Here it is. The long-awaited list of beers for the Washington Winter Beer Festival. Advance tickets for this weekend’s event are already sold out. There will be a few tickets at the door.
There is a lot of interesting stuff on the list this year. I am particularly interested to try the Breakfast Cereal Killer Stout from Big Time Brewery. It was brewed using (among other things) real breakfast cereal – Lucky Charms, Cheerios, Coco Puffs, etc. Of course Black Raven Brewing has some amazing stuff on their list. Also, Elysian is bringing a whole bunch of different beers. Not necessarily a winter beer, but Boundary Bay Brewing is bringing their Imperial IPA. Can’t go wrong there. So much beer, so little time?
So what piques your interest?
Airways Brewing, Kent
Chocolate Mint Stout
Rich, dark chocolate and a hint of mint blended into a sweet stout base. 35 IBU 5.7% ABV
Ol’ Wooden Hag
Our Sky Hag IPA aged on toasted American oak with hints of vanilla and wood. 99 IBU 7.8% ABV
American Brewing, Edmonds
Winter Classic
A Strong Ale that is dark chocolate brown to almost black in color. Eight specialty malts contribute to its full-bodied sweetness. Piney flavors and aroma from the hops are evident but balanced with a complex malty caramel-chocolate sweetness. A longer aging process contributes to the deep richness of this ale. 80 IBU 8.2% ABV
Brave American Brown
An American Brown Ale that is a deep coppery-brown ale and has a toasty caramel flavor with an evident, but not overpowering, hop aroma. There is a well-balanced bitterness that doesn’t linger but transitions to a very clean finish with just a subtle hint of citrus from dry-hopping. 65 IBU 6.5% ABV
Breakaway IPA
This American Style India Pale Ale is a true Northwest IPA; a big, bold hop aroma with floral and citrus notes greets you. Its dark honey color is a bit hazy due to dry hopping. There is a medium intense hop bitterness that doesn’t linger and is well balanced with a citrusy (grapefruit), malty sweetness. Your senses score big time with this IPA! 90 IBU 7.2% ABV
Anacortes Brewery, Anacortes
Klosterbier
Originally brewed at the Anacortes Brewery under the guidance of the visiting Brewmaster of Kalt Loch Brewery in Bavaria, this beer is modeled after a dark lager brewed by Kalt Loch for the Engelberg monastery. Our version uses Perle hops and a portion of apple wood smoked malt. 1.056 OG 35 IBU 5.3% ABV
Noel Winter Beer
Noel Winter Ale – Brewed to celebrate the holiday season, this winter warmer uses various aromatic specialty malts and has a prominent hop character from mild American Noble varieties. 1.075 OG 45 IBU 7.0% ABV
Big Time Brewing, Seattle
Breakfast Cereal Killer Oatmeal Imperial Stout
Our Coffee Chocolate Oatmeal Imperial Stout brewed with 6 different breakfast cereals, Theo coco nibs and Stumptown Roasters coffee. Breakfast in a glass! OG 22.4 Plato ( 1.089 ) 8.7% ABV
Yulefest Holiday Ale
This malty winter warmer is a real crowd pleaser. Features Galina and Mt Hood hops, brown sugar and lots of caramel malts. OG 17.4 Plato (1.070) 6.7% ABV
Black Raven Brewing, Redmond
Kitty Kat Blues – Blueberry/Vanilla/Catnip Nitro Pale
This pale ale was birthed out of a sleepless night. After being kept awake listening to a cat howling, the following workday was very tiresome. We had the blues ya’ll, the kitty kat blues. So this pale ale is a tribute to an annoying little gray cat. Despite the story itself, this blueberry, vanilla and catnip pale has a very sweet ending. 5.9% ABV
Bourbon Barrel La Petite Mort – Belgian Style Dark Ale
“La Petite Mort” means “a little death” in French. What’s a little death if it comes in this form? Well worth it we think. La Petite Mort was released on July 14, 2012, Bastille Day, and quickly sold out. Luckily the brewers racked some over into bourbon barrels and set it aside to become Bourbon Barrel Aged La Petite Mort. 8.8% ABV
Boundary Bay Brewery, Bellingham
Barrel Aged Old Bounder Barley Wine
