Beers

Winter has descended upon College Park, forcing students inside to study, huddle by heaters and procrastinate. Personally, I can’t wait to get back to an actual fire in an actual fireplace and just relax. Until then, I’ve resorted to trying out four seasonal winter beers, all available in local liquor stores.

 

Heavy Seas Winter Storm

Heavy Seas is a personal favorite local brewery of mine; their stuff is of a higher quality than your mass-produced chugging beers, but it’s not too pricey. Its winter beer stands with the rest of their catalog. It’s bitter, hoppy and warms you up almost as well as diving into a pile of puppies. 

4 turtles out of 5.

Mad Elf

Have you ever had a really delicious piece of candy, something cloying and sweet that’s still amazing while you’re eating it? It’s only afterward that you sit in silence, feeling guilty for consuming something that might have had a bit too much sugar. That’s this beer. Mad Elf has honey and cherry, and while the drink itself is a pretty great ale and the honey mixes well, the cherry is a bit overpowering. The drink is also on the pricier end, but if you want to reward yourself for an excellent (or at least finished) final exam, it’s a tasty drink that’s worth having on a cold day. 

4.5 turtles out of 5.

Samuel Smith’s Winter Ale

This one is really, really, drinkable. I mean that in the good way and the bad. It’s a tasty, malty ale, but there isn’t much of an aftertaste. It leaves your mouth quicker than most beers I’ve had. All of this makes it easy to drink while doing other things, but it’s not that special on its own. It’s good but not great. 

3 turtles out of 5.

Merry Maker Gingerbread Stout

Do you like your beer dark, heavy and spicy? If the answer to this is a yes — and it should be — then you’ll probably like this one. It’s a good cream stout for fans of Guinness, full of rich flavor and a frothy head. However, its gingerbread flavor isn’t as pronounced as its name would lead you to believe. If you really want gingerbread, buy yourself some cookies. Sip this one slowly with some actual cookies by your side and a roaring fire to your back for the best effect. 

4 turtles out of 5.