Friday, November 09, 2007

The Session #10: Let it snow ,let it snow, Winter Seasonal Beers


This month I have the pleasure of being the host of The Session. For the unitiated, the Session is a monthly virtual beer tasting. Hosted by a different blogger each month, and each month has a different theme chose by the host. Sometimes its more difficult than you think to come up with a theme. I’ve known for quite some time that I was going to be host for this month and I’ve been going back and forth on what this month’s theme should be. Then something happened. The weather became cooler, local markets started putting out their winter vegetables, local restaurants started coming out with their winter menu’s and of course one started to see winter seasonal beers on the shelf. From a food and beer perspective I love this time of the year. The food’s are rich, flavorful, robust if you will. The beer’s are the same way. Winter seasonal’s are usually rich, and darker, but they don't always fit one style. They can be spiced ales, like the Wassail Style, the English style Winter Warmer is usually more malty, with a less hop profile, then there are ales that breweries release as a Winter Seasonal, like Saint Arnold's Winter Stout. All of these beers are made to go with the rich, body warming food of the season. The next thing that kept me in the direction I’m headed was drinking the few seasonal beers that I posted about this week. I think that sealed the deal.

Now that we're finished with the background the theme for this month is Winter Seasonal Beers. This can be any style you want as long as it’s a Winter Seasonal. Don’t limit yourself to just the big heavy beers as so many breweries put out so many different styles there something for everyone. With that, here are the rules:

  • Pick any Winter Seasonal beer you want. Or a sampler if you’d like (think the Sam Adam’s one I picked up earlier this week).
  • If you select a single beer, let us know why you choose this beer.
  • Extra credit for paring your winter seasonal beer with a winter meal, or better yet a recipe based on the beer of your choice.
  • Post your contribution to The Session on Friday December 7th. Send me the links to your post and a few short days later I'll post a round up of everyone's contributions.

19 comments:

The Dude said...

Tedo,

Being a fellow Houstonian beer blogger, I immediately had a thought about a seasonal beer (for the session) which may have duplicated your own. If you would, please email me at:

info@akelasbiggins.com

I'd rather us not both write about the same thing. If we do by some chance, I'll be happy to come up with an alternative and let you have at the original idea.

Thanks,
Dude

Kieran Haslett-Moore said...

Good theme, only problem is its a little hemispherically biased, for some of us its going to be mid summer when we do the next session.

I guess we will have to imagine its cold and wintery.

Andreea said...

this is such a great theme. all i see now in the shops are the winter/ christmas beers. no excuse like this one to start trying them out. although i have to admit at 10%+ they'll probably knock us out in a flash :)

Anonymous said...

Maybe I'm just blindly overlooking any contact info, but where do we send our link to our session post after its been written? Thanks!

Kieran Haslett-Moore said...

My session post is up.

http://themothersmilk.blogspot.com/2007/12/session-winter-warmers.html

Rick Lyke said...

Tedo:

Here is my contribution:

http://lyke2drink.blogspot.com/2007/12/session-10-let-it-snow.html

Thanks for hosting!

Rick

The Beer Nut said...

My post is online. Cheers for hosting, Tedo.

Anonymous said...

Here's my post:

http://www.brewbasement.com/featured/vintage-sierra-nevada-celebration-ale-tasting-christmas-past-vs-christmas-present/

Thanks!

Jason
http://www.brewbasement.com

Anonymous said...

Thanks for hosting! Here's my contribution:

http://www.kegsandkitchen.com/archives/19

Anonymous said...

Just got one contribution to The Session up at http://thatsthespirit.com. I hope to get my other blog taken care of later today.

Good thematic choice, Ted. Cheers!

David said...

I added my contrbution at http://vadavid.blogspot.com/2007/12/session-10-winter-seasonal-beers_07.html

Thanks for hosting. It was fun!

Dave said...

Thanks for hosting!

Here's my contribution:

http://vomfass.blogspot.com/2007/12/session-10-sierra-nevada-celebration.html

Anonymous said...

My contribution is up.

Thank you for hosting!

Cheers!

Anonymous said...

Here is my contribution:

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/blogs/brew/?p=313

Perhaps I have too much time on my hands!

Keith Brainard said...

I've posted about winter beers here.

Thanks for hosting!
Keith

snekse said...

Thanks for hosting. I know it's a lot of work. Looking forward to the round up!

Here's my review:
BEER REVIEW: Holiday Brews

Thanks,
Snekse at Gastronomic Fight Club

J said...

Here's my winter beer post:

http://www.brookstonbeerbulletin.com/session-10-winter-beers/

Cheers,

J

Anonymous said...

thx man

sakizimu said...

thx man....