Winter beers brewed in New England

Winter has a lot of downside — i.e., weather, dry skin, driving in the snow — but one winter perk comes in an ice-cold glass.

Here are some winter-warming beers brewed in New England to try during the cold months.

Coffee Milk Stout

Made by:
Narragansett Brewing Co.

Location: Providence

Alcohol by volume: 5.3%

Narragansett Brewing has collaborated with another Rhode Island company, Autocrat Coffee, to create a rich and dark milk stout. With the flavors of roasted barley, chocolate malt, and milk sugar, it is a blend of bittersweet tastes. Narragansett and Autocrat call this beer “more Rhode Island than Roger Williams himself.’’

It will be available beginning Dec. 16 in six-packs of 16-ounce cans.

Fisherman’s Navigator

Made by:
Cape Ann Brewing Co.

Location: Gloucester

Alcohol by volume: 7%

The Fisherman’s Navigator is a dopple-bock German lager with low-hop character, a slight sweetness and a biscuit-like flavor. While staying true to the tradition of the bock beer, this one is unlike any other bock brew made especially for winter.

It is available in 12 ounce bottles and on draft until April.

Big Man IPA

Made by:
Cambridge Brewing Co.

Location: Cambridge

Alcohol by volume: 6.8%

Cambridge Brewing is known for its IPAs, and the Big Man is no different. It is “aggressively hopped and dry-hopped.’’ A fruity and citrus flavor combines with malty toast and caramel notes for a deep copper-colored beer.

It is available in 22-ounce bottles throughout Massachusetts.

Red God

Made by:
Cambridge Brewing Co.

Location: Cambridge

Alcohol by volume: 9%

CBC calls this brew a “hop monster.’’ Every subsequent batch increased the malt and hop content to yield a 9 percent ABV beer. It features five different hop varieties to create an herbal, spicy, and citrus flavor.

It is available in 22-ounce bottles.

Applehead

Made by:
Shipyard Brewing Co.

Location: Portland, Maine

Alcohol by volume: 4.5%

This wheat ale is light and crisp with an apple aroma and hints of cinnamon. For those considering making the switch to cider, as many drinkers are these days, this is a good stepping stone between the beer and cider worlds.

It is available 12- and 22-ounce bottles and in keg form through February.

Mint Chocolate Stout

Made by:
Shipyard Brewing Co.

Location: Portland, Maine

Alcohol by volume: 9%

This is Shipyard’s newest beer, an experiment in bringing the comfort of holiday treats to a brew. It is a silky beer with chocolate and coffee flavors and a spearmint finish. It is best enjoyed at precisely 55 degrees.

It is available in 22-ounce bottles and keg form.

Snowbound

Made by:
The Tap Brewing Co.

Location: Haverhill

Alcohol by volume: 8%

This is an English old ale brewed with English malts and UK hops. It has undertones of raisins and red wine with hints of chocolate. Its sweet maltiness and mild roasted flavors are the most noticeable profiles in the beer.

It is available in 22-ounce bottles and on draft starting mid-December.

Swanny Boy

Made by:
The Tap Brewing Co.

Location: Haverhill

Alcohol by volume: 5.2%

This English porter is brewed with maple syrup from Ben’s Sugar Shack in Temple, N.H. It is a slightly sweet, medium-bodied, and well-balanced brew.

It is available in 22-ounce bottles and on draft beginning mid-January.

Yankee Swap

Made by:
Slumbrew

Location: Somerville

Alcohol by volume: 12%

This unique English ale is a new approach to the traditional winter warmer beer. It is brewed with maple syrup and aged inside oak rum barrels from Turkey Shore Distilleries in Ipswich. The rum notes combine with a 12 percent ABV for a truly warming and subtly sweet beer.

It is available in 22 ounce bottles and draught.

Durty Mud Season Hoppy Brown Ale

Made by:
Smuttynose Brewing Co.

Location: Portsmouth, N.H.

Alcohol by volume: 8%

This beer is traditionally meant for the spring thaw season, but combines the flavors of a hoppy IPA and the caramel flavors of a brown ale, making it appropriate for cold winter nights. Its light body still works in the transition from winter to spring.

It is available January through March in 12-ounce bottles and on draft.

Imperial Stout

Made by:
Smuttynose Brewing Co.

Location: Portsmouth, N.H.

Alcohol by volume: 9.4%

This stout follows the Imperial model with its rich, heavy body, and ability to age well. The taste is a malty sweetness with aggressive hops and notes of dried fruit and roasted malt.

It is available in 22-ounce bottles and kegs.

Smuttynose Winter Ale

Made by:
Smuttynose Brewing Co.

Location: Portsmouth, N.H.

