One of the best things about winter being right around the corner is the number of winter lagers and ales that begin showing up on the store shelves this time of year. Mrs. Porch and I went grocery shopping tonight, and in my weekly walk through the beer aisle I spotted the winter ale of my favorite local micro-brewery, Christian Morlein.
Christian Morlein has a varied line of craft brews that include Double Dark Lager, Helles Lager, OTR Ale and a few others. My favorite is the Chrstkindl Ale Winter Warmer. It pours a dark amber, looks a little like a thin root beer. It didn’t have a very thick head and it dissapated fairly quickly which was a little disappointing. It had a nice malty aroma with a little bit of spice, perfect for a cold winter night. It’s taste is beyond my ability to describe, but I’ll try. It has a definite taste of malt that makes it a bold and hearty brew, a touch of chocolate with an almost perfect amount of hops to make this the most flavorful beer I have ever tasted. This one has a very wide range of food it could be coupled with. If you try it, I would suggest something hearty like beef stew, pot roast, turkey and dressing or baked pork chops with fried apples. Too bad it’s not brewed in the summer time because it would be a good cookout beer too. If you are not bothered by the cold and feel like braving the midwestern elements in mid-January, this beer would go well with cheeseburgers or bratwursts. (or both) It really is too bad people outside of the Cincinnati marketing area don’t have access to this beer.
The day after Thanksgiving marks the day that I begin my annual search for the “Official beer” of the Porch household for Christmas. I couldn’t help myself this year to start a bit early. Although, I think I will stick to this tradition by buying more of this one on November 28th. Some of you may think this is just an excuse for me to drink more of this beer, but in the name of tradition, I will sacrifice and give the rest of the winter brews a fair chance. If you happen to find yourself in the greater Cincinnati area this holiday season, this is a must try.
P-O-R-C-H rating: H.
Posted by Mr. Porch in Ales, Beer Reviews, Christian Morlein, Winter Beers
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