Monteiths Winter Ale

I just want it on the record that I am not a huge fan of the All Blacks but the Kiwis have a beer that’s nearly black which I am a fan of.

The South Island brewer, Monteith’s, has produced a great Summer Ale is ideally suited for the warmer months so with the temperature dropping, when I saw their Winter Ale, I just had to try it.

The Winter Ale is also labeled as a doppelbock – double bock – as is based on Bavarian brews which originated in the 1600s.

This rich dark beer is ideal for the winter months as the name suggests in so many ways.

It has a rich dark plum colour with a creamy head and an extremely inviting chocolate/roasted malt aroma.

I find that with all decent craft beers, taking time to appreciate the aroma provides a good indication of what you can expect and in this case, what you take in through the nose is also reflected in the mouth.

This is a smooth, almost creamy ale, full of body and flavour and greets you with chocolate notes initially before the malts come through in the aftertaste.

There’s just enough bite at the back of the palate to provide a subtle bitterness which doesn’t take away from the flavours you first encounter and if you enjoy a bock or dark beer, you will find yourself rolling your tongue around the mouth to make sure you have every drop before the next mouthful.

Being a bock (dark German beer) and with a generous amount of malt in it, this is no light weight ale at 6 per cent but it doesn’t make you feel too bloated event after a few which makes it an extremely sessionable and social drop.

That said, I could see you sitting down and polishing off a carton on a hot day and it is best suited to cooler weather where it does a great job of warming the insides.

I might suggest it goes well with darker meat dishes or some game meats like venison or with a chocolate type desert or pudding.

It’s a great finishing ale or even just to sit down and relax in front of the fire with.

Winter Ale is a well-balanced blend of flavours with far more character than some of the other commercial dark/black beers on the market.

If this is what I can look forward when the mercury drops, bring on winter!

MY TIP

Serve this cold but not chilled and if the room temperature isn'’t that warm, you could even allow it to stand for a little while. At around $16 per 330ml six pack, I think it’s great value and is available through major retail chains.