Beer Style: Specialty Beer Family
24 Carrot IPA
This beer, by Bev Blackwood, was “dry carroted” and the mouthfeel defined as “crunchy.” In truth, the carrot stick included in the contest bottle picked up a lot of the hop character of the I.P.A. and proved to be quite tasty, as was the beer!
Panther Pee
Homebrewers who attended the 1999 Dixie Cup — The Fred Files — know that “The beer is out there.” Don Sadja relates how he came up with his stupid idea. “I thought: Why not use a great imperial stout recipe as a base and do something stupid like add raspberry flavoring to it.” Apparently not so stupid, as it produced a very drinkable beer!
Piatz’s Basic Lambic
Steve Piatz is a member of the Minnesota Home Brewers Association. Steve breaks down the steps to produce a delicious lambic-styled beer using just malt extracts to make for an easy brew day.
Redhook Ale Brewery’s Winterhook clone
This is a clone of one of the Winterhook Dark Ale batches, but according to their website Winterhook is “Crafted with an evolving mix of malts and hops, each yearly edition of Winterhook is one-of-a-kind.” Check out Redhook’s website for the latest rendition of this beer!
Summit Brewing Co.’s Winter Ale clone
First brewed in 1987, this winter warmer exhibits bready, toasted malt flavors with hints of coffee, caramel, black cherry, cocoa, and a dash of hop spice.
Pyramid Snow Cap Ale clone
This full-bodied winter warmer is brewed in the spirit of British winter ales. Crafted with a flurry of roasted chocolate and caramel malts, and generously hopped, it delivers a smooth finish that makes this beer the perfect cold weather companion. This clone recipe first ran in the July 1998 issue and has been tweaked several times through the years.
Full Sail Brewing Co.’s Wassail clone
This deep mahogany winter warmer is a 13-time gold medal winner. It is available from October through December each year.
Breckenridge Brewery’s Christmas Ale clone
Breckenridge Brewery describes this winter warmer as a beer with extra flavor and strength, with a sturdy texture and rich flavors of caramel and chocolate.
Saint Arnold Christmas Ale clone
“There are no spices in (the Christmas Ale) at all, but I would have sworn there was before I started working here.”
— Saint Arnold Brewing brewmaster, Dave Fougeron
Carolina Beer Co.’s Cottonwood Frostbite clone
“It is a hoppier beer, (but) is very drinkable and heavier for the season.” — head brewer, Nikki Koontz
Big Sky Powder Hound clone
“Powder Hound is traditional in style, but as far as a winter beer, it is still something that could be considered a session beer. In keeping it around six percent ABV, it remains much more drinkable.”
—Matt Long, head brewer at Big Sky Brewing
Harpoon Winter Warmer clone
First brewed by Harpoon in 1988, this beer has become a New England seasonal classic. Cinnamon and nutmeg dominate the aroma. The taste is a rich combination of the holiday spices and the hearty malt backbone. There is a mild sweetness to the finish along with the lingering flavor of the spices.
