Ultimate 6er | Best Beers for a Winter Storm

Mark Elliot
On January 22, 2016

I suppose there is a chance you live under a rock, or a chance that you’ve avoided the plethora of weather apps on your smartphone. Maybe you’ve given up completely on TV meteorologists. But, SURPRISE, it’s winter, and there is going to be snow. (I know. It comes as a shock every year).

Some of you may actually see a lot of snow this weekend; maybe even enough to keep you inside for a day or two. Instead of issuing what meteorologists jokingly call a “French Toast Warning” — that’s when everyone rushes to the store in a panic and pillages the bread, milk and egg aisles — let’s stock up on the real essentials. This is your Ultimate 6er of the best craft beer to drink while you watch the snowflakes pile up outside.

Accumulation White IPA | New Belgium Beer Co.

We can’t be snowed in without snow piling up. Enter Accumulation. This beer is a seasonal special from New Belgium that may just mentally transport you to warmer times on a beach even as the snow is falling. Accumulation has a wheat base with plenty of earthy hops, which serves as a direct counter to the otherwise dark, heavy, malty beers winter is known for. White snow, white IPA — we see what you did there New Belgium.

Winter Welcome Ale | Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery

It’s not officially winter before a good old fashioned snowstorm, so look no further than the Old Brewery, Sam Smith’s, to help you brave the elements. Snowstorms have happened for as long as we’ve had winter, and Sam Smith’s uses an ancient brewing method of fermenting inside stone Yorkshire squares to give this beer its lovely malty full-body character. If there’s snow, there’s got to be cold air, and this winter warmer will help you welcome the blast with open arms.

Snow Blind | Starr Hill

So the snow is falling, and you can take that one of two ways: First, if it’s snowing hard enough, visibility can go down to near zero and you are literally blinded by snow. Second, you may be one of those people who hates snow. In that case, put on the blindfold and pretend it isn’t happening. In either case this beer earned its spot in the ice box. This dopplebock has delicious caramel and toffee notes, along with several hops involved, but an extremely low amount of bitterness. Hopefully you can keep your bitterness level down as the snow continues.

Dangerously Close to Stupid | To Øl

Did the darn meteorologists get it wrong again? Are the neighborhood hooligans jumping into snowbanks with no clothes on? Well it may not be fair to call either of those things completely stupid but it’s certainly dangerously close. This imperial IPA also has a dangerously close to stupid amount of hops added in, which is easily detected, yet surprisingly not completely overpowering, in this hazy orange, well-balanced big beer.

KBS | Founders Brewing Co.

Well, work and school got cancelled so you stayed up way too late. Next thing you know it’s basically morning, so might as well crack open the breakfast beer! This imperial stout is full of coffee notes along with hints of chocolate. And since all good breakfasts come with a side of bourbon, this beer’s aging process lets all those warm, fuzzy, boozy dreams come true.

Winter Meltdown | Dark Star Brewing Co.

At some point, everyone loses their sense of humor about the storm. Maybe you start going a little stir crazy, and have your own personal meltdown. You’ll start wishing that you don’t have to shovel and that the snow would melt away. Enter this glorious strong bitter — which, as a style, is not usually bitter at all — and feel the malty warmth fill your soul. It doesn’t hurt that this beer has the added twist of some Chinese ginger, whose spice helps kick those melting wishes into high gear.