Ice Cold

Three PEC Beers to Enjoy this February

I’m not sure what it is about February, but it’s only halfway through the month and it feels like a year has already passed. Even typing these words is both tiring and draining. Clearly I need a little pick me-up to help me get through this month and closer to the sunnier, warmer weather on the horizon; however, our local groundhog saw it’s shadow, so with our luck we’re in for another six weeks of winter!

Luckily, I live in Prince Edward County, Ontario (Canada), and have access to several first-rate breweries. Like many people, I tend to drink darker beers more often during the Fall and Winter…although I’ve been known to indulge in an imperial stout (or two) during the Summer as well. And even though Prince Edward County is known primarily as a Summer destination, its breweries make several beers to help you get through these dreary days. Below, I talk about three such local beers and why they deserve a place in your fridge this February.

A friendly reminder that you can buy all of these beers online and that each brewery ships province-wide. Cheers!

DREAMS, Stout, 5.5% ABV 355ml (Slake Brewing, Picton, ON)

I was first attracted to DREAMS by the brewery’s simple description of it’s new Stout as “Coffee-ish,” and “Chocolately.” For those who know me and my love for Dieu du Ciel’s Peche Mortel, this affinity for coffee and beer will come as no surprise. However, upon some deeper digging, it was Slake’s claim to have made the first Stout with 100% Ontario ingredients that really piqued my interest. There are no suppliers of roasted malt in Ontario, and as a result, the brewery (with the help of their friends at Barn Owl Malt) roasted their own barley.

DREAMS pours a deep, dark brown (not quite jet black) with a very light tan head. It has faint roasty aromas accompanied by notes of bread crust, and flavours of roasted bitterness, followed by a delicate chocolate aftertaste. These flavours are enhanced as the beer warms up (unfortunately, I cannot always serve my beer at its proper temperature, nor do I always have the patience to wait until it reaches said temperature!); the notes of coffee and chocolate really shine through, making DREAMS a great beer to sip on, huddled inside on a cold Winter’s day in front of the fire. I think it’d be fair to say that Slake’s creativity paid off and I can only hope they experiment more in the future.

MUFF, Darkbier, 4.5% ABV 355ml (Matron Fine Beer, Bloomfield, ON)

I love that MUFF is a beer that defies expectations and style guidelines, and is simply a beer that you can enjoy on its own merits. As the brewery notes on its website, “Is it a porter? Is it a stout? Is it a dark lager? Who cares! It's roasty, toasty malt notes and smooth, luxurious body will satisfy your cold weather desires." And I couldn’t agree more.

Like other dark beers, MUFF is a beauty to look at: dark chocolate in colour, with a rich tan head comprised of small, tight bubbles. And when poured, deep, satisfying notes of roasted coffee jump out of the glass. Even better are the flavours of coffee, chocolate, and roast on first sip. And because Matron ferments MUFF with a lager yeast, it finishes clean and crisp; my wife succinctly noted: “It’s lighter than I thought.” If you can’t tell (and I’m not sure how you couldn’t), my infatuation for MUFF continues to grow by the day. Perfect for the Winter, perfect for the Summer, I’m very happy that I can drink MUFF year round.

LIL SCOOP, Neapolitan Imperial Stout, 10% ABV 250ml (Prince Eddy’s Brewing Co., Picton, ON)

I’m not going to lie, when I saw that Prince Eddy’s had released a beer in a Chubby Can, I was going to buy it no matter the style of beer. But when I gave it some more thought, I was very happy they decided to package LIL SCOOP in a 250 ml can. Often, big, boozy Imperial Stout’s can only be found in 650 ml or 750 ml bottles - too much to enjoy to oneself. In this smaller format, I can easily enjoy LIL SCOOP without having my palette overwhelmed or frankly, becoming a little too tipsy.

Facts: LIL SCOOP would make a great after-dinner dessert beer - full-bodied, rich, and creamy with a thick brown head. Although it’s inspired by Neapolitan ice cream, the predominant flavour is fresh strawberry jam, with the chocolate and vanilla firmly in the background. Yet, as a self-professed connoisseur of all that is sweet, LIL SCOOP really it the mark and brought back childhood memories of getting Neapolitan ice cream with my grandparents. Ahhh, nostalgia, the perfect pairing with any beer.