New England winter brews

Winter is a time for spices and thick, rich beer — usually. New England brewers have come up with all types of offerings for the upcoming winter, like stouts and chocolate truffle to apple, with hopes that as temperatures drop more drastically than last year, you will reach for a pint, a sip, or a growler to warm up and enjoy. Here are a few local beers to try out when looking for something new during these bitter months.

Samuel Adams White Christmas
Made by: Boston Beer Co.

Location: Boston

Alcohol by volume: 5.8 percent

When brainstorming for an addition to their winter classics variety packs, the brewers at Boston Beer Co. decided to move away from the typical winter-style beers. “We wanted to make a white beer and take some of our favorite spices for the holidays,’’ said Jennifer Glanville, brewing manager in Boston. The White Christmas is like a winterized German pilsner malt, she said. The beer is unfiltered and blended with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and then balanced out with citrusy orange. The beer will be available through December in six-packs and part of the winter classics variety 12-pack.

Shipyard Applehead
Made by: Shipyard Brewing Co.
Location: Portland, Maine

Alcohol by volume: 4.5 percent
Winter is the season of apple pies, and of appleheads? Shipyard is serving up a wheat ale with a kick of apple flavor, as well as some typical holiday spices for this winter brew. Though it was initially released in 2011, the Shipyard Applehead is going to be new to a lot of people now that it will be available throughout the area on draft, in six-packs, and 12-packs. For those who did try it last year, expect more apple flavor and a more balanced flavor profile that includes cinnamon and nutmeg, like you would enjoy in an apple pie, said Tami Kennedy, a spokeswoman for the company.

Big Man I.P.A.
Made by: Cambridge Brewing Company
Location: Cambridge
Alcohol by volume: 6.8 percent
This “winterized I.P.A.’’ has been CBC’s winter seasonal for years. The extra-strong hoppy beer was released on Black Friday and will be available for about two to three months, said Will Meyers, CBC’s brewmaster. And while he said it is extremely hoppy, the beer has a malty flavor with caramely richness to balance it out.’’ It’s perfect as a winter beer because its slightly elevated ABV and malty goodness will steel you against the New England weather, without depriving you of your craving for a good hop fix,’’ he said.

Chocolate Truffle Stout
Made by: Thomas Hooker Brewing Co
.
Location: Bloomfield, Conn.
Alcohol by volume: 7.1 percent
The chocolate truffle stout was made in conjunction with Munson’s Chocolates in Bolton, Conn., with a local proprietary cocoa blend as well as imported cocoa nibs to make it truly chocolatey. “There’s a number of chocolate stouts out there but we wanted to make sure it was really chocolate,’’ said Curt Cameron, president of the brewery. The beer was originally brewed in 2011 but was mostly available in Connecticut, he said. This year, the beer will be rolled out to other markets throughout New England on Dec. 1.

Mayflower Oatmeal Stout
Made by:
Mayflower Brewing Co.

Location:Plymouth
Alcohol by volume: 6 percent
A rich, dark beer, the Mayflower Oatmeal Stout is back again this year. A little sweeter than normal stouts, this rich beer is made with three types of oats and a mix of dark barley malts to create a warm, roasted flavor, said Drew Brosseau, founder and president of the brewery.

American I.P.A.
Made by:
Long Trail Brewing Co.

Location: Bridgewater Corners, Vt.
Alcohol by volume: 6.2 percent
The American I.P.A. is the pilot for Long Trail’s new brown bag series. The beer will only be available on draft and is part of a new movement at Long Trail so they can “conjure up some crazy stuff,’’ said head brewer Dave Hartmann. Though normal I.P.A.’s feature British hops, the brewers wanted to use domestic, which have more “fruity floral citrusy piny notes.’’ But they couldn’t use just any old American hops. After experimenting with quite a few, Hartmann decided on a brand from Washington and Oregon that isn’t too over the top. The American I.P.A. started shipping the first week in November, he said, and will be available well into December.

