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What makes winter ale wintery? That's a matter of intense debate, especially in Portland, where spiced Christmas ales were long rejected as insufficiently beery beers. Personally, I tend to favor winter beers that aren't just thick and deeply malty, but have actual spices in them—nutmeg, clove and the like—or taste like they do, as with Laurelwood's Vinter Varmer. Who wants to curl up in front of the fireplace with a vaguely piney IPA? Some Portlanders do—or claim to. If you're looking for a happy medium, try Baerlic's new Arctos. The 6-month-old brewery has released a 6.5-percent red ale that has a stocking full of spicy malts and a sticky pine-needle finish from Cascade and Willamette hops. There are no actual spices, but the brewery did add unrefined South American cane sugar, which dries out the brew and adds a nice earthiness. It's as meaty as a stout and has a pretty maroon color. It sure tastes like Christmas to me. Recommended.
WWeek 2015