Alcohol by volume: 6%

This ale is an amber beer brewed with Trappist ale yeast. It has a fruity aroma and flavor resulting from the hops with a warm and mellow complex.

It is available through December in 12-ounce bottles and on draft.

Ipswich Winter Mix

Made by:
Ipswich Ale Brewery

Location: Ipswich

Alcohol by volume: Pale Ale: 5.6%, Winter Ale: 6.2%, Rye Porter: 6.3%

The winter pack from Ipswich Ale Brewery comes with four bottles of each beer. The Original Pale Ale is a medium-bodied, English style pale ale with a slight hopiness and malty flavor. The Winter Ale is a malt ale with hints of fig and chocolate. The Rye Porter is a spicy twist on a traditional porter with a chocolate aroma.

It is available in a 12 pack with 12-ounce bottles.

Our Finest Regards

Made by:
Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project

Location: Somerville

Alcohol by volume: 12.1%

This English brew has been mastered by Pretty Things to feature the barley grain. The barley wine has a fruity aroma, medium body, and a higher alcohol content than most English barley beers.

It is available in 22-ounce bottles and kegs.

Babayaga

Made by:
Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project

Location: Somerville

Alcohol by volume: 7%

There is a myth surrounding this brown ale about an old witch named Babayaga who brewed this recipe. It is made with smoked malt, rosemary, and English and Belgian yeast.

It is available in 22-ounce bottles and kegs.

Imperial Russian Stout

Made by:
Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project

Location: Somerville

Alcohol by volume: 12%

Imperial stouts are known for being malty with high alcohol content. Pretty Things’ version is no exception. This one is made with a special double mashing technique that makes the flavors of malted milk balls, dark chocolate, and coffee richer.

It is available in 22-ounce bottles and kegs.

Dunkelweizen

Made by:
Blue Hills Brewery

Location: Canton

Alcohol by volume: 6.9%

Dunkelweizen is a German dark wheat beer, and the word literally means dark wheat in German. Head brewer Jim O’Neil said its dark color and roasted malt flavors match the weather of the season. It is light bodied and a warming winter brew.

It is available in 22-ounce bottles and on draft through February.

Three Peak Holiday Stout

Made by:
Blue Hills Brewery

Location: Canton

Alcohol by volume: 7.6%

This is Blue Hills’ version of a milk stout. The added lactose adds a creamy mouth. “We also add American smoked oak chips during fermentation for a woody and smoky flavor,’’ said Jim O’Neil, head brewer.

It is available in 22-ounce bottles and on draft through February.

Kind Ryed

Made by: Otter Creek Brewing

Location: Middlebury, Vt.

Alcohol by volume: 6%

This is an American IPA hopped then dry-hopped with a variety of hops. To balance the hops, it has a bold, peppery malt backbone.

It is available in 12-ounce bottles and on tap.

Wolaver’s Alta Gracia Coffee Porter

Made by: Otter Creek Brewing

Location: Middlebury, Vt.

Alcohol by volume: 5%

This porter is a dark and complex beer with flavors of vanilla and coffee from the Vermont Coffee Co.

It is available in 12-ounce bottles and on tap.

Culmination Porter

Made by:
Long Trail Brewing Co.

Location: Bridgewater Corners, Vt.

Alcohol by volume: 9.3%

The Culmination imperial chocolate porter is the newest addition to Long Trail’s Brush and Barrel series, a tradition of limited batch brews with labels designed by local artists. The porter is a rich beer with malty sweetness, bitterness, and dryness. Its biggest notes come from the cacao used in the brewing.

It is available in 22-ounce bottles and kegs.

Hibernator

Made by:
Long Trail Brewing Co.

Location: Bridgewater Corners, Vt.

Alcohol by volume: 5.8%

Long Trail’s Scottish-style ale is robust enough to take a bite out of winter. The barley gives it a hoppy flavor with a hearty finish.

It is available in 12-ounce bottles and kegs.

Winter Lager

Made by:
Samuel Adams

Location: Boston

Alcohol by volume: 5.6%

This is Sam Adams seasonal beer on draft for a reason. It is a darker winter beer with subtle spice notes. It is reminiscent of this time of year with a hearty body and flavor that’s not over-spiced.

It is available in six packs, on draft, and in the Winter Mix variety pack.

Cherry Chocolate Bock

Made by:
Samuel Adams

Location: Boston

Alcohol by volume: 5.8%

Cherry is the base of flavor in this dark bock brew. The aged beer also features coffee and dark chocolate notes, but the cherries really brighten the flavor up , according to Jennifer Glanville, brewery manager. Glanville added it is great served with dessert.

It is available in the Winter Mix variety pack.

