
Java Cask - Victory Brewing Co.
Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Coffee lovers should seek out this new release from Victory Brewing that was aged in whiskey barrels and infused with JB’s Coffee beans. At 14.3 percent ABV, Java Cask is the biggest beer that Victory has ever produced. Grab it while you can because it won’t be around for long.
No Joka Mocha Stout - Avondale Brewing Co.
Birmingham, Alabama
Another coffee stout to seek out this season, the No Joka Mocha Stout, isn’t kidding around. This oatmeal stout is packed full of coffee and cocoa that make for fresh roasty aroma and a slightly sweet, dark chocolate flavor. It hits Alabama shelves in bombers seasonally during the winter.
Jingle Java Holiday Stout - Bent River Brewing Co.
Moline, Illinois
Oatmeal stout meets coffee . . . as well as vanilla, pecan, cinnamon, caramel, and rum. This roasty, complex stout is brewed annually at Bent River Brewing just in time for the holidays.
Yule Shoot Your Eye Out - Karbach Brewing Co.
Houston, Texas
This cleverly named 8 percent ABV holiday stout is spiced with fresh ginger, cocoa nibs, orange peel, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon. It’s perfect to reinvigorate you during the colder winter nights.
Oompa Loompa Chocolate Cream Stout - Fat Head’s Brewery
Olmsted, Ohio
Belgian dark chocolate and bourbon-soaked Madagascar vanilla beans are the golden ticket to the smooth balance of this easy-drinking stout. “All other stouts seem dwarfed by comparison,” the brewery says.
Black Chocolate Stout - Brooklyn Brewery
New York, New York
Celebrate the season with a Black Chocolate Stout à la mode. This quintessential winter stout was first brewed by Brooklyn Brewery in 1994. Stash a few away to enjoy in a couple of years to let its strong roasted character transform into a mellowed dark chocolate wave of cocoa and stone fruits.
Six Impossible Things Chocolate Breakfast Stout - Mystery Brewing Co.
Hillsborough, North Carolina
When they created this wintry brew, Mystery Brewing added chocolate and coffee from Joe van Gogh to a traditional breakfast stout recipe to “imitate the kind of decadent meal you might treat yourself to on a dark and frosty winter morning.”