A rich full-bodied barley wine with a smooth caramel sweetness. Aged in Dry-Fly Distillery barrels for nine months. Hints of bourbon, oak and vanilla. It has subtle hop character. 1.100 OG 9.6% ABV
Cabin Fever Winter Ale
Specifically brewed and bottled for the Pacific Northwest winters, this winter warmer’s dark red brown color and rich malty flavor will complement any rich, hardy meal. However, It’s cold conditioned, smooth and dry hopped flavor, it is very satisfying all by itself. 1.072 OG 7.2% ABV
Imperial IPA
A full-bodied, copper colored India Pale Ale with a fairly strong alcohol content and an aggressive fresh hop quality. 1.086 OG 9% ABV
Brickyard Brewing, Woodinville
Kiln Warmer
Full bodied and toasty – British Malt, Special B, and Chocolate Malt accentuated with the things that make you warmer in the winter – whole peppercorns, vanilla bean, orange peel and aniseed. 7% ABV
Chuckanut Brewery, Bellingham
Chuckanut Schwarz
Schwarz Bier is a black beer similar to an Irish stout combining bitterness with dry coffee like roasted flavors on a medium to light frame. Smooth and clean with a crisp finish, this is a real winter beer. OG 12.5 plato 25 IBU 5% ABV
Chuckanut Smoke Porter
Chuckanut makes a smoke porter that carries the roasted malt and smoky flavor with grace and a clean smooth finish. Bitterness is nicely balanced against malt flavors and sweetness. At less than 5% ABV porters are not nearly as fearsome as they appear and are particularly seductive on chilly evenings, especially when they use smoked malts! OG 12.5 plato 30 IBU 4.8% ABV
Diamond Knot Craft Brewing, Mukilteo
2012 Ho!Ho! Winter Ale
A robust ‘winter warmer’ ale, ruby brown in color with a slightly sweet, fruity nose. Very hoppy, yet balanced with a sturdy malt foundation. OG 17.5° P 60 IBU 8.5% ABV
2011 Ho!Ho! Winter Ale
Last year’s version of this robust ‘winter warmer’ Ale. Try them side by side.
Elysian Brewing, Seattle
Valhalla Red IPA
Fill your horn with this hoppy red IPA of pale, Special B and just a pinch of roasted barley, bittered with Sorachi Ace and finished with rare Citra hops. 70 IBU 7.5% ABV
Bifröst Winter Ale
Strong, hoppy and smööth. Brewed with pale malt and small amounts of Munich and Crystal malts. Bittered with Simcoe and finished with Amarillo, East Kent Goldings and Styrian Goldings hops. OG 18.4° Plato 7.6% ABV
Arboreal Chestnut Brown
Brewed with Pale, Crystal, Munich, Carahell, Cara-vienne and chocolate malts, and 12% chestnut flour in the mash. Bittered with earthy Fuggle hops. OG 14.1° (1.057), ABV
Elk Frost
Brewed with Maris Otter pale, Crystal 77, Crystal 45, Black, and Cara Red malts. Bittered with Magnum and finished with Amarillo and Styrian Goldings. 8.1% ABV
The Dread Imperial Stout on Cask
Brewed with pale, C77, chocolate, roasted barley, black and flaked rye malts with fifty lbs of sugar. Bittered with Magnum and finished with Chinook hops, oak aged, then conditioned on Buffalo Trace Bourbon soaked vanilla beans. OG 23.1°, 75 IBUs 9.6% ABV
Fish Brewing, Olympia
Fish Tale Organic Winterfish
With a snappy hop character, this isn’t just another brown beer masquerading as a seasonal. This is hearty fare brewed for the season of celebrations. Enjoyed at ease with friends and food, Winterfish will put a glow in the cheeks and warmth in the veins. 70 IBU 7.5% ABV
Leavenworth Bakke Hill Black Lager
It has an opaque, black color and a full, chocolaty or coffee flavor with a hint of vanilla. It is a light to medium-bodied, malt-accented dark brew, very opaque and deep-sepia in color, with a chewy texture and a firm, creamy, long-lasting head. In spite of its dark color, it comes across as a soft and elegant brew that is rich, mild, and surprisingly balanced. 25 IBU 5% ABV
Spire Mountain Spiced Apple Cider
Spire Mountain Spiced Apple Cider is the perfect way to toast the flavors of Fall and transition through the Holidays. Made from ripe, zesty apples grown in the state of Washington, this holiday favorite is brewed with spices like cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. 5% ABV
Fremont Brewing, Seattle
Bourbon Abominable
