Some slow-sippin’ brews for cold winter nights

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/12/2023 (978 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

My plan for this weekend’s Uncorked was to do a sparkling wine roundup so folks could get their New Year’s Eve shopping done and dusted before Liquor Marts and private wine stores are flooded with fizz-seekers.

That plan, however, was undone by a nasty respiratory bug I picked up on the way back from Barbados, which knocked me out for a full eight days. I’m just back in action now, and will dive into all the proseccos, cavas, frizzantes and other bubbly wines that I can over the next week.

For now, here are a half-dozen local brews for cool-weather sipping. Watch this space next week for all your festive fizz needs.

Barn Hammer Brewing Co. Whiskey Amaretto Sour (Winnipeg — $5.25/473ml cans, brewery, Liquor Marts, beer vendors)

Pale gold in and hazy in appearance, this sour has been infused with bourbon-soaked lemon zest and amaretto-soaked cherries. The lemon and cherry come through aromatically along with a slightly boozy, almost-sweet note reminiscent of an amaretto sour.

It’s light-bodied, off-dry and slightly creamy, with the booze-soaked citrus/cherry flavours definitely bringing an amaretto sour-like flavour profile with little in the way of any mouth-puckering sourness. The 4.6 per cent alcohol is modest and unobtrusive. 3/5

Half Pints Brewing Co. Winter Solstice IPA (Winnipeg — $4.69/473ml cans, brewery, Liquor Marts, beer vendors)

Medium straw colour and slightly hazy in appearance, aromatically this IPA brings resinous hops, hints of corn and slightly muted malt and biscuit notes.

It’s light-plus bodied and dry, with lean citrus zest and lacquer notes coming with secondary cracked malt, corn and herbal flavours, a crisp bitterness and, at 6.5 per cent alcohol, a medium-length finish.

After finding it a touch nondescript, it was noted the production date was February 2023, meaning it’s been around for a while; it’s holding up decently, but could use a refresh. 2.5/5

Devil May Care Brewing Co. Starstuff DDH Eclipse American pale ale (Winnipeg — $24.99/4x473ml cans, brewery, select beer vendors)

This variation on Devil May Care’s flagship Starstuff pale ale has been given a second dose of Australian Eclipse hops; it’s only available in four-packs featuring the original Starstuff as well as two other variants (only 500 four-packs were created).

It’s medium gold in appearance and hazy, with big resinous and herbal hoppy aromas, as well as grapefruit and fresh malt notes. It’s medium-bodied and brings up-front tropical and ripe grapefruit flavours that come with a well-integrated hoppy bite that adds intensity and depth of flavour; the 5.5 per cent alcohol, meanwhile, makes for a nice medium-length finish. Excellent stuff. 4.5/5

Good Neighbour Brewing Co. Auntie Evie’s Christmas Crack Ale (Winnipeg — $4.25/473ml cans, brewery, beer vendors)

Infused with coffee, vanilla, milk sugar, caramel and salt, this festive brew is deep cola-ish in colour and offers aromas of coffee, crackers, vanilla and a touch of caramel — much like the dessert (if you’re not familiar with Christmas crack, look it up).

It’s medium-bodied and creamy, with the coffee, vanilla and caramel offering rich, mouth-coating dessert notes before underlying roasted malt and modest hop notes come through. Drink with or as dessert; 5.4 per cent alcohol. 3.5/5

Bookstore Brewing Co. Flirting With Goth dark ale (Winnipeg — $4.25/473ml cans, brewery [Oxus], Liquor Marts, beer vendors)

This dark ale is brewed with five different types of malt and three different types of yeast; it’s cola-ish in colour and aromatically brings dark roasted malt, toasted oats, dried fruit and resinous hoppy notes on the nose.

A medium-bodied and dry dark ale, the dried fruit and subtle blueberry flavours work well with the roasted malt and mocha notes, while lean hops provide backbone before the modest five per cent finish. Brewed at Oxus. 3.5/5

Obsolete Brewing Co. Cavalry Soldier Imperial Stout (Dauphin — $5.98/473ml cans, brewery, select beer vendors)

The first wave of beer from Dauphin’s Obsolete Brewing Co., which opened this fall, is starting to hit Winnipeg store shelves.

The Cavalry Soldier is deep cola brown in colour and infused with maple; aromatically that maple note comes with deep roasted malt aromas as well as mocha, vanilla, dried fruit and spice.

It’s full-bodied and chewy, with rich dark malt, dried fruit and coffee notes and an earthy undertone — all of which is smoothed out by the maple component. The bite from the hops is moderate, while the very long and warm finish comes courtesy of the 11 per cent alcohol.

For slow sipping on cool evenings. 4/5

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