Whether it’s a fun game day gathering, a dinner party, or a TV streaming marathon with friends, the cold weather is a great excuse to stay inside and relax. Warm up any get-together with a winter sampler six-pack full of bold, seasonal beers that feature an extra richness in texture.
1. Side Launch Mountain Lager
From the Ontario brewery that won Best Brewery in 2016 at the Canadian Brewing Awards, Side Launch Mountain Lager is a light and malty brew with a crisp, fresh finish.
Food Match: Pasta, Chowder
2. Spindrift Abyss Schwarzbier
This seasonal, limited edition brew from Dartmouth’s Spindrift Brewing is a traditional German style black lager that combines a layered malt profile and balanced background of German Hersbrucker and Magnum hops. Upfront notes of toasted grains, coffee and chocolate malts lead to an elegantly smooth finish.
Food Match: Beef, Oysters
3. Garrison Spruce Ale
This local brew is North America’s oldest beer style, brewed with local Spruce and fir tips, blackstrap molasses and dates. The aroma is a comforting mix of spruce boughs and caramel malts.
Food Match: Stew, Roast Game
4. Beau’s Lug Tread Lagered Ale
Beau’s All Natural has brewed its year-round flagship beer, the Lug Tread Lagered Ale, since 2006. This tasty golden ale is top-fermented (like an ale) and then cold-aged (like a lager), giving it light ale notes complemented by a lager-like crispness. Like all Beau’s beer, Lug-Tread is brewed with certified organic malts and hops and local spring water.
Food Match: Mild Cheeses, Salad
5. Boxing Rock Next Chapter Rye IPA
The Next Chapter Rye IPA is a solid IPA in every sense - big, bold, hoppy and bitter in all the right ways. What you get is a blast of piney citrusy goodness in the nose, followed by an awesome malty hit with just the right amount of bitterness to make it a memorable IPA. It finishes with that unmistakable fruity hop “bite” that only Columbus and Mosaic hops can provide.
Food Match: Fish and Chips, Curry
6. Okanagan Springs 1516 Lager
Okanagan Springs’ Bavarian Lager is craft-brewed to celebrate the landmark 1516 Purity Law. The decree states that only four ingredients can be used when making beer: barley, hops, yeast and water. The result is a lager with a crisp finish and a rich golden colour.
Food Match: Nachos, Dips