Lovingly referred to by Fremonters as the B-BOMB, this bourbon barrel-aged edition of our winter ale has a warming spicy aroma and rich caramelly notes of bourbon, wood and vanilla added to dark roasty chocolaty malt flavors and subtle hopping. 9.5% ABV
Abominable Winter Ale
Dark, roasty, chocolaty malt flavors balanced by Noble hop aroma and subtle hoppy spice. Warm up to it. Don’t be scared to be Abominable. 8.0% ABV
Infused Dark Star Imperial Oatmeal Stout
Oatmeal Stout infused with Tony’s Coffee, smoked peppercorns, hazelnut, and medium toast oak. 8.0% ABV
Hale’s Ales, Seattle
Whiskey Wee Heavy
Blended American strong ales aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels. 7.5% ABV
Merlot Wit
Wheat beer fermented with a Belgian wit yeast aged in French merlot barrels. Tart & dry, with a bready merlot aroma and lingering oak tannin finish. 4.7% ABV
Cascade Mist Fresh Hop Extra Pale Ale
3lbs per barrel of fresh Amarillo hops, super limited session beer, we saved a wee bit to compliment this celebration of Washington’s winter beers. 4.6% ABV
Harmon Brewing, Tacoma
Steep and Deep
Five different malted barleys, combined with four different hop varieties to create this winter warmer ale. Flavors and aromas of bitter chocolate and hops come through to create a smooth and satisfying medium to full bodied brew. Steep and Deep finishes crisp, clean and dry just like the cool mountain air. 70 IBU 7.2% ABV
Pt. Defiance IPA
An IPA is brewed with 4 different malted barleys. Centennial, CTZ and Zythos hops provide the big hoppy flavor. Dry hopping with Amarillo hops provides this beer’s hop aroma. 70 IBU 6.1% ABV
Hood Canal Brewery, Kingston
Lilliwaup Dopplebock
A dark, semi-sweet lager with a big malt character and smooth, subtle caramel complexities. At 10% ABV, it is very drinkable. This is a limited edition winter seasonal. Get it while it while you can! 10% ABV
Zelatched Point Ale
Mix Dabob Bay IPA with Hood Canal’s delicious Breidablik Barley Wine and you get Zelached Point Ale, made special just for this occasion. Aromas of carmel, ripe fresh figs, pears, over-ripe apples, honey, and toasted nuts entice you before the first taste. Prominent hop and supportive malt flavors make this ale a great multi-dimensional beer with a thick and creamy body. 8% ABV
Icicle Brewing, Leavenworth
Chumsticke Alt
Like the mysterious highway that weaves and winds its way from Plain to Leavenworth, this full-bodied ‘secret’ alt will twist your taste-buds with a balance of hop bitterness and smooth chocolate, then bank flavors of roasted malt off your cheeks and finishes as fine as flannel. 8.5% ABV
Dark Persuasion German Chocolate Ale
Delicate dark chocolate with a whisper of coconut…You know you want it, go ahead and indulge. You can finally have German Chocolate cake and drink it too. There’s no need to be nervous, it’s just wickedly deep and full of flavor and desire. 6.5% ABV
Fist Full of Quarters Porter
When Donkey Kong isn’t trying to mash Mario, he’s homebrewing. Beer in barrels… wine not? We took our already award winning Priebe Porter and aged it in cabernet sauvignon barrels from 37 Cellars winery. A Robust American Porter that captures princesses AND palates with its rich aroma, strong malt character, and firm hop presence. 6.5% ABV
Iron Horse Brewery, Ellensburg
Mocha Death
Irish Death + espresso + cocoa. 7.0% ABV
Cozy Sweater
Vanilla Milk Stout 5.0% ABV
Issaquah Brewhouse, Issaquah
Frosty Frog
Our Winter beer brewed with 1 gallon of molasses and 1 pound of raisins per barrel. OG 18.9°P 94 IBU 8.5% ABV
Frosty Frog, Barrel Aged
Our winter beer, Frosty Frog, aged in Rogue’s Dead Guy whiskey barrels. OG 18.9°P 94 IBU 8.5% ABV
Laht Neppur Brewing, Waitsburg
Waitsburg Winter Warmer
Our spiced Amber Holiday Ale. Sweet orange peel, cloves, cinnamon, allspice and honey spread warmth and merriment. 8.2% ABV
Holiday Hefeweizen
This is our very popular Peach Hefeweizen married with a hint of honey and just a touch of spice. At 5.2% ABV why not have a whole mug and enjoy the celebration.
