First things first… SNOW. Snow prompts Peaks & Pints to think that the All Mighty, while he may not shoot craps with the universe as Albert Einstein said, at least has a sense of humor. She makes existence uncertain by conjuring up mountain-level snow every now and then, but at no apparently regular interval, and throws in a few earthquakes, ice storms, floods and the like now and then just to let us know who is boss. Now what? Well, the original downhill pioneers damn near strapped entire tree trunks to their feet, doggedly steering them like great monoliths. Those folks laughed and laughed — even though they were working up one helluva rash. Times have changed, and so have the equipment, clothing and attitudes. What hasn’t changed is the thrill one feels when the planks are strapped on. Wednesday, Nov. 20, Peaks & Pints will ask our guests to pray to the mythical Norse God of Snow, Ullr, at our Pray For Snow Party, beginning at 6 p.m. That’s not so odd; when you think about it, as NOAA’s winter outlook shows the Pacific Northwest having higher chances of colder and wetter than normal weather through the months of December to February. Today, we’re pre-funking for our Pray For Snow Party with a Friday flight of winter beers — a flight we’re calling Peaks and Pints Beer Flight: Pray For Snow Prefunk.
Peaks and Pints Beer Flight: Pray For Snow Prefunk
Rainy Daze Frosty Chairlift
6.9% ABV
Flick, acting on a triple-dog dare, stuck his tongue on a frosted school flagpole. Years later, Harry Dunne’s tongue met the same fate when he went for a refreshing ski-chairlift pole. No, doubt there are thousands of other cases when frost foiled fun, but Peaks & Pints be damned if we didn’t warn you to put that frosted pint glass back in the freezer. Pouring Rainy Daze Brewing’s Frosty Chairlift winter warmer into said glass would foil fun, watering down the hoppy, piney, brown sugar and cedar notes.
Anderson Valley Winter Solstice
6.9% ABV
Anderson Valley Brewing’s Winter Solstice hits the nose with caramelized malty and spicy aromas redolent of cinnamon, allspice, black currant, black licorice. Pleasantly creamy, with a silky body, the winter warmer offers sweet caramel flavor with hints of seasonal spices and a clean, malty finish.
Bale Breaker High Camp Winter IPA
7.3% ABV
Named for the ski lodge atop of White Pass Ski Area, High Camp IPA takes Bale Breaker’s signature hop-forward style to a darker side with the addition of chocolate malts for malty backbone of spice and chocolate. Dry-hopped with Cascade, Centennial, and Mosaic, the hop character in High Camp bursts with pine and grapefruit.
Kulshan Kitten Mittens Winter Ale
7.4% ABV, 39 IBU
Kulshan Brewing adds four different malts — 2-row, Chocolate, roasted barley and Munich — to Kitten Mittens Winter Ale giving it the rich, medium-bodied winter warmer we adore with a nose of milk chocolate and a touch of brown malt. The body strikes a nice mix of easy malty notes and medium sweet chocolate balanced by earthy hop notes, thanks to the Apollo, Willamette and Fuggle hops. We dig the touch of chocolate liquor on the finish.
21st Amendment Fireside Chat
7.9% ABV
In 2000, Nico Freccia and Shaun O’Sullivan founded 21st Amendment Brewery in the South Park neighborhood of San Francisco, California. As avid beer enthusiasts, Freccia and O’Sullivan were determined to establish an ongoing celebration of the overturned 21st Amendment to the Constitution and gave their brewery the amendment’s namesake to commemorate it. Their Fireside Chat winter ale give a nod toward Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Depression-era radio addresses. (Franklin Roosevelt won the 1932 presidential election based on his promise to repeal the 18th Amendment. He did so incrementally, beginning by legalizing the sale of beer, and ending with the 21st Amendment, the first and only time an amendment to the Constitution has ever been repealed.) On the nose, all the typical winter warmer flavors are accounted for: roasted malts, cinnamon, ginger, caramel, clove, and a smidgen of orange peel. Big notes of cinnamon and ginger lie in wait up front, with a touch of subtle orange peel and some clove with a big ginger sendoff, washing in some cinnamon, bread notes and subtle chocolate, too.
LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory
