Once the temperature drops, the beer that worked all summer stops making sense. A crisp lager or a shandy is built for a porch in July — not a Warrington night when it’s 28 degrees and you want something that actually warms you up. Winter calls for beer with more weight to it: darker malts, higher ABV, and flavors built around cinnamon, molasses, and roasted grain instead of citrus and lime.
That’s the whole idea behind putting together the best winter beers to try this season: a lineup built around what actually tastes right in cold weather, broken down by style so you know what you’re grabbing before you get to the register. We’ve poured enough of these across the counter to know which ones earn a spot in your fridge — or your cellar — this time of year.
The Best Winter Beers to Try This Season
Rather than grabbing whatever’s cold, the best winter beers to try this season break down into a few clear categories — pick based on how heavy you want it to feel, not just what’s on the label.
Imperial Stouts for Rich, Cold-Weather Sipping
Imperial stouts are the heaviest hitters on this list, typically landing between 8% and 12% ABV, with flavors of coffee, dark chocolate, and roasted malt that get more interesting as the beer warms slightly in the glass. Oskar Blues Ten Fidy is a good benchmark for the style — the name is basically the ABV, and it delivers that same roasted, espresso-forward intensity every time. Southern Tier’s Warlock Nitro takes a darker, Belgian-style spin on the imperial stout, and the nitro pour gives it a smoother, creamier mouthfeel than standard carbonation would. This is a sit-down beer, not a pounder — pour it into a snifter or tulip glass, let it come up a few degrees from the fridge, and treat it more like an after-dinner drink than something you’re working through three of.
Winter Warmers That Taste Like the Season
A winter warmer is a malt-forward English-style ale, usually landing between 6% and 8% ABV, built around caramel, toffee, and dried-fruit notes rather than hop bitterness. It’s the style that comes closest to tasting like the season itself — a little sweet, a little spiced, and better suited to sitting by a fire than tailgating.
Spiced and Holiday Ales
Spiced ales layer warming spices — cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice — onto a brown ale or strong ale base, and the ABV can land anywhere from 5% to 9% depending on how the brewery built it. These are the beers that read as “the holidays in a glass,” and they’re a solid pick if you want something festive without committing to a 10% stout.
Barleywines and Barrel-Aged Beers to Sip Slowly
Barleywines run from around 8% ABV up past 12%, and barrel-aged versions can push higher still — which is why these are built for a small pour in a snifter, not a full pint glass. 2SP’s Bourbon Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout picks up vanilla, oak, and bourbon warmth from time in the barrel, while Boulevard’s Wood Baron Ale takes a similar oak-aged approach built on a strong ale base. They also age well: a bottle put away in a cool, dark spot can actually improve over a year or more, mellowing out and picking up new character from the malt as it sits.
Lighter Options If You Don’t Want Something Heavy
Not every winter beer needs to be a 10% stout — brown ales, dunkels, and amber lagers usually sit in the 4.5% to 6% ABV range and still deliver a malty, cozy flavor without the heaviness. Neshaminy Creek’s Punkless Dunkel is a good example — a dark Munich-style lager with clean malt character and none of the pumpkin spice — and Bell’s Best Brown Ale is a reliable, nutty, caramel-forward pick if you want something sessionable for a group. These are the better call if you’re hosting and want everyone still standing after two.
| Style | Typical ABV | Best Served |
| Imperial Stout | 8–12% | Snifter or tulip, slightly above fridge temp |
| Winter Warmer | 6–8% | Pint or tulip glass, cellar temp |
| Spiced / Holiday Ale | 5–9% | Pint glass, cellar temp |
| Barleywine / Barrel-Aged | 8–12%+ | Snifter, small pour |
| Lighter Winter Options | 4.5–6% | Pint glass, standard fridge temp |
What Makes a Beer a “Winter Beer”?
What separates a winter beer from a year-round one comes down to three things: higher alcohol, darker malts, and spices or flavors built for cold weather instead of heat. Summer beers lean toward lighter malts, citrus hops, and lower ABV because the goal is something refreshing on a hot day. Winter flips that — brewers reach for darker, roasted, or caramelized malts, push the ABV up so the beer has more body and warmth, and often add baking spices that would feel out of place in July.
If you’re still sorting out what actually separates a craft beer from a mass-market one, winter is a good season to start paying attention, since the differences between styles are bolder and easier to taste side by side. That’s really the throughline across the best winter beers to try this season: they’re built to be sipped slowly somewhere warm, not knocked back on a patio.
How to Store and Serve Winter Beers at Their Best
Most winter styles taste best a few degrees warmer than a standard fridge — closer to 50–55°F for stouts, barleywines, and winter warmers — because cold temperatures mute the roasted and spiced flavors that make these styles worth drinking in the first place. Pull a high-ABV bottle out of the fridge 10–15 minutes before pouring and serve it in a snifter or tulip glass, which concentrates the aroma; lighter winter styles and spiced ales do fine in a standard pint glass straight from the fridge.
Barleywines and barrel-aged beers are the exception on storage — stand the bottle upright in a cool, dark spot (not the fridge) and it’ll actually improve over months or years, so there’s no rush to drink it right away. If you’d rather try a style before committing to a six-pack or case, ask what’s on tap for a growler fill — worth knowing how long a filled growler actually stays fresh before you commit to one, since that varies a lot by style.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the Best Beer Style for Cold Weather?
Imperial stouts, barleywines, and winter warmers tend to hold up best in cold weather because their higher ABV and heavier malt body give them more warmth than a lighter beer can. If you want something festive without quite that much weight, a spiced ale is a good middle ground.
Are Winter Beers Stronger Than Regular Beers?
Yes, most winter styles run higher in ABV than a typical year-round lager or pale ale, often landing between 6% and 12% compared to the 4.5–5.5% range of a standard session beer. That’s part of why they’re meant to be sipped rather than sessioned.
How Long Can You Age a Barleywine?
A well-made barleywine can age for a year or more, and some hold up for several years, mellowing out and developing deeper malt and dried-fruit character as it sits. Store it upright in a cool, dark spot away from temperature swings and light.
Do Winter Beers Taste Better Cold or at Room Temperature?
Neither extreme — most winter styles taste best around 50–55°F, a few degrees warmer than a standard refrigerator, which lets the roasted and spiced flavors come through instead of getting muted by the cold. True room temperature is a bit too warm and can make higher-ABV styles taste flat.
Can You Get Winter Beers in a Growler?
It depends on what’s currently pouring — stop in or call ahead to ask which winter styles are on tap for a growler fill that week, since draft selection rotates. It’s a low-commitment way to try a style before buying a six-pack or case of it.
Find This Season’s Winter Beers at Bound Beverages
However you like to spend a cold night — working through a barleywine slowly or keeping a case of something lighter around for company — our shelves are stocked for it. If you’re not sure where to start, our staff can walk you through what’s in that week, the same way we would if you asked us in person.
Stop by and see the best winter beers to try this season for yourself:
Bound Beverages 308 Easton Road Warrington, PA 18976
Call us at (215) 491-6600