Laughing Boy Stout
Rich and robust is what this Russian Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels is all about. At 9% ABV it’s guaranteed to put you in the holiday spirit.
Naked City Brewery, Seattle
Bing Spiced Cherry Ale
An English Style Old Ale brewed with Lyle’s Black Treacle Syrup and aged on a blend of Washington Bing and Tart Montmorency cherries, cinnamon, and cloves. Mmmmmm, Christmas in a glass. 9% ABV
The Kentucky Dude
Our Big Lebrewski Imperial Cream Stout aged for 10 months in Heaven Hills Bourbon barrels. Rich, creamy mouthfeel and intense flavors of chocolate, whiskey and oak. 11% ABV
New Belgium Brewing, Seattle
Snow Day
Pleasantly hoppy, Snow Day carries the subtle chocolate and caramel flavors of a new brewing malt known as Midnight Wheat. The Styrian Golding, Centennial and Cascade hops bring the backbone of hoppy bitterness to complement the roasty undertones. This beer is the deep garnet of a roasted walnut and presents a creamy tan head, floating artfully atop. 55 IBU 6.2% ABV
Lips of Faith-Chocolate Coffee Stout
This is dark and rich, strong and roasty, and packed with Cafe Richesse espresso. Brewed with roasted barley and Midnight Wheat, the extra dark color is partnered with a firm pillow of mocha colored head. This malty imperial stout is spiced with fair trade cocoa nibs after fermentation for a nice chocolate flavor, and the coffee brings a pick-me-up zing for a full bodied and bold addition to the Lips of Faith series. 39 IBU 9% ABV
No-Li Brewhouse, Spokane
Winter Warmer
Winter Warmer is brewed exclusively with locally grown Inland NW hops and barley sourced from within 300 miles of our brewhouse. This ruby red ale is lush and aromatic with a rich, malty flavor and contrasting spicy hop finish. 7.5% ABV
Born & Raised IPA
Copper colored ale showcases sweet malt profile contrasted against a substantial hop presence. Five kettle additions and Dry Hopping in the fermenter creates a full compliment of hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. The hop varieties used create a unique hop signature not found in most IPA’s. Grist: 2 Row Pale Malt, Carmel Malt and Munich Malt. Hops: Chinook, Cascade, Columbus. 7.0% ABV
Paradise Creek Brewery, Pullman
Paradise Spice
This rich brown colored ale with notes of maple, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, licorice and a hint of pepper will challenge your taste buds to a level not easily attainable yet robustly supported by a 10% ABV.
