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Beers While Reading
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Winter Beer
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IPA's and Winter Brews dominate the cold rainy months. Bottled: Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
Anderson Valley HOP OTTIN' IPA
Terminal Gravity IPA
Keg: Ninkasi's Total Domination IPA: quite possibly the perfect IPA
*available in Oregon and keg only*
my imperial stout was my reading/sipping brew. clocked in at 9%--chalk full of coffee and chocolate with hints of dark fruit. Sadly had the last pint the other night--onto something else I suppose.
Bell's Expedition and Hopslam currently.Many a homebrew, too.
I have a chile stout about ready to drink (spiced with chipotle and black pepper) and I have been enjoying some Midas Touch from Dogfish head brewery.
Hopslam is great and so is Heavy Seas Winter Storm after a year of age (although their expiration isn't quite accurate to what it does when it gets older exp: May '07 my eye). Sam Adams Old Fezziwig also ages amazingly well and I enjoy that in the winter months although you have to buy the 12pk just to get 2. The holiday porter is good as well I suppose. Bell's Double Cream and Java from the tap are also quite good.Barleywines are always good in this season. JW Lee's or Thomas Hardy. I have a vertical of Stone Old Guardian in my closet from 2005 on presently, although I still need to find an 07 since they went on to 08 it is getting harder and harder.
Lately I have been going to town on porters and was pleasantly suprised by Southern Tier's 12oz offering. It's no Chokolat, but it is still a great porter.
Mod
1.Pennichuck RIS-aged in whiskey barrels
2.Smuttynose Barelywine
3.Smuttynose Baltic Porter
These are coming home with me since I've got work. I'll just hit on the Magic Hat mixed 12 to get me through the week...
I'd pass on Magic Hat and try the offering from Rock Art instead. Smutty Baltic porter is excellent. The barleywine is a bit sticky and sweet for my tastes. Haven't had the Pennichuck yet, but I hear their barleywine isn't that bad, but at $13.99 a 750mL, there are other things out there that I'd rather purchase first.
YUM have to try that one it sounds wonderful for this (hopefully) last of the snow this year. I'm keeping my fingers crossed anyway. 
Indeed, stouts and porters are great winter reading beers. And whereas I'd ordinarily go for something more exotic like Hitachino Nest Coffee Stout or the Geary's London Porter I bootlegged from Maine, how can I drink anything other than the namesake of the book I'm currently reading by Bill Yenne: Guinness.
I was wondering if anyone still read on this group, I'm glad you're here. That Coffee Stout sounds absolutely fantastic, I don't think I've ever tried anything like it. I usually drink dark beer, and when I'm experimenting I almost always come back to Guinness in the winter. How is the book shaping up?
I tried my first barleywine last night, it was Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot. I've never had such a mouth - feel to my beer before. It blew my mind. I don't have anything to compare it to considering flavor, so any recommendations?
OK, Erika, in order:Hitachino Nest is a beer I've only seen in Cali and NY, but imagine that since it's from Japan, can show up anywhere. i'd hope any good beer store could order it. Fans of white beers (including me) think their White is one of the best.
Guinness: The 250 Year Quest for the Perfect Pint is thoroughly enjoyable. It's like a VIP tour of St. James's Gate led by the brewmaster, with unlimited samples.
As for barlewines, though I haven't had Blithering Idiot (great name), I am not a huge fan of this style. We just had SF Beer Week which includes a humongous barleywine festival (dozens and dozens on tap). If I want sweet, but think barleywine is over the top, I stick with oatmeal stouts and the like. Luckily there are thousands of beers for all of our tastes out there.
Mod
Bell's, Dark Horse, Founders, Kuhnhenn and Three Floyds should be available.
Ever had them? You can't go wrong with Guinness though.
Brian I like white beer, but don't know enough to know a lot about it, thanks for the info though I'll keep my eyes peeled. Blithering Idiot - fantastical name, somewhat (embarrasingly) admittedly why I picked it, but a little sweet. Wondered if that was for all of these sorts of beers, or just this one.BeerDiablo - that's fantastic news! I have never had any of these, but they are now on my list. I'm really not very intelligent when it comes to beer, I just really like it, mostly darker, especially in this winter weather, but I love trying new and different brews and when spring hits I'll need some lighter ones. I would love to try to make one.
I just tried another new (to me) last night: Bluegrass Brewing Company Jefferson Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout. Thumbs up.
Porters fill my reading glass in the winter.
Bottled: Flying Dog's Gonzo Imperial Porter
Keg/Cask: Real Ale's Coffee Porter
*available in TX and keg only*