Juniper IPA

Made by:
Samuel Adams

Location: Boston

Alcohol by volume: 5.8%

After years of working with juniper berries and trying to create an original IPA, Sam Adams combined the two for an earthy and floral IPA. “There is a bright citrus note from the juniper and the typical intensity from the hops,’’ said Jennifer Glanville, brewery manager.

It is available in the Winter Mix variety pack.

Old Fezziwig Ale

Made by:
Samuel Adams

Location: Boston

Alcohol by volume: 5.9%

This beer, exclusive to the Winter Mix variety pack, is a spicier version of the winter warmer. The brown ale has intense flavors showcased in its lighter body. Brewery manager Jennifer Glanville recommends serving it as a mulled beer in the cold months or during the holiday season.

Available in bottles in the variety pack.

White Christmas

Made by:
Samuel Adams

Location: Boston

Alcohol by volume: 5.8%

For those who want the season’s flavors in a lighter beer, White Christmas is the alternative to the many heavy, dark beers out this time of year. White Christmas adds flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg to a white ale for a crisp finish.

It is available in six packs and the Winter Mix variety pack.

Merry Maker

Made by:
Samuel Adams

Location: Boston

Alcohol by volume: 9%

This gingerbread stout came about when the brewers at Sam Adams wanted to take the flavors of a gingerbread cookie into a beer that wasn’t too sweet or too spicy, said Jennifer Glanville, brewery manager. The roasted barley, malts, English hops, and subtle ginger flavor brings a warmness to the beer.

It is available in 22-ounce bottles.

Winter Oatmeal Stout

Made by:
Mayflower Brewing Co.

Location: Plymouth

Alcohol by volume: 5.4%

Made with three types of oats and mixed with dark barley malt, Mayflower Brewing’s Oatmeal Stout is sweeter than a traditional stout, but still has a creamy body.

It is available in bottles and on draft through February.

Chocolate Stout

Made by:
Harpoon Brewery

Location: Boston

Alcohol by volume: 5.9%

This is a black beer with a creamy head made with seven malts. The malts combine with the chocolate notes for a sweet and roasted flavor.

It is available in bottles and on draft.

Winter Warmer

Made by:
Harpoon Brewery

Location: Boston

Alcohol by volume: 5.9%

The Winter Warmer is made with cinnamon and nutmeg with a medium body. “The malt blends nicely with the spices for a nice sweetness,’’ said Sean Cornelius, head brewer.

It is available in bottles and on draft.

The Long Thaw White IPA

Made by:
Harpoon Brewery

Location: Boston

Alcohol by volume: 6.2%

For those waiting for winter to end and those who cherish the cozy winter months, Harpoon offers a beer for the months in between. The Long Thaw is a mix of a Belgian white and a hoppy American IPA. It is made with orange peel and coriander for a spicy and sweet combination. “This is a very clean and refreshing beer,’’ said Sean Cornelius, head brewer.

It is available in bottles, cans, and on draft.

Midnight Rider Colonial Porter

Made by:
Battle Road Brewing Co.

Location: Ipswich

Alcohol by volume: 5.5%

This porter pays homage to Paul Revere’s claim to fame by using his moniker and ingredients used in the American colonies, such as molasses, maize, cherry wood-kilned malt, and an 18th-century yeast.

Winter Porter

Made by:
Newport Storm

Location: Newport, R.I.

Alcohol by volume: 6.1%

Although this porter uses hops, the crystal malts and dark chocolate used in brewing are the star flavors of the brew. It is traditionally rich and dark to be a warming and hearty beer.

Annual Release ’13

Made by:
Newport Storm

Location: Newport, R.I.

Alcohol by volume: 12%

Every year, Newport Storm releases a custom brew with no set formula. This year’s is heavy on the coffee flavor, extracted from beans roasted locally. The dry-hops and aging from rum barrels adds a vanilla and spice finish to the dark beer.

G-Thing!

Made by:
Magic Hat Brewing Co.

Location: Burlington, Vt.

Alcohol by volume: 5.7%

This spiced ginger ale is made with chocolate and caramel malts, ginger juice, and cinnamon.

It is available exclusively in the variety pack through January.

Heart of Darkness

Made by:
Magic Hat Brewing Co.

Location: Burlington, Vt.

Alcohol by volume: 5.7%

Heart of Darkness is a dark stout with under notes of bittersweet chocolate.

It is available in six packs, 12 packs, in the variety pack, and on draft through January.

Encore

Made by:
Magic Hat Brewing Co.

Location: Burlington, Vt.

Alcohol by volume: 6.4%

This American IPA is a combination of American wheat beer and India Pale Ale. It has a pleasant grapefruit aroma and a sweet malty backbone.

It is available in six packs, the variety pack, and on draft through January.