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I picked up the beer for tomorrow's Thanksgiving feast. There were only a few stray Sam Adams lagers in the house, so I went and got some Z Street Mocha Java Stout, Gritty's Christmas Ale, Harpoon's Winter Warmer, and two that I just tried tonite.
Smuttynose Winter Ale: this brewery has a long run of excellent beers, and this one is no exception. Yes, this is made with roasted barley, but they went the extra few yards and used Trappist ale yeast. Served chilled but not cold, it should be left on the tongue so that as it warms, more subtle notes reveal themselves. Relatively light body, but definitely a cold-weather brew.
Stone Cat Pumpkin: Mercury Brewing is responsible for those good Ipswich growlers, and their Stone Cat label harbors some excellent recipes. Unlike Shipyard's pumpkin ale, which brought out the pumpkin and spices at the expense of body and hops, this is a very dark brown ale. It is hard to distinguish the pumpkin from the rest of the brew, but its presence means that you haven't tasted anything like this before. This should be served at cellar temperature, and would actually go well with dessert.
Smuttynose Winter Ale: this brewery has a long run of excellent beers, and this one is no exception. Yes, this is made with roasted barley, but they went the extra few yards and used Trappist ale yeast. Served chilled but not cold, it should be left on the tongue so that as it warms, more subtle notes reveal themselves. Relatively light body, but definitely a cold-weather brew.
Stone Cat Pumpkin: Mercury Brewing is responsible for those good Ipswich growlers, and their Stone Cat label harbors some excellent recipes. Unlike Shipyard's pumpkin ale, which brought out the pumpkin and spices at the expense of body and hops, this is a very dark brown ale. It is hard to distinguish the pumpkin from the rest of the brew, but its presence means that you haven't tasted anything like this before. This should be served at cellar temperature, and would actually go well with dessert.
