Cheers is dedicated to delivering hospitality professionals the information, insights and data necessary to drive their beverage business by covering trends and innovations in operations, merchandising, service and training.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/776571
www.cheersonline.com 29 January/February 2017 • B eer quenches thirst in the hot summer months, but in the short cold days of winter, we see the complete beer fl avor spectrum. From the sweet fl avor of caramel malt to the bitter tannin of oak, from aromatic spice to earthy yeast, winter beers provide diverse sensory experiences. These are the days to tuck into hearty winter warmers, intense Imperial Stouts, and boozy barleywines. During the holiday season, breweries commemorate festivities by releasing special beers that keep spirits high in the cold months that follow. For warmer regions that may not feel like hibernating as much, bars and restaurants should think outside the box with specialty ciders and beer cocktails. GOING DARK Before diving into the darker side of beer, remember that not all roasty ales are heavy in body or particularly high gravity. You can dispel some misconceptions about dark beer among drinkers by reminding guests that Guinness Draught stout has comparable alcohol content to Bud Light. "It's a given that as the weather begins to cool and we enter the winter months, our very seasonal menu changes, as do people's palates," says Jordan Burghardt, assistant general manager at Arcana Restaurant in Boulder, CO. "The beer list needs to adapt and become heartier to match the food." Arcana sits behind Boulder's busy pedestrian Pearl Street Mall, and showcases not just American cuisine, but also historical regional fare. Colorado-grown vegetables, grain, and game balance an ambitious bar program that includes boutique wine, fanciful cocktails and carefully selected craft beer. To adapt the beer list to the weather, Burghardt looks to darker brews. "There's just something warming about English Old Ales, Baltic Porters, Imperial Stouts," he says. Sometimes the warming effect is due to alcohol or spice, but Burghardt recommends a beer that straddles both. "My go-to winter beer is Great Divide Hibernation Ale." The Denver beer, which Arcana prices at $7, "is incredibly complex, malt-driven, with a kick of English hops to round it out," he says. "The malt gives it notes of dark fruit, cocoa and roasted nuts—but it's not as chocolatey/coffee-esque as a lot of winter beers, which makes it a great option for pairing." One coffee beer that sells well at Arcana is Denver-based Crooked Stave's Coffee Baltic porter, a rich and smooth example that pours a deep cocoa brown. Stylistically, it's not just the toasty, charred beers that get attention this time of year. Zach Rivera is bar manager at Headquarters Beercade in Chicago, where two levels of retro arcades encourage a lively atmosphere. Patrons challenge each other to games in an urban setting with 28 beer taps between two levels and a wide selection of cans priced $6 to $9. Rivera values variety in the selection of beer. "Winter is big for porters and stouts, as well as barleywine and winter warmers," he says. "You'll also see some spiced beers thrown in the mix. People want to come inside and warm up with something that has some ABV and body to it." BARREL-AGED AND SEASONALS City Works Restaurant and Bar in downtown Minneapolis, features more than 90 taps, with 25% of available beers coming from the Twin Cities area. Bar manager Daniel Sondgeroth is dedicated to offering fresh, local beer and notes seasonal changes to the lineup. "During the winter months, we also go a bit heavier on barrel-aged and uniquely wintery-fl avored beers, as well as getting many of the 'must-have' beers, like a Surly Darkness and Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout," Sondgeroth says. Arcana Restaurant in Boulder, CO, adapts its beer list to the weather, opting for more dark brews such as English Old Ales, Baltic porters and Imperial Stouts during the winter months. City Works Restaurant and Bar in downtown Minneapolis, fea- tures more than 90 taps. It attracts beer afi cionados with annual favorites, such as Christmas releases.