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With half of the East Coast still buried under mountains of snow, and Arctic temperatures throughout much of the country, we thought it an appropriate time to discuss a much overlooked beer category – the Snow Beer.
Some beers are best understood when the winter winds howl and the snow is powder cold. A true Snow Beer’s greatness can only be grasped when temperatures plummet and lesser men (and women) cower under covers. Snow beers will help you take on a blizzard’s fury. Snow 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 IPA’s either – if you’re thinking about hop menus while battling a bizzard, you risk freezing to death.
Snow Beers -What They Are
At best, a true Snow Beer is fuel – deep dark, rich warming, fuel.
This is where Russian Imperial Stouts rule the earth. This is why Barleywines exist. A great Snow Beer brings new meaning to the term “winter warmer.” A great Snow Beer is momentary furnace blast of high ABV warmth guaranteed to keep you going while others simply give up and crawl back to their buried abodes – defeated and broken.
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 momentary blast of roasty warmness will serve as an essential buffer against the raging cold and help instill an 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 to live in, rather than digging yourself out.
And don’t ever underestimate the dangers of a Snow Beer overdose because they are very real. Even seasoned Snow Beer professionals can fall victim to this siren call – which is why we advise that you always drink with a partner.
(Courtesy Dogfish Head Craft Brewery)
Snow Beers We Like
Stone Imperial 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 Stout is a cold weather classic of Himalayan proportions.
Dogfish Head Affogato World Wide Stout (Milton, DE) – Dogfish Head Craft Brewery is bracing for blizzard conditions with a brand-new variation of its highly sought-after World Wide Stout line that is a homage to the Affogato, a classic Italian dessert. And at 15% ABV it’s fortifying.
AleSmith Speedway Stout (San Diego, CA) – Forged in 1995, AleSmith Brewing has been recognized as one of the world’s foremost craft brewing companies. And their Speedway Stout variations never disappoint. Being a Southern California brewery we’re not sure that that they see their line of award-wining stout as potentially life-saving, but we do. (12% ABV)
