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Beer lovers don't really need a reason to drink. But winter ales have such seasonal appeal with their unusual spices and limited-edition bottles, they're hard to resist.
Jubelale, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2007, was the first beer ever bottled by Deschutes Brewery. This year the bottle art packs a multi-colored punch. Artist Lindy Gruger Hanson, from Bend, Oregon, depicts starry, snowflake-like symbols set against a range of mountains. Inside, you'll find a brown-orange ale that pours with a foamy head that leaves some lacing on the glass when it has settled down. It's dark, it's nutty, it's sweet, it's bitter, and it's got some crazy combination of clove, cinnamon and coriander flavors clinging to the palate. That nicely balances the bitterness that charts a substantial 60 IBUs, or "International Bitterness Units," for you non-hopheads.
Some winter ales, like Christmas ales, can seem gimmicky, syrupy or sweet. This one's powerful and highly drinkable (6.7 percent alcohol by volume). The biggest drawback: It's available through December only. So stock up now for the season.
-- James Oliver Cury
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