Anderson Valley Brewing Co: Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale

With all this talk about the lunar eclipse last week and now more buzz about the leap year approaching on February 29, I had to give a shout out to my new favorite astronomical event: The Winter Solstice.

Although the Winter Solstice passed without me even blinking an eye, it now serves as a reminder for the release of a new favorite: Anderson Valley's Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale. Winter Solstice is Anderson Valley's take on the winter warmer. This beer is a great winter ale without the overpowering nature of most winter brews. It's best quality is its smooth creamy mouthfeel. Although brewed with winter spices, the caramel malts make this beer incredibly drinkable. What's even more extraordinary is the brew packs a punch. With the alcohol content teetering at 6.9%, its silky feeling is even more impressive.

I had been meaning to try a six pack of this beer for a couple months (as I've enjoyed all other AVBC beers) and for some reason or another never made the investment. I may have prematurely skipped over this winter ale for a couple of spring releases, but luckily I found a pair of 22 ouncers still sitting on the shelf. This beer, in a 22oz bottle, turned out to be the perfect commitment. As Hof mentioned in a prior post, a bomber of a strong ale can be a hearty and apt pre-party packed into a single bottle. This beer is the perfect pre-party substitute for Arrogant Bastard or any other strong ale. This winter warmer has just as much alcohol content but without the alcohol taste. So if you’re in a mood for something smooth prior to your next shindig, give Winter Solstice a try.

It is possible by now that Witner Solstice is out of stock . If that's the case, you may have to wait 'till next winter. But when winter solstice 2009 hits, hopefully it’ll jog your memory to go grab this beer. Cheers