Snow beers
While some folks rush to buy milk, bread and toilet paper when it snows, I admit that when the flakes start to fall, one of my first thoughts is: “How much beer do I have in the house?”
You never want to be snowbound without some beers to keep you company.
One of the best “snow beer” stories I have heard involves the neighborhood known as “Alonsoville” because of its promixity to Alonso’s restaurant on Cold Spring Lane in Baltimore. The story goes that in the aftermath of a blizzard a few years ago, the menfolk of the neighborhood banded together to shovel out the streets and sidewalks. The womenfolk , in turn, encouraged the shovelers by burying bottles of beer in strategically-placed snowbanks. It is a heart-warming story, even if it might not be true.
As the snow fell today, it got me thinking what kind of beer I would like to find in a snow bank. My first thought was Snow Goose. Any other nominations?
Comments
The two beers that come to my mind when the flakes fly are Bachelor ESB and Jubelale, both made by the Deschutes Brewery in Bend, OR and, alas, unavailable here on the East Coast. Bachelor ESB brings back memories of a cold (outside, but warm inside) evening spent at a roadhouse in the Chugach Mountains north of Valdez, Alaska a few years back. Jubelale is a winter seasonal that I enjoyed for several winters in Oregon before heading east.
Posted by: Tim | December 5, 2007 5:33 PM
winter storm!!
it's my favorite out of the clipper city brewing company, and only available in the winter time!
Posted by: ben | December 5, 2007 10:06 PM
Celebration. my most anticipated release.
Posted by: Jason | December 6, 2007 8:58 AM
Snow Goose is a great choice. I really miss the Snowball's Chance brew from Blue Ridge. I think it was even better than Snow Goose.
Posted by: Rick | December 6, 2007 10:33 AM
I second Jason's vote for Celbration Ale and also enjoy Winter Hook.
During a snow storm a few years back I brought along a 750ml bottle of mead (the brewey escapes me) when all of us "big kids" went sledding in Wyman Park. Kept it chilled in a snow bank and it sure hit the spot after wiping out on the sled!
Posted by: Greg S | December 6, 2007 3:34 PM
i agree with rick. snowball's chance was a better brew, although snow goose is hard to beat!
Posted by: chuck | December 6, 2007 8:14 PM
Harpoon Winter Warmer, tastes like gingerbread cookies
Posted by: Matt | December 7, 2007 3:29 PM
snow beer related story.several years ago....as a blizzard stuck...i was "stuck" :-) @ the mt royal tavern(at the time i lived around the corner......anyhow at some point the bar decided to close due to weather getting worse and worse.....i can still feel the frenzy as people rushed the bar for carryout,and can still remember the site of what seemed like hundreds of brown bags flying around the bar......later that night i ventured out and made the slow walk up howard street to the "OLD VOUS".......oh the good old days......
Posted by: Anonymous | December 8, 2007 2:38 PM