New Beer Friday - November 2 Edition

By Chris Siciliano

November is suddenly here and with the upcoming time change, days that were already growing short are about to get shorter. We figure this is a fact you can look on in one of two ways. Either bemoan the loss of daylight or celebrate the added hours you'll have to sit by firelight with a snifter or two of your favorite new beers, a Founders Backwoods Bastard, say, or a even Rodenbach Vintage 2010. When you look at it that way, this weekend's time change doesn't seem hardly so bad.

New (and Returning) Beer

• Bells Christmas Ale, $1.89/12oz - "The basic inspiration for Bell's Christmas Ale was to create a sessionable holiday beer, using locally grown malt, which would stand apart from the array of spiced winter warmers that are typically introduced this time of year. In contrast to many other seasonals, Christmas Ale doesn't contain any spices: all of the dry, toasted notes & subtle toffee flavors come from the 100% Michigan-grown barley, custom malted by Briess Malting, while a blend of hops from Michigan & the Pacific Northwest lend earthy, herbal aromas. At 5.5% ABV, it stands as a smooth, highly drinkable beer intended to complement holiday menus, not overshadow them" (source).
• Bells Winter White, $1.89/2oz - "Taking its cues from Belgian-style white ales, Bell's Winter White Ale offers a lighter yet abundantly flavorful alternative to the traditional heavy winter warmers. Fermented with a Belgian ale yeast, this blend of barley & wheat malts yields a mixture of clove and fruity aromas, all without the use of any spices. Deliberately brewed to retain a cloudy appearance, Bell's Winter White Ale is a beer for embracing winter" (source).
• Rodenbach Vintage 2010, $20.49/750ml - "Matured in cask number 144 for more than two years, resulting in a superior RODENBACH with a copper glow. Its taste is complex and rounded, intense and refreshing all at the same time. It is characterized by an acidic, appley fruitfulness combined with caramel, wild honey and oak with a touch of vanilla, cherry and liquorice" (source).
• Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA, $13.19/22 oz (1 bottle/person) - "Blend two Dogfish Head favorites, add maple syrup and carbonate the mixture naturally. What do you get? 75 Minute IPA. The carbon dioxide trapped during bottle conditioning gives 75 Minute IPA a soft and velvety mouthfeel. Dry-hopped with whole-leaf Cascades, this complex IPA has been known to inspire pilgrimages to our brewpub. Now were sharing this animated blend of 60 Minute and 90 Minute with the rest of our fans, 750 milliliters at a time" (source).
• Founders Backwoods Bastard, $3.29/12oz (4 bottles/person) - "Expect lovely, warm smells of single malt scotch, oaky bourbon barrels, smoke, sweet caramel and roasted malts, a bit of earthy spice, and a scintilla of dark fruit. It’s a kick-back sipper made to excite the palate" (source).
• Magic Hat Heart of Darkness, $1.49/12oz - "Our inky-black, oatmeal stout has a smooth, round palate with a dreamlike undercurrent of bittersweet chocolate. This dense liquid-silk summons hope from hibernation and balances winter’s endless white snows with a rich swirl of creamy black rapture. Available in the Winter, reintroduced in Winter 2012 after a hiatus" (source).
• Big Sky Powder Hound - $1.69/12oz - "Powder Hound is our Winter Ale, and since it is our own creation we call it a Northern Rockies Strong Ale. Powder Hound satisfies, with the fine hand selected British hops fully complimenting the smooth malt notes. After a day on the ice or in the snow, enjoy a Powder Hound Winter Ale. Available November through March. ABV varies from 6.0% to 7.5%" (source).
• Shorts Chocolate Wheat, $1.69/12oz - "Chocolate malt, wheat malt and carefully chosen specialty grains provide deep, black wort balanced with the Nugget and Fuggle hop varieties. Top fermenting ale yeast completes this beer resulting in full flavored, full bodied toasted/burnt chocolate wheat ale" (source).
• Newcastle Winter IPA, $1.49/12oz - "Zesty in character and jam-packed with a creamy finish, the Newcastle Winter IPA is full-bodied and hoppy, delivering unique and authentic malt flavors for the cold season and snowy matchdays" (source).
• Anderson Valley Brother David Double, $8.19/22oz - "Brewed in a cloistered nook of remote Anderson Valley, this handcrafted Belgian-style strong ale may be the closest you’ll ever get to heaven on earth. Made in very limited quantity, it is malty, tangy and a little wild, it is sure to raise your spirits. We suffered to brew this enormously complex beer so that you can enjoy it completely guilt free" (source).
• Anderson Valley Brother David Triple, $8.19/22oz - "The brewers of Anderson Valley had to conjure the High Priestess of Fermentation to help them formulate and create this rare hand-crafted elixer. It is luxuriant, smooth, more that a little wild, and at 10% alcohol, it's bound to raise your spirits. Open the Bottle and greet the High Priestess. You are worthy" (source).
• Rogue Yellow Snow IPA, $17.19/growlers - "Beeston Stout, Chariot Pils, Melanoidin, & Cara Foam Malts, Amarillo Hops. 15.5º PLATO, 70 IBU, 76 AA, 14.2ºL" (source).
• Berghoff Dortwunder Lager, $1.49/12oz - "A classic and evenly balanced pale lager in the Dortmunder tradition" (source).

Question of the Week

This year, what's been your favorite "fall" beer?

(Please leave your answer in the comment section below)

Cheers!