For many of us, the winter means that it will be a little chillier than normal. Maybe we throw on a sweater or jacket over a tee shirt. No big deal. But for others, the winter months mean one thing in particular: lots of snow. Much of the northeast (and even parts of North Carolina and Virginia) have already seen blanket after blanket of snow and it isn’t even technically winter yet. For these folks, the thought of scraping ice and snow off of their cars and heading out into the blizzard-like conditions doesn’t exactly sound like a winter wonderland. They’d rather just hunker down with a blanket, a good book, and maybe a pint of a warming, delicious wintry beer.
But what if you were snowed in and could only choose one beer to drink? We asked some of our favorite bartenders to tell us their choices. Check them all out below.
Three Floyd’s Zombie Dust
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Johnny Kalita, bartender at South Branch in Chicago
“Three Floyd’s Zombie Dust is a perfect snowed in beer. It’s a well-balanced pale ale, with great taste and an ideal ABV of 6.2%. Perfect six pack for listening to Metal and playing Red Dead. Also has a badass logo and bottle artwork that is Metal AF.
Stiegl Grapefruit Radler
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John Neumueller, beverage director at Spoonfed in Los Angeles
“If I was snowed in, what is the one beer I’d have to have? Stiegl Grapefruit Radler. It’s barely beer. I could drink 100 of them. Quantity over quality.”
Oddside Mayan Mocha Stout
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Dorothy Elizabeth, bartender at Henry at Life Hotel in New York City
“If I’m snowed in, I go for Oddside’s Mayan Mocha Stout (out of Traverse City, Michigan). It’s a delicious stout brewed with some mocha and some chili. It’s like a Mexican hot cocoa wrapped into a bubbly beer format.”
Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin
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Vanessa Beaderstadt, bartender at Acadia in Chicago
“If I was snowed in, I’d be all about the Grapefruit Sculpin. Hearty, citrusy, and so delicious. Plus, it would make me dream of summer.”
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
Mary Pellettieri, co-founder of Top Note Tonic in Milwaukee
“From my basement, Bourbon County Stout. Let’s face it, a beer like that is perfect for a snowy night with a good book and a nice fire.”
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Erin Ward, beverage director of Alicart Restaurant Group in New York City
“If I was snowed in, what is the one beer I’d have to have? A stout. Any of these would be a nice fireside sipper — founder’s MF Donkey stout (made with Coffee and Fudge), Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, a simple Left Hand Milk Stout or Flying Dog Oyster Stout.”
Terrapin Luau Krunkles
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Gina Alfano, bartender at City Works in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
“If I was snowed there’s one beer I’d have to have. Terrapin Luau Krunkles — because it will make me forget how cold it is outside and make me think of the beach and warmer weather.”
Corona Light
Sue Stia, bartender at The Oak Room in Princeton, New Jersey
“If I was snowed in, I would need Corona Light. Island life inside, winter wonderland outside. I once built an entire ice bar, out of snow, during a blizzard, all the while drinking Corona Light.”
New Glarus Serendipity
Ashley Bretthauer, bartender at The Diplomat in Milwaukee
“If was snowed in, what is the one beer I’d have to have? New Glarus Serendipity, it is fruity and perfect for a snowy day.”
Guinness Stout
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Casey Lyons, lead bartender at Pacific Hideaway in Huntington Beach, California
“Guinness. It’s the perfect ‘glass half full’ beer in a cold weather situation, because the temperature of that beautiful milkshake is constantly perfect.”
