Winter is coming, and with the change in season comes colder temperatures, holidays, and time with family and friends. If you’re a beer drinker, winter is also a great time to enjoy hearty beers that help you stay warm during any occasion. Banko Beverage Co is one of the oldest and largest beverage distributors in Pennsylvania and offers a wide selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, including seasonal brews, to restaurants and bars throughout the greater Lehigh Valley area. Here, we’ll discuss what types of beer you should have handy this winter when the weather gets cold.
Winter Warmers
As the weather gets colder and colder, you’ll benefit from drinking winter warmers, or seasonal beers with slightly higher alcohol by volume (ABV) that help you stay warm. These winter warmer beers usually have more malty sweetness and less hoppy bitterness. The flavors are typically bold, full, and have a medium to heavy body. Some common winter beers include:
Porters
Porters are a common choice for winter beer for a few reasons. They have a medium body with subtle flavor notes of coffee, chocolate, or fruit that are delicious on chilly days. Different types of porters have different ABVs, but they typically range from 4.0% to 9.5%.
At Banko Beverage Co, we offer a variety of porters for you to choose from, including Yuengling Dark Brewed Porter. This 4.7% ABV porter is made with dark roasted malts and caramel to create a rich, full-bodied flavor. The creamy taste and notes of chocolate make this a great choice to drink on a cold winter day.
Stouts
Stouts are one of the most common winter beers because they’re quite heavy and filling. They’re a similar beer type to porters with a few key differences. Stouts use roasted malts while porters don’t, and stouts have a fuller body and dark flavor. The ABV range for stouts is between 4.0 to 12.0%, which helps drinkers feel warm and toasty.
Banko Beverage Co carries a variety of stouts to choose from, including Guinness Extra Stout with a 5.6% ABV. This stout boasts a rich, deep, roasted flavor that is sharp and crisp and has notes of coffee and chocolate.
Bocks and Doppelbocks
Bock beers are a traditional German beer with an ABV of around 6% and very low hop bitterness and carbonation. They tend to have a strong flavor with a smooth, drawn-out finish. Doppelbocks are a subtype of bock beers and are thought of as a stronger version of bock. Doppelbocks were created by monks to have fuller and richer bodies and more alcohol so they could sustain them through long fasts. Typically, the ABV will be at least 7% and this fact along with the rich taste makes doppelbocks a great choice for a winter warmer.
Banko Beverage Co offers Hofbräu Maibock, a 7.2% ABV beer with a slightly sweet, rich malty flavor. Add this beer or another bock or doppelbock to your winter beer list.
Barley Wines
Barley wine ales today are not actually wine but are English-style beers with an increased alcohol content. Barley wines are aged over time. The ABV of barley wine ales can be up to 12%, but the richness of the English malt and hop makes them taste more like very robust beers. Barley wines have a rich flavor with notes of toffee, fruit, or nuts. The flavor profile and strong alcohol content are great to help you feel nice and warm on cold winter nights.
Scotch Ales
Scotch ales originate in Scotland, of course, and feature dark colors, rich maltiness, and full bodies. The ABV can range from around 3.5% to 6% to even more, depending on the specific type. The combination of the rich body and higher ABV in some scotch ales makes them a great choice to warm yourself up with during the winter months.
As a full-beverage enterprise, Banko Beverage Co offers both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to our clients and has what you need no matter the season.
Contact Us Today
Get ready to warm up this winter by trying one or all of these winter beers! Banko Beverage Co, serving the greater Lehigh Valley area and surrounding counties, is a trusted beverage distributor that has the beverages your customers want, whether it’s beer, seltzer, cider, or more. Contact us today to learn more about our services or other seasonal beer offerings.