If you live north of Florida, chances are you’ve been somewhat snowbound this week. We’ve been watching the kids sled down our side yard in an air mattress (ours) and a kayak (the neighbors’) and waiting for the gas company to turn on the heat in our new office. Cabin fever is setting in. And while chicken soup and some hot chocolate are nice cures for the cold weather, so is a glass of stout winter ale. Here are 10 of our favorites with a bias toward Belgian Strong Dark Ales:
1. Mikkeller Santa’s Little Helper
Lochristi-Hijfte, Belgium | 11% ABV
You don’t get a belly like Santa’s without putting down some beer, and we can’t imagine a better brew to polish off after a long winter’s night. Just don’t drink it while driving a flying sleigh. It’s a strong Belgian ale with the emphasis on strong at 11% and lots of flavor—the brewery adjusts the recipe a bit each year.
2. Kleinbrouwerij Canaster Winterscotch
KleinBrouwerij De Glazen Toren | Erpe-Mere, Belgium | 8.7% ABV
I’m not really sure what a sugar-plum is, but I have visions of them dancing in this beer, maybe even singing a raucous pub tune. This Belgian strong dark is bubbly with just a hint of winter spices and dried fruit.
3. St. Bernardus Christmas Ale
Brouwerij St. Bernardus | Watou, Belgium | 10%
I went to a Christmas party this year where two of the white elephant gifts were bottles of this annual brew—no surprise they kept getting stolen. I had one briefly before stealing a Brick Store Pub t-shirt. And yes, this was the office party for my church. It’s dark as the richest Belgian chocolate, malty without being too sweet, with a perfect frothy head. At 10% abv, just one of these will make for a very merry Christmas season. *Full disclosure: this brewery is the semi-official sponsor of my soccer club, FC Bernardus (I play on both the Abt 12 and Prior 8 teams).
4. Scaldis Noël
Brasserie Dubuisson Frères sprl | Leuze-Pipaix, Belgium | 12%
Called Bush elsewhere, the brewery couldn’t use that name here for some reason—something to do with fermented corn water that goes by that name here. Even the regular Scaldis, a pale ale, weighs in at 12%, but the Noël manages that potency without being too syrupy sweet.
5. Gouden Carolus Noël
Brouwerij Het Anker | Mechelen, Belgium | 10.5%
Gouden Carolus is another beer that was already a long way towards qualifying for this list before the even more wintry version was released. As sweet as molasses and nearly as thick, this will satisfy the beer lover and the sweet-tooth, and especially those of us who are both.
