Fireside Beers

by Marsha Bryant

Where there’s ice, it’s cool for two.
For two: so I let you come.
A breath as of fire was around you—

—Paul Celan

When it’s cold, find some warmth by the fire.
Pour a beer right before you retire
To your favorite chair.
Here are some you can share
As these frostier evenings transpire.

Try this Bone Chiller beer. It combines
Different tastes that you won’t always find
In a craft winter ale.
Tangy backbone prevails
As light hops and smooth sweetness entwine.

Houblon Chouffe’s a hybrid delight
For your chillier midwinter nights.
With its rich Belgian base,
Triple hops, and bright lace,
This quite flavorful ale is just right.

Are you still staying dry in the cold?
This Delirio brew is quite bold
For a non-alcoholic.
Your tastebuds will frolic
In Belgiany Blondness bestowed.

If you’re Wandering Into the Snow
And dreaming of fireside’s warm glow,
Here’s a hybrid to try:
Double hopping tastes dry
As its marshmallow-bitterness flows.

Is your Winter Staycation still going?
Let this liquid dessert begin flowing.
Come and sit by the fire
As its sweetness conspires
With smooth maltiness while hearth is glowing.

TASTING NOTES:

Bone Chiller Winter Ale. Sixpoint Brewery, Brooklyn, NY. 5.3 % ABV.
Pours hazy golden with a creamy white head, and the aroma is citrusy with a trace of coriander. This hybrid brew mixes grapefruity sourness with tangerine sweetness, bringing in a bit of bitter to its smooth mouthfeel. Fans of sour beer will warm up to this counterintuitive winter ale.

Houblon Chouffe Belgian IPA [Chouffe IPA]. Chouffe, Achouffe, BE. 9% ABV.
Greeting your nose with a lightly yeasty aroma, this hybrid Belgian style beer pours with a bright lemony glow and white head. The carbonation tickles your tongue like champagne, and the brew swaps a blend of three hops for traditional Belgian spicing. Artfully brewed, its bitterish finish complements the Tripel taste.

Delirio Non-Alcoholic Blond. Brouwerij Huyghe, Brussels, BE. < 0.5% ABV.
If you’re looking for rich Belgian flavor but continuing Dry January, this is a pitch-perfect brew. Pouring a pale translucent golden with a bright white head, it has a light mouthfeel and finishes with a dry cidery taste that tilts away from sweetness. Though it’s a legit NA, this beer presents more like a session Belgian.

Wandering into the Snow Double Dry Hopped DIPA with Lactose & Marshmallows. Abomination Brewing Co., North Haven, CT. 9.1% ABV.
If your mate prefers sweet beers while you’re craving a hop bomb, this is the brew for your fireside pursuits. This milkshake IPA has a sweet smell and pours a very hazy peach with a small, cream-colored head. The lactose smooths the dry hopping, which comes out in the finish. The marshmallow flavor coats your mid-tongue, and the overall mouthfeel accrues heft as you sip.

Winter Staycation Toffee Pecan Stout. Brewdog, Columbus OH. 7.5% ABV.
This black-brown, opaque beer pours with a tan head and a sweet, malty aroma. The pecan notes hit your mid-tongue, tempering the toffee’s sweetness and playing well with the malt backbone. The mouthfeel is smooth and a tad thin for the rich flavor, and the ABV enhances the finish with a trace of cola notes. A perfect fireside dessert.

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Marsha Bryant writes about literature, culture, and craft beer. Her recent essays appear in The Poetry of Bob Dylan, The Bloomsbury Handbook to Sylvia Plath, and the textbook Impact of Materials on Society. Marsha teaches at the University of Florida. Her Untappd handle is LimerickLady.