The novelty of the season is mulled beer, or beer for the Christmas holidays
Winter beer is a seasonal, usually dark beer with a high alcohol content, which is brewed with the onset of the cold season. In the modern world, the preparation and drinking of beer for Christmas has become a tradition, an integral attribute of the New Year holidays.
The first mention of winter beer refers to the ancient Vikings, who brewed it in honor of the solstice. During the celebration, the Vikings drank hot dark beer. A strong drink with a rich taste warmed them and protected them from colds in the harshest winter.Christmas beer is not a specific style. This is the name for various varieties, the common feature of which is that they are brewed for the holidays. The intoxicating drink reminds of winter entertainment, and also creates fun and good mood.Today, the term Winter Warmer is used, which in English means winter warming beer. Usually it is a dark beer, aged, strong, with caramel notes. Overall, it has a rich, complex flavor and aroma. To achieve a special aftertaste, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger are added to it, honey, orange and lemon zest, maple syrup, juniper, etc. are added.Christmas beer can be served cold or hot. Mulled beer warms up perfectly, just like mulled wine, but there is less sweetness in beer. The intoxicating drink turns out to be rich, with a bright bread aroma and a slight sourness in the taste. Mulled beer is a novelty that is already being sold at Christmas fairs all over the world, and may soon appear in Belarus.Recipe for Mulled Beer on Porter 8/20Mulled beer can be made at home, it’s not difficult at all. In order to make a real hot beer, remember one simple rule – it should never be brought to a boil.To make a mulled beer, take 1 liter of dark beer – Porter 8/20. Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, rosemary, cardamom, nutmeg are suitable for spices. You can add dried fruits, for example, apples or pears, as well as the zest of citrus fruits – orange, lemon. Don’t forget about honey: 1 liter of Porter 8/20 will need 1 tablespoon of honey.The drink should be heated over low heat, the ideal temperature for it will be 70-80 degrees. The advantage of hot beer is that it can be prepared the day before consumption, and then simply reheated. Once infused, it will become even more fragrant.