These 10 beers are the best of the best when it comes to winter seasonal beers, according to the rankings onÌý.
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Brewery:ÌýRussian River Brewing
Rating: 4.35 (out of 5)
Style: Imperial IPA
: "Pliny the Younger was Pliny the Elder’s nephew, in the case of this beer, the 'Younger' is a triple IPA. Pliny the Younger is hopped three times more than our standard IPA, and is dry hopped four different times."
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Brewery:ÌýBell's Brewery
Rating:Ìý4.27Ìý
Style:ÌýImperial Stout
: "One of the earliest examples of the Russian Imperial Stout in the United States, Expedition Stout offers immensely complex flavors crafted specifically with vintage aging in mind, as its profile will continue to mature and develop over the years. A huge malt body is matched to a heady blend of chocolate, dark fruits, and other aromas. Intensely bitter in its early months, the flavors will slowly meld and grow in depth as the beer ages. Available October-March."
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Brewery:ÌýSurly Brewing Company
Rating:Ìý4.2
Style:ÌýImperial Stout
: "This massive Russian Imperial Stout brings waves of flavors; chocolate, cherries, raisins, coffee, and toffee. We add a touch of hops to make this delicious brew even tastier. 85 IBUs."
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Brewery:ÌýDeschutes Brewery
Rating:Ìý4.2
Style:ÌýImperial Stout
:Ìý"This special Reserve Series brew will only be offered December – February (limited distribution). The Abyss: Stout brewed with licorice and molasses with 33% aged in oak and oak bourbon barrels. It’s dark. It’s deep. It’s mysterious. Aged in French Oak and Bourbon barrels, this special brew has immeasureable depth inviting you to explore and discover its rich, complex profile. The flavor of molasses and licorice draw you in further and further with each sip. The Abyss beckons. Enjoy the journey."
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Brewery:ÌýHair of the Dog Brewing Company
Rating:Ìý4.19
Style:ÌýAmerican Strong Ale
:Ìý"Matt VandenBerghe and Matt Bonney (Bottleworks and Brouwers in Seattle) personify the spirit and dedication that has helped craft beer become the vibrant industry it is today. This Beer was originally Brewed to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Bottleworks, and will be released every few years from the Brewery. Matt is made with two Munich malts, two Smoked malts and two types of Belgian candy sugar. It is aged in Kentucky Bourbon and Apple Eau de Vie barrels from Clear Creek distilling. Matt is deep and lush with notes of apple, chocolate and smoke."
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Brewery:ÌýBrowar Kormoran
Rating:Ìý4.18
Style:ÌýBaltic Porter
:Ìý"Imperial Baltic Porter 26° BLG aged with Suska Sechlonska (dried plum with smoky aroma). Black beer with fine-beige foam. The aroma hits a riot of dark smells: coffee, cocoa, chocolate and chocolate pralines with lavishly-heeled fruit liqueur. All of this raises combined with notes of noble alcohol and smoked fruit. The vast smoked note comes not from smoked malts, but the application of Suska Sechlonska - smoked dried plum coming from Sechna village that have the European Union Protected Geographical Indication certificate. The taste confirms everything that appeared in the aroma. Smooth chocolate and the best Belgian pralines combine with delicate sweetness, roastiness and slightly sour coffee finish and noble, warming alcohol notes."
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Brewery:ÌýFremont Brewing Company
Rating:Ìý4.14
Style:ÌýAmerican Strong Ale
:Ìý"Lovingly referred to by Fremonters as the B-BOMB, this bourbon barrel-aged edition of our winter ale has a warming spicy aroma and rich carmelly notes of bourbon, wood and vanilla added to dark roasty chocolatey malt flavors and subtle hopping."
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Brewery:ÌýSouthampton Publick House
Rating:Ìý4.13
Style:ÌýImperial Stout
: "Our rich, roasted black ale inspired by the strong stouts exported by Great Britain in the 1800's to the Russian Czar's court."
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Brewery:ÌýGreat Divide Brewing Company
Rating:Ìý4.12
Style:ÌýImperial Stout
:Ìý"Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout is a new addition to the Yeti clan. A generous infusion of Denver’s own Pablo’s espresso adds yet another layer of complexity to this beer, combining with the vanilla oak character, intense roasty maltiness and bold hop profile to create a whole new breed of mythical creature. It’s official, you can now have Yeti with breakfast."
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Brewery:ÌýFree State Brewing Company
Rating:Ìý4.11
Style:ÌýImperial Stout
:Ìý"This very special beer was brewed as a Double Strength Imperial Stout. Imperial Stouts being very big beers to begin with, that puts this at the strength of a barleywine. The Original Gravity is 27.5 P/1118, then the hopping level is very hard to define, though there are enough hops to achieve 100 IBUs in a smaller beer, this beer still has a distinct sweetness due to a high percentage of unfermentable sugars. After fermentation, this beer was aged in old whiskey barrels from the McCormack’s bottling plant in Weston, MO, hence the name Owd Mac’s (owd being a British regional colloquialism for old)."
Food costs, wage hike make it hard to offer deals, owners say.Ìý
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