Winter warming beer in Nelson.

Discover winter warming beer in Nelson at Fresh Choice… Here’s Denis Cooper to give you the low down…

The days are shorter, and the temperature in the Fresh Choice meat department seems warmer. This can only mean one thing, winter’s here. Darker days call for darker beers, so you get some comforting warmth from dark malt-driven beers that pack slightly more alcoholic warmth.

Two of the nicest winter blanket beers I’ve had come from a couple of Danish brothers who call themselves To Øl. Pronounced “toe ool” (Danish for two beers), they started brewing in Denmark after they felt a need to taste modern beer styles instead of the centuries-old traditional beers with the same-old same-old. To Øl don’t push the boundaries of beer styles as their beer styles have no boundaries to push. They brew beers you do not forget (unless you’ve had too many). Since their conception in 2005, To Øl have risen to ninth most popular brewery on the 2015 Ratebeer rating.

Anywho, back to the winter blanket beers!

Goliat Imperial Stout at 10.1% is a goliath of a stout. Brewed with oats, it results in a buttery smoothness with the mouth feel of melted chocolate. Infused with fancy French coffee that enriches the layers of delicious malt flavours with no over-roasted acrid bitterness. It’s on the sweetish side and tastes a lot like you ain’t going to work tomorrow.

Liquid Confidence Imperial Stout. Even though it’s brewed with three different kinds of chillies it’s not a chilli stout but rather a stout brewed with chillies. She starts hot but simmers towards the end as the taste buds get numbed from the 12.2% ABV. And it’s not your mouth burning only smoke from the Chipotle chillies. It’s all good as these chillies counter the malt’s sweetness. The chilli kick will give you the backbone to tell the missus you’re not going to her mother’s 80th birthday.

And finally, for a taste of autumn there is Releaf Me Lime Leaf Blonde 5.8%. – lime, ruby grapefruit and tart rhubarb flavours make this brew the perfect accompaniment to any Asian food.

To Øl, for flavour as bold as Steven Adams’s moustache.

Denis “the shark is back with one in black” Cooper, signing off… Now head out and grab your beer in Nelson from Fresh Choice!