First, an excerpt from a sodden poem:

Some poor folks will never know,
the warmth within the tavern room
while fending off a driven storm,
sweet solace from the winter's gloom
and comfort for the soul.

And who could ever ask for more;
than one last beer before the door.

From  "A Winter Warmer" (1993, Gregg Smith)  See The Beer Drinker's Bible, page 249, or http://www.realbeer.com/library/authors/smith-g/a_winter.php

Over the years, much has been written about winter beers or the ales made for the winter chill. Some call them winter warmers but their one constant is that every brewer produces some kind of variation on a style, idea or genre. They are all different. Part of the charm of the seasonal beer hunt is finding a new one. (That doesn't get old for me.) There are stouts and porters of course, flavored concoctions of raspberry and spice, many with high alcohol content.  Styles vary and the variations can range from the truly weird (I once had a home-brewed ale that tastes like an evergreen) to the sublime tongue twisting notes of an India Pale Ale, such as Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale (a personal must-have).

One such new IPA offering found in my beer cooler of choice recently is Geary's Winter Ale from the D.L. Geary Brewing Company (Portland, Maine), and deserving of inspection by a roaring fire. Far too often, brewers promise something special in their offerings and then fail to deliver. Not so with Geary's. 

As mentioned in an earlier review, "Geary's was one of my first forays into craft brewing and over the years I've returned to them time and again when I find them available. No matter what the other breweries might experiment with and foist on an unsuspecting public, Geary's keeps doing it right in my opinion. They just make good beer."

Geary's produces 3-year round brews (Pale Ale, London Porter, and Hampshire Special Ale) and 3-seasonals (Summer, Autumn, and Winter). Every one is worth a place in your beer fridge.

Style Notes
India Pale Ale (IPA) was first brewed back in the late 18th Century as a way to deliver ales to the far reaches of the British Empire. It gets its name as ale bound for India. The long voyage (of six months or more) demanded ale that could withstand the rigors of the sea to the thirsty colonists.  So, a brewer (George Hodgson) devised something with a huge amount of hops to make the trip. It was the first real ale to go, so to speak. [See The Good Beer Book, by Timothy Harper and Garret Oliver, pages 38-39 for more information on the origins of the IPA.]

Geary's Winter Ale has a 6-percent alcohol by volume (ABV) rating and is brewed using two row English malts (clarity, crystal, and wheat); and three hop varietals ( Mt. Hood, Golding, and Fuggle).  [I paid $8.49 for a six-pack in Connecticut over Thanksgiving.]

Geary's is not quite a true IPA by some measures (The Good Beer Book rates the IPA style at between 6.5 and 7.5 percent ABV, page 39.)  Geary's is bit under that mark but stylistic quibbles aside, this is a very nicely done ale, true IPA or not.

Tasting Notes
Geary's Winter Ale pours out to a straw colored light amber with a frothy head. There is a nice grassy note to the aroma with a floral scent. The taste is immediately pleasant, a blend of dryness at first mouthful, a touch of sweetness from the malt and then a long lingering dry finish with a touch of citrus and pepper. The dryness predominates. This is an ale that announces itself with some subtlety but finishes with a bang of hop dryness.

The taste is of a floral/citrus blend with a bit of grapefruit sharpness and a touch of sweet. The finish is surprisingly long and dry.

This is a very satisfying ale with some of the winter warmer qualities I admire. I am especially drawn to the dryness of it, which is my favorite aspect of the IPA style. Geary's Winter Ale is very much in keeping with the session ale tradition: worthy of conversation, perhaps with some hearty cheese (Stilton anyone?) and bread accompaniment.

Many people think of IPAs as a warm weather drinker, but actually, they go a long way when drinking when it is colder outside. The higher alcohol content gives IPAs a nice winter warmer effect. They can be drunk the year round.

Overall, Geary's Winter Ale is a well-done IPA, perhaps not in the perfect style, but certainly within the traditional framework. It is available from November to February. Add it to your beer fridge this winter. (four stars)

Sources
www.gearybrewing.com, www.drinkmainebeer.com

Harper, Timothy, and Garret Oliver. The Good Beer Book, New York: Berkley Books, 1997.

Smith, Gregg, and Carrie Getty. The Beer Drinker's Bible (Lore, Trivia & History: Chapter & Verse), Boulder, Colo.: Brewer's Publications, 1997.

*My thanks to Bruguru for adding the ale to the category.*

Recommended: Yes