Pete's Wicked Winter
Brew
Review Date 7/8/2001
Try?
Re-buy?
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Well, ok, maybe
the second most wonderful time of the year. Christmas has always been a very
special event for me, so special in fact that I just can’t celebrate it only
once a year. I suspect I’m not the only one who feels that way, since
Christmas in July is not a concept I can claim I invented. Whoever might
have thought up the idea, what better time than July for a second yuletide
celebration? Just about halfway away from the 25th of December, July is also
one of the warmest months, and certainly that heat can use a little
amelioration through memories of snowflakes, Christmas trees, and cold
December nights.
OK, I don’t put up a tree in July, and I certainly don’t go out to build a snowman. I do, however, like to save some winter seasonal brews for July sampling. As a beer enthusiast and Bruguru, seasonal beers are a big part of the magic of the holiday season, and it’s always a lot of fun to age a few and see how they hold up over the months until July. Winter seasonals are usually bigger, bolder beers too, and therefore they tend to hold up well over time, sometimes even improving with age.
Pete’s Wicked Winter Brew did not strike me as being a particularly strong beer, and so I had my concerns about how well it had been preserved through about 8 months in one of my DBRs (Dedicated Beer Refrigerators). The beer is moderate in both body and alcohol, weighing in at 1.052 original gravity and 5.1% alcohol by volume.
Into the CD player goes Mannheim Steamroller’s Fresh Air Christmas to set
the mood. I pop the cap and pour the bottle into my Pete’s Wicked Winter
pint glass. The color is deep amber with a thick formation of foam atop. The
nose is full of raspberry notes; one can tell right away this will be a very
fruity brew. I take a sip. Surprise! This beer is as good now as it was back
in December. The body is rich and creamy with a good dose of raspberry and a
touch of nutmeg. This is not a sweet and cloying brew, rather it is nicely
balanced with Cascade, Tettnang, and Saaz hops in the finish.
Pete’s Wicked Winter Brew is formulated from a recipe entered in a contest Pete Slosberg sponsored years back among homebrewers. It has been the recipe used for this beer ever since. It’s a wonderful dessert beer; no matter what time of year you drink it. Try it with a dish of black raspberry ice cream for a deliciously cool summer treat.
OK, I don’t put up a tree in July, and I certainly don’t go out to build a snowman. I do, however, like to save some winter seasonal brews for July sampling. As a beer enthusiast and Bruguru, seasonal beers are a big part of the magic of the holiday season, and it’s always a lot of fun to age a few and see how they hold up over the months until July. Winter seasonals are usually bigger, bolder beers too, and therefore they tend to hold up well over time, sometimes even improving with age.
Pete’s Wicked Winter Brew did not strike me as being a particularly strong beer, and so I had my concerns about how well it had been preserved through about 8 months in one of my DBRs (Dedicated Beer Refrigerators). The beer is moderate in both body and alcohol, weighing in at 1.052 original gravity and 5.1% alcohol by volume.
Into the CD player goes Mannheim Steamroller’s Fresh Air Christmas to set
the mood. I pop the cap and pour the bottle into my Pete’s Wicked Winter
pint glass. The color is deep amber with a thick formation of foam atop. The
nose is full of raspberry notes; one can tell right away this will be a very
fruity brew. I take a sip. Surprise! This beer is as good now as it was back
in December. The body is rich and creamy with a good dose of raspberry and a
touch of nutmeg. This is not a sweet and cloying brew, rather it is nicely
balanced with Cascade, Tettnang, and Saaz hops in the finish. Pete’s Wicked Winter Brew is formulated from a recipe entered in a contest Pete Slosberg sponsored years back among homebrewers. It has been the recipe used for this beer ever since. It’s a wonderful dessert beer; no matter what time of year you drink it. Try it with a dish of black raspberry ice cream for a deliciously cool summer treat.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
