Snow Beers – What You Should Be Drinking While Shoveling

With half the East Coast buried under mountains of snow and temperatures throughout the country in single digits, we thought it an appropriate time to discuss a much-overlooked category – Snow Beers.

Some beers are best understood when the winter winds howl and the snow is ice cold. Some beers’ greatness can only be grasped when temperatures plummet and lesser men (and women) cower under covers. Some beers will get you through hours of shoveling into a blizzard’s fury. Some beers are brewed for endurance.

Snow Beers – What They’re Not

They’re not session beers that’s for sure. If you’re looking for refreshment while you’re digging out your compound – try water. They’re not IPAs either – you’re not thinking about hop menus when you’re trying to keep up with a roaring blizzard.

Snow Beers – What They Are

At best, a true snow beer is fuel – deep, dark, rich, and warming fuel. This is where Russian Imperial Stouts walk the earth. This is why Barleywines exist. A great snow beer brings new meaning to the term “winter warmer.” A great snow beer is massive. A great snow beer is a momentary blast furnace of high ABV warmth guaranteed to keep you going while others simply give up and crawl back to their buried abodes, defeated.

How to Drink A Snow Beer

As with any high alcohol beer, one has to be strategic. We suggest a hefty preparatory hit from a winterized tulip snifter just seconds before heading into the cold. That first blast of roasty warmness will serve as an essential buffer against the raging cold and help instill that all-important confidence that you’re actually up to the task at hand.

How Not To Drink A Snow Beer

Moderation is key – snow beers are preventative inoculations that work hand-in-hand with self-control. Staggering around snow drifts is an extremely bad look and should be avoided at all costs. Be on guard against exceeding your snow beer limit as it can sneak up on you and have severe and embarrassing consequences. Signs of snow beer toxicity can include the sudden impulse to make snow angels or an unusual desire to build snow caves rather than digging yourself out.

And don’t ever underestimate the dangers of a snow beer overdose because it is very real. Even seasoned snow beer professionals can fall victim to their siren call, which is why we advise that you always drink with a partner.

Snow Beers We Like That You Might Want To Try

Stone Imperial Russian Stout (San Diego, CA) – Leave it to a leading southern California brewery like Stone to brew the only stout we’d take with us into the Caucasus. Stone’s Imperial Russian is a cold weather classic.

Gigantic Massive (Portland, OR) – Ben Love and Van Havig at Gigantic Brewing have delivered an essential 12% ABV British-style Barleywine that should be on everybody’s snow beer short list; it’s fearless and fortifying.

Anchorage A Deal With The Devil (Anchorage, AK) – Who better to understand the demands of a true snow beer than Anchorage Brewing Company – and their draft/growler-only 17.30% ABV Barleywine is brewed for Arctic conditions.