Over the Hop IPA
Our flagship IPA using the best Northwest malted barley and Yakima hops. This well-balanced beer showcases the products that the Northwest is known for. A hoppy but easy drinking IPA. 70 IBU 6.8% ABV
Blow-UP Blonde
Formally known as our Dirty Blonde, A hint of malty sweetness bounces right off a slightly hoppy start. 6.7% ABV
Pike Brewing, Seattle
Pike Auld Acquaintance
Festive and flavorful with delicious hints of orange peel, coriander, cinnamon and nutmeg. 5.0% ABV
Honey Moon Suite, Belgian Honey Ale
Brown in color. 150 lbs. of Honey from the Fairmont Hotel. 50 lbs. Dark Candi sugar. Bittering hop-Nugget, flavor and aroma hops-Aramis and Mt. Hood. Yeast is from the Westmalle Abbey (same as Monk’s). Low bitterness, honey flavor, esters from the yeast and a slight cocoa/coffee note from dark malts. 27 IBU 6.4% ABV
Port Townsend Brewing, Port Townsend
Winter Ale
Our Winter Ale is made of a
blend of pale, caramel, and chocolate malts with each contributing an interesting Malt character reminiscent of a traditional English Old Ale. We then add a NW twist by aggressively hopping this ale to provide contrast to the malty body. 65 IBU 7% ABV
Hop Diggidy
A classic NW style IPA, Hop Diggidy has a smooth pale malt background and a full round hop profile. Dry hopping insurers an aromatic and lasting hop finish. Our best selling ale. 70 IBU 5.9% IBU
Death Don’t Have No Mercy Imperial Scotch Ale
An exceptionally strong Scotch Ale brewed with the touch of heavy peated malt from the motherland. Cheers to a bad day gone worse! 25 IBU 9.7% ABV
Ram Brewery-Northgate, Seattle
Ol’ Mallwalker
A festive strong ale – also pouring a barrel-aged version aged in Dry Fly Whiskey barrels. 9.5%
DawgSled
A smooth and malty winter warmer, balanced with just enough hops. 7.0% ABV
S’no Angel
Our holiday weizenbock, rich and malty with hints of fruit and spice and everything nice. 6.8%
Redhook Brewing, Woodinville
Winterhook 28
This is the 28th consecutive year of an always-changing winter warmer. With loads of Munich malts and 12 hours of slow dry hopping, we’ve created a rich, dark amber ale that is slightly naughty and always nice. 2012 GABF Bronze Medal; 2012 GIB&CC Gold Medal. 45 IBU 6.0% ABV
Double Black Stout
Double Black is back and better than ever! This robust, creamy stout is brewed with Farm Direct Caffe Vita coffee, roasted and caramel malts, and plenty of hops. So dark, nobody will know what’s in your mug. 40 IBU 7.0% ABV
Reuben’s Brews, Seattle
Imperial Oatmeal Stout
Chocolate, coffee, smooth creaminess, complex roastiness. 8.4% ABV.
Imperial Rye IPA
Intense citrus, smooth bitterness, rye spice. 8.4% ABV.
Schooner EXACT Brewing, Seattle
Hoppy Holidays 2011 Vintage
A rich, malty beer with an assertive but balanced hop character. This beer greets you with hints of chocolate and dark fruits on the nose. Rich dark malts with chocolate undertones play over your tongue with a prevalent, earthy hop finish. 7.5% ABV
Hoppy Holidays 2012
A rich, malty beer with an assertive but balanced hop character. This beer greets you with hints of chocolate and dark fruits on the nose. Rich dark malts with chocolate undertones play over your tongue with a prevalent, earthy hop finish. 7.8% ABV
Hoppy the Woodsman
This bourbon barrel-aged beer gives off an aroma of malty-sweet chocolate with vanilla and oak undertones. Months spent aging in used bourbon barrels smooths this complex beer into waves of rich malt, dark pit fruit and vanilla oakiness. 9.5% ABV
Silver City Brewery, Bremerton
Winter Bock
A blend of five different German and domestic malts lend a deep, rich color and mild roast character to this classic lager. Silver City stores Winter Bock for five weeks at near freezing temperature, allowing it to mellow and become more refined with each passing day. 7% ABV
Old Scrooge Christmas Ale
Silver City Brewery is proud to present this limited bottling of our very own British style barley wine ale. Old Scrooge is a rich and malty ale with all the character of a fine wine. Intriguing notes of apple, cherry and apricot occur naturally as a result of its unique fermentation and extended aging. 8.5% ABV.
Two Beers Brewing, Seattle
Infused 20:20 Blonde
Our Blonde infused with dried currants, elderberry, lavender, and rose
Infused Evo IPA
Our IPA infused with a blend of 3 peppers, dried peaches, and dried mango.
Infused Jive Espresso Stout
Our Stout Infused with 3 different types of cacao nibs.
Wingman Brewers, Tacoma
Rye Barleywine
Spicy Rye Malt makes for a delicious winter treat. 10% ABV
COCONUT+COFFEE+P-51 PORTER
Ya it’s good. 8% ABV
Sour Bourbon Cherry Stout
Cherry Stout soured with lactobacillus in a Woodinville Whiskey Barrel. 7.6% ABV