What kind of beer did the Vikings like? Winter!

There is a popular belief that beer should be drunk only in warm seasons. What can I say, in the heat of summer a mug with amber content and a cap of foam in the shade of, let us say, acacia trees, seems to be coveted. But in many countries there is a long tradition of brewing special winter varieties that reach the shelves on the first days of December and disappear with the first rays of the spring sun. The Anglo-Saxons call this beer

winter warmer

winter warming beer .

The famous Samichlaus as they call Santa Claus in a Swiss dialect of German . This powerful lager with 14% strength is brewed once a year, on December 6,

on St. Nicholas Day the patron saint of brewing, by the way in the New Style, and then aged for 10 months before being bottled. The result of a long process is a dark amber-colored drink with an amazing warming effect. It’s meant to be drunk in small sips, slowly so it doesn’t get too hot.

Many believe that these traditions were started by the Vikings, who brewed beer on the winter solstice. In Denmark everybody still looks forward to J-Day Julebryg Day when the biggest Danish producer of the drink organizes big beer tours through Danish towns and cities offering special Christmas beers.

However, in many countries there is a centuries-old tradition of brewing special winter beers that appear on the shelves in the first days of December and disappear with the first rays of the spring sun. The Anglo-Saxons called this beer a winter warmer.

Many believe that these traditions were started by the Vikings, who brewed beer on the winter solstice. In Denmark everyone still looks forward to J-Day Julebryg Day , when the country’s largest producer of the drink organizes large-scale beer tours through Danish cities, offering a special Christmas beer.

Or the famous Samichlaus as Santa Claus is called in a Swiss dialect of German . This powerful lager with 14% strength is brewed once a year – on December 6, the day of St. Nicholas incidentally, the patron saint of brewing according to the New Style, and then aged for 10 months before bottling. The result of a long process is a dark amber color drink with a wonderful warming effect. It is supposed to be drunk in small sips, not hurriedly, so that it does not get too hot.

Even among the signs of the zodiac there is one that has its own beer, and it is a winter sign, the Capricorn. During the months of December and January, beer is brewed in Germany under the name bosk German for “goat” . The label often depicts this stubborn but cheerful animal. As for the other signs, they too have a lot to choose from: the range of warming winter beers is enormous.

The king of all seasonal beers is often called winter ale. For example, one British brewery only brews Old Winter Ale with a 5.3% strength once a year. A special recipe was developed a long time ago. And here’s how the drink is described by tasters: “The beer is a deep dark copper color with a dense white foam cap that leaves lacy trails on the glass. Sweetish aromas of caramel are in perfect harmony with smells of malt, spices, and cinnamon. The taste is a perfect combination of sweet malt and caramel, spices, cinnamon and rye bread. Very pleasant aftertaste of toffee. This beer is very warming and really pleasant to drink on cold days!”

British winter beers also often feature flavors typical of English Christmas pudding – figs, molasses, toffee, caramel, raisins, prunes, dried fruit. This beer belongs to the so-called “sippers. to sip – to sip, to drink in small sips – it is difficult to drink it quickly. In North America, the spices associated with Christmas cookies cinnamon, nutmeg, chickpeas, ginger, cloves, and orange peel are widely used in the preparation of the Christmas kinds. For example, one brewery recently made an ale with cinnamon, ginger and orange and named it after old man Fizziwig, the hero of Charles Dickens’ story “A Christmas Carol in Prose.

Many winter varieties are characterized by fruity aromas. Brewers most often use cranberries, oranges, raspberries or cherries to get them when making the drink. Traditionally, wheat and honey are added to Christmas spirits, but sometimes exotic variants are also found. For example, one California brewery’s beer has a rich pine flavor.

A special place among strong winter types is occupied by the so called smoked beer Rauchbier , which has been brewed in the northern Bavarian town of Bamberg since 1678. To make this unique drink they use a special malt that is dried in the stove by the hot smoke of smoldering beech logs. Hence the flavor, the aroma, and the name.

Not to forget the so called “barley wine” barley wine which is an unusual sort of wine and comparable in its strength to a good aged wine. It is a very dense beer with a density of up to 30%, a fruity aroma and a complex malt flavor. There is a tradition of pouring “barley wine” into originally shaped bottles and serving it in wine glasses or large brandy glasses.

Another winter beer is porter, which was created in England in the early 18th century and was originally made for those who did heavy physical work, particularly for the port workers hence the name of the beer . modern porter is an almost black frothy ale with a slightly sweet malt flavor and a pleasant toasted grain aroma. Baltic Porter, a stronger version of English beer, which is exported to the Nordic countries, including America, and became so popular with locals that they soon started brewing it themselves. Baltic porter differs from its progenitor in that it often uses bottom fermentation yeast for its production. So it is somewhere in between the ale and the lager.

Baltic Porter

And what about America?? Unfortunately, until recently there was almost no tradition of brewing winter varieties in our country, although people like to drink beer in cold weather just remember the inimitable Velyurov from the film “Pokrovskie Vorota” . What’s more, beer stalls in Soviet times even offered a special service. The saleswoman would ask every customer: “Heated?” – and, in the case of an affirmative answer, pouring something from a large aluminum kettle into the mug. Probably hot beer. Or maybe it’s just boiling water.

Baltic Porter

But today the situation is changing, and American brewers have turned their attention to winter varieties. A number of producers offer Belgian-style ales with the addition of coriander and cardamom, and the big companies are specially creating new “winter” brands in their ranges.

To get the most out of winter beers, it’s worth remembering a few simple rules. First of all, not to drink beer straight from the bottle, but to use appropriate glasses. Secondly, winter beer can not be frozen, it is enough to cool it down to 12-14 degrees Celsius, and then it will fully develop its flavor and aroma. It’s better to drink it in small sips and remember that only when consumed sensibly does this drink bring pleasure.