Schokolade Bock by Millstream Brewing

Pours a deep, deep brown (I was gonna write "mahogany" but I use it too much and it's hard to spell) with a skimpy little brown head, but boy-oh-boy is it tasty! Much to my surprise, there is no actual chocolate in it, but it derives all of its chocolateness from the chocolate malts. So, it's all beer, all the time happening here. A thick, almost chewy, consistency, just like you'd want for a winter beer (although I thought that Bocks were Spring seasonals there seem to be an increasing number of Winter Bocks appearing these days).

Empyrean Carpe Brewem Nibbed in the Barrel Oatmeal Stout

This is a limited edition ale by Empyrean Brewing. We got a taste of it at last month's beer tour. They took their Collapsar Oatmeal Stout, aged it in some oak barrels that previously been the nursery for some bourbon and tossed in some cacao nibs for good measure. Yes, it's as good as it sounds. You can really taste the bourbon, not the oak so much, but a little bit. On top of it all there's the deliciousness of their oatmeal stout. As I'm fond of saying, a nice dark beer for the dark nights ahead.

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

Now this is some good stuff! Pours a coppery honey color, with a similarly colored head that retains its form for most of the time it took to drink it. Lots of citrus and a little pine as well, making it a perfect winter brew. Very much an IPA feel to it. Lots of hops!

Empyrean's Winter Axis Festiv'Ale

Since one of the nation's monster brewers distributed a drink called "Tilt", Empyrean was forced to change the name of their winter seasonal from "Winter Tilt" to "Winter Axis" - no big deal - it was a new name and I don't think anyone had gotten too attached to it, unlike say, Fallen Angel Sweet Stout. Also unlike Fallen Angel and the other seasonals, the recipe changes somewhat every year. This year the Festiv'Ale poured an apricot hue with a two-finger white head. The aroma and the initial taste are reminiscent of Farmhouse Ales, with that sweet Belgian profile. After the first sip, the hops kick in; not overly prominent, only 41 IBU's, but tart and spicy. Keep drinking and you get ripe summer fruits like apricot and peach with a little pear thrown in. Pretty darn good for the first beer of the winter season. Grab yourself a sixpack!

Preceding is a review from last November, but it looks like they changed the recipe a little from last year. There is very little of the Farmhouse left, and despite the IBU's being the same, it feels hoppier than it did last year. I am still detecting the apricot and pears, but not nearly as prominent. Pineapple and Granny Smith Apple are the tastes that appear most prominent. 

Shake Chocolate Porter

Tastes like a chocolate milk shake. The cacao nibs really overwhelm what might be underneath it all. Don't get me wrong, this is a pretty tasty porter, and I'll probably have it again, but the chocolate flavor really drowns out everything else.

Deschutes Black Butte Porter

The last of the four Deschutes beers in my fridge, Black Butte Porter is the best of the bunch. A superior porter, perfect for the cold days ahead. Pours a dark brown with ruby highlights with a two-finger head, there's lots of what you would expect from a porter: coffee, chocolate and sweet malts. Nothing overly complicated, just a good, solid brew. Perfect for after dinner desserts during the holidays.

Deschutes Chainbreaker White IPA

Finally! Something from Deschutes that lives up to all the hype. Chainbreaker is a White India Pale Ale, sometimes known as a Belgian India Pale Ale. The style is a recent invention, more or less a hybrid of a Belgian style Wit and an India Pale Ale (IPA). What you end up with is a very hoppy beer that also has the sweet smoothness associated with a Belgian. Chainbreaker is an exceptional representation of the style, with the Belgian yeast imputing a lemony smoothness like a lemon meringue pie. There are also hints of coriander, lemon and orange peel and even a bit of pepper in the mix. The 55 IBU's give it just the right amount of hoppiness for an IPA without being to over-the-top. And lest I forget, it pours a cloudy lemonade-hued yellow with a healthy snow white head. Not a bad choice to pair with turkey on Thanksgiving.

Three Philosophers Quadrupel by Brewery Ommegang

Oh Belgian Quadrupel...you are the epitome of beers...the god of ales...and pretty damn good as the final beverage of the day. Poured into an Empyrean ales snifter, Three Philosophers pours the color of maple syrup with a thick bubbly head. Evident but not overwhelming alcohol heat from the 9+% ABV; smooth, creamy consistency; and tastes of a melange of dark fruits. Very much a sipping beer and just as much a late night relaxer. Rated a 9.8 on the IGB scale.

Deschutes Jubelale Winter Ale

One of the things about winter warmer, or winter ales, is that the recipe is a little different each year - this could be good or bad, depending on how the change goes! Now I've not tried Deschutes' winter ale before, so I don't have anything to compare it to. Jubelale is a pretty solid offering. I didn't think much of it when I tried it at Oktobeerfest, but drinking it in the comfort of my home, I'm a bit more positively inclined toward it. It poured a reddish brown with a one-finger beige head. Nice piney hoppiness, with tastes and aromas of apricots, dates and black cherries. Heavy bodied with aftertaste of spices, a little nutmeg and a hint of cinnamon. I'd rate it a 6.5 on the IGB scale.

Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale

The advent of Deschutes beers in Nebraska came with much fanfare - billboards and large retail displays. Some of their offerings are pretty good, some are exceptional, some, like Mirror Pond are just average. It pours a vivid orange with an amber-tinted three finger head. There's some hop bitterness, tasting more like an IPA than a pale ale, but there's only 40 IBU's and the 5% ABV makes it sessionable, but there's just not that much happening. Not bad, just not living up to all the press.

Goose Island Sixth Day Festive Brown Ale

Sixth Day...six geese a-layin'...get it? Sixth day of Christmas...Goose Island...okay, never mind!

Sixth Day pours a rich, deep mahogany brown with a two-finger tan head. There's an immediate whiff of alcohol/whiskey heat right off the bat from the 8.5% ABV, with strong aromas of figs, raisins, black cherries and dates.  Plenty of piney hops at 55 IBU's, but just enough to balance it out without overwhelming with bitterness.

One of the things I like about this part of the winter beer season is that the winter warmers and Christmas ales are generally brewed with a different recipe every year which really gives you something to look forward to.

Left Hand Milk Stout

I was positive that I had reviewed Left Hand Milk Stout before, so sure that I'm now on the 6th bottle of a six pack that I bought in Kansas City a few weeks ago and only minutes ago did a search and found out that while I had reviewed several Left Hand offerings (including Fade to Black Baltic Porter) Milk Stout was not one of them. As some of you may know and others may not, a milk, or sweet, stout derives its sweetness from the addition of lactose, which unlike other sugars, does not convert to alcohol during fermentation. Left Hand Milk Stout is one of the better sweet stouts out there, with a complex swirl of flavors ranging from coffee and chocolate, to vanilla, sweet cream and hints of molasses. Dig a little and you'll come up with some raisins, figs and black cherries. Smooth as silk and great for an after dinner treat. Too bad Left Hand doesn't distribute in Nebraska any more, but there'll be many more stouts to entice Ill-Gotten Booty and his disciples through the cold months to come.