Smuttynose Winter Ale
Made by: Smuttynose Brewing Co.
Location: Portsmouth, N.H.
Alcohol by volume: 6.25 percent
Smuttynose moved away from the typical spicy flavors that are the norm for winter New England beers and instead highlighted flavors like raisins, plums, molasses, and caramel, said David Yarrington, the director of brewing operations. The brewery used their dark Belgian yeast, which has a dark fruit character in order to help make a rich, dark ale that can be enjoyed throughout the winter rather than just during the holidays.

Ipswich Rye Porter
Made by: Ipswich Ale Brewery
Location: Ipswich
Alcohol by volume: 6 percent
A good match for roasted veggies or caramelized meats, the Ipswich Rye Porter is a roasty, chocolatey beer and was released earlier this month, said James Dorau, operations manager at the brewery. The rye used in this porter helps to add a spicyness to the drink, leaving a nice warming effect during the cold winter months, he said.

Russian Imperial Stout
Made by: Otter Creek Brewing Co.
Location: Middlebury, Vt.
Alcohol by volume: 10.8 percent
The Russian Imperial Stout is a huge roasty, chocolatey beer that brewer Mike Gerhart said is a great beverage to warm up with next to the fire. It is paired well with soft creamy cheeses or rich chocolate desserts and can also be aged. The stout, brewed in 2008 and 2009 before it was put on hold is back by popular demand, he said, and will be available in four-packs and on draft.

Alta Gracia Coffee Porter
Made by: Wollaver’s Fine Organic Ales
Location: Middlebury, Vt.
Alcohol by volume: 5 percent
The Alta Gracia is part of Wollaver’s seasonal lineup. It was made with about 1 pound of local coffee per barrel, and vanilla beans were added into the tank to smooth it out. “It’s a coffee lover’s dream,’’ said brewer Mike Gerhart. It has a “darker, a little heavier body with some coffee in it so it’ll help keep you going.’’ It will be available into January.

Mountain Ale
Made by: The Shed Brewery
Location: Middlebury, Vt.
Alcohol by volume: 7.4 percent
The Shed’s Mountain Ale was a tradition for skiers in Vermont for years. After a day on the slopes they would swing by the brewery in Stowe and enjoy a glass or two. The Mountain Ale was first brewed in 1994 and is an unfiltered, full-flavored English strong ale with caramel and coffee notes with slight roasted finish and plenty of hops.

Heart of Darkness
Made by: Magic Hat Brewing Co.
Location: South Burlington, Vt.
Alcohol by volume: 5.7 percent
The Heart of Darkness from Magic Hat is a throwback that was retired about a decade ago. After several calls to the brewery from thirsty fans, Magic Hat decided to bring it back. The beer is so dark, it’s described as an “inky black’’ color (though it might be better to imagine black coffee instead). “The color comes from the generous use of chocolate malt and roasted barley,’’ said head brewer Justin McCarthy. The beer has a strong up front roasted bitterness, he said, and the chocolate, toasty, caramel flavors play off of that. It will be available around the area in bottles and on draft through January.

El Triunfo
Made by: Harpoon Brewery
Location: Boston and Windsor, Vt.
Alcohol by volume: 6 percent
El Triunfo is one of Harpoon’s 100-barrel series, which includes limited-release brews with the idea that “when they’re gone, they’re gone.’’ This is a coffee porter that brewer Jesse Brenneman said hits that sweet spot — it’s half beer, half coffee flavor. Though normally coffee beers are made into stouts, Brenneman went with a porter, which is a bit trickier to create. “I wanted a good 50-50 balance and I think we nailed it,’’ he said. You can expect flavors of chocolate and caramel in the beer without being overly sweet while the coffee side has adds a hint of roast in the background.

Fisherman’s Navigator
Made by: Cape Ann Brewing Co.
Location: Gloucester
Alcohol by volume: 7 percent
This full-bodied German-style doppelbock has a toasty biscuit-like malt with a subtle sweetness to offset the higher alcohol content. Head brewer Dylan L’Abee-Lindquist said that it is a great beer to age over several years.