During the winter, when the weather gets too cold to venture outside, I like to settle in with good company and great beer. The New Jersey craft beer scene has exploded in recent years, and seasonal ales are in no short supply. Whether you’re curling up fireside or just curling up under a blanket, these cold winter ales are sure to keep you warm.
Oatmeal Milk Stout, Riverhorse Brewing Company, Ewing
A smooth stout with creamy finish, the Oatmeal Milk is brewed with oats and milk sugar, and contains notes of chocolate and coffee. ABV 6.7%.
Mexican Morning, Conclave Brewing, Raritan
This espresso milk stout has a real kick. Brewed with ried red chile de arbol peppers, vanilla bean, cinnamon and cocoa nibs, it’s a sweet and complex concoction. ABV 5%.
Grand Cru Winter Reserve, Flying Fish Brewing Company, Somerdale
The Grand Cru is a Belgian-style golden ale fermented at a higher temperature than other beers in Flying Fish’s collection. With undercurrents of fruitiness and clove and with a dry finish, it makes for an excellent after-dinner drink. ABV 6.9%.
Skyway Saison, New Jersey Beer Company, North Bergen
The latest limited release from the winner of New Jersey Monthly‘s Jersey Craft Beer Showdown is a farmhouse ale named after one of Hudson County’s most well-known bridges. The brew features pilsner malt and Munich malts and is spiced with Grains of Paradise, grapefruit peel and chamomile. ABV 5.5%.
Come Quick Danger, Forgotten Boardwalk Brewing Company, Cherry Hill
This Imperial IPA gets it name from the first wireless telegraph message sent from the Navesink Twin Lights Lighthouse by Guglielmo Marconi. With its sweet aroma of pineapple, orange, peach and dark cherry, you’ll be reminded of warmer days ahead. ABV 7.8%.
What are your favorite locally-brewed winter beers? Let us know in the comments!