Is it just me or did December sneak up really quick this year? It feels like we went from hot and sunny lager beer weather to cold and wet stout beer weather in the blink of an eye. Well, winter is finally here and our local breweries are pumping out some fantastic seasonal beers that are perfect for these cool nights.
December is a fun month for exploring craft beer. It’s when breweries release their winter spice ales brewed with all kinds of delicious ingredients like coconut, peppermint, vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon and clove. Here are five locally brewed December beers that you should seek out. Most are only available at the breweries and trust me, they’re worth the drive.
Beer Lab HI’s Nicely Naughty: Frosted Gingerbread Milkshake IPA
The mad brewers at Beer Lab HI are at it again with a really cool take on a winter spiced beer. They took all of the traditional spices found in gingerbread and layered them into a milkshake IPA, which is a slightly sweeter style of IPA that uses lactose or milk sugar. The lactose gives the beer a full body and leaves a hint of sweetness that pairs well with the marshmallow, ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and allspice. Think gingerbread latte, just better because it’s beer. This beer is only available at Beer Lab HI locations on Oahu and is limited (University, Pearlridge and Waipio).
Lanikai’s Okole Maluna: Chocolate Haupia Imperial Stout
A dark, rich and decadent beer that tastes like one of our most favorite local desserts. I’m not joking when I say this beer is a slice of pie in a glass. A full, creamy mouthfeel that lingers with each sip is laced with loads of warm dark chocolate and oozing with sweet coconut. Recently released in four-pack cans, this beer is perfect to bring to holiday parties and dinners. When it is time for dessert, pour everyone 4-5 ounces and enjoy. Available from the brewery in Kailua or at finer beer and liquor stores on Oahu.
Big Island Brewhaus’ Red Sea of Cacao: Imperial Red Ale with Cacao, Pink Sea Salt and Pink Peppercorns
Another wonderful dessert beer that is only released in December is from the small brewery in Waimea on the Big Island. This beer is a salted caramel chocolate bar in a glass with a touch of fruity spice from the peppercorns. Upfront, you’ll get a lot of warm hot chocolate notes, but toward the middle and finish of each sip, a sweetness sneaks up followed by a hint of earthy salinity and peppery fruitiness. I highly recommend letting this beer warm up a little, which is when all of these flavors bloom in the glass. It is amazing how complex the flavors are, but they blend so well together. Twen ty-two-ounce bottles can be found at various locations around Oahu that carry Big Island Brewhaus.
Inu Island Ales’ Adzuki: Adzuki Bean Ice Cream Imperial Stout
Inu took a local Japanese favorite dessert and reimagined it in a beer with the flavors of sweet, sticky red beans smothering a bowl of rich vanilla ice cream. This is a massive, 14% alcohol by volume, imperial stout with undertones of rich chocolate and caramel. It was then carefully dosed with a mash of sweet adzuki beans and then conditioned on pure vanilla beans. Available only from the brewery at 10 a.m. Dec. 16.
Hana Koa Brewing’s Reindeer Butt Sneeze: Imperial Pastry Stout with Doughnuts, Cacao Nibs, Marshmallow, Graham Cracker and Candy Cane
You might want to leave Santa some of this. This collaboration with Purvé Donut Stop transforms one of its most famous doughnuts into a beer. Rich, viscous and almost sticky, this beer is brewed with actual doughnuts that are added along with the base malts. Bittersweet chocolate and molasses dominate and lead into a spicy peppermint candy finish. This is a fun beer with a great name that is another must try. Available from the brewery and fine beer shops that sell Hana Koa.
