Joe Kline / The BulletinWhat exactly is a winter beer? Hereís how Hopworks Urban Brewery brewmaster Christian Ettinger describes it: ìA winter warmer should be malt-forward, expressing a range of caramel notes and possibly a touch of roast with fruity notes from elevated alcohol levels.î But itís open to a wide range of interpretations.

Thinking about the holiday season, there are a few drifting aromas that come to mind: cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and allspice complement the fresh-cut tree while treats baked with molasses, chocolate and nuts are just around the corner.

If you put all of those warming sensations and aromas into one beverage, it would be what’s known as beer’s winter warmer.

The Christmas or Winter Specialty Spiced Beer category in the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) guidelines is one of the most diverse descriptions in the guideline book — “wide range” and “many interpretations” are used throughout the category’s description.

The only rule is balance: “Overall balance is the key to presenting a well-made Christmas beer,” according to the BJCP guidelines. “The special ingredients should complement the base beer and not overwhelm it. The brewer should recognize that some combinations of base beer styles and special ingredients work well together while others do not make for harmonious combinations.”

Generally, a Christmas or winter spiced beer should be something that is darker in color, with a hefty dose of alcohol and plenty of flavor. There should be some spice present — from the traditional cinnamon and nutmeg to indigenous ingredients such as juniper and sage — with a strong malt backbone reminiscent of toast, caramel and nutty flavors.

In short, something you’ll want in your glass as soon as possible.

With so much room for interpretation, brewers around the country are able to make it their own. Many who make a Christmas or winter spiced beer embrace that the recipe can change from year to year.

The epitome of this tradition is Anchor Brewing’s Our Special Ale. Like the hand-drawn tree on the front of its label, this recipe changes from year to year based on what the brewer is craving as the cold months hit. This year, with a giant sequoia on the label, the beer is heavy on the molasses and caramel flavors, with accents of resiny hops and strong spruce.

Local brewery Silver Moon works with a traditional dark beer base — a bready and chocolaty porter — and uses its creativity with spices to make its Elf Brew something special. Rather than using traditional mulling spices, the brewers add sweet orange peel, licorice root and cardamom, creating a one-of-a-kind beer that invites all sorts of flavors.

But, like most winter beers, this one could change by next year.

“I think most likely we will change Elf Brew every year unless we come up with an absolutely amazing recipe that sells like crazy,” said head brewer Jeff Schauland. “By changing it every year, we will be able to keep the brewers interested and keep their creative juices flowing. Additionally, it gives all the Silver Moon fans something new to look forward to trying each year.”

Just like the famed and award-winning Deschutes Red Chair, which has become one of the most anticipated releases locally and state-wide, creating anticipation with consumers has become one of the biggest draws of seasonal-release beers. On top of that, Silver Moon is taking the potential anticipation one step further by aging 200 gallons of the brew in Oregon Spirit Distillers’ rum barrels, waiting until next year to debut.

“I can tell you that it tastes quite amazing even after only its short stint in the barrels,” Schauland said. “The rum itself is quite good too.”

Christian Ettinger, owner and brewmaster at Hopworks Urban Brewery in Portland, keeps his company’s Abominable Winter Ale relatively consistent, despite the added challenge of using organic ingredients.

“Thanks to the burgeoning organic hop market we are able to pack ‘Abom’ with deliciousness,” he said.

That deliciousness is presented in the form of a dark amber brew loaded with caramel, toffee and slightly toasty malt, backed by citrus- and stone fruit-flavored hops.

“A winter warmer should be malt-forward, expressing a range of caramel notes and possibly a touch of roast with fruity notes from elevated alcohol levels,” Ettinger said. “In our case we then stack a grip of hops on top of this so the body is detectable but clearly has no chance of dominating.”

In whole, Schauland enjoys the idea that the beer doesn’t have strong guidelines.

“I feel like (guidelines) can stifle creativity,” Schauland said. “I think some of the greatest beers have come from brewers really thinking outside of the box to come up with something new and special. I realize that there is a place for style guidelines. Most folks really want to know what they are getting themselves into when they order a beer. The guidelines help with that. But in reality, the brewing scene can’t evolve without breaking down a few barriers.”

— Reporter: drinks@bendbulletin.com