It’s that time of year when local breweries unleash their big, dark, and complex brews that wouldn’t stand a chance in any other season.

We’re talking the heavy hitters — stouts, porters, and barrel-aged beers — that beg to be drank in cold weather due to their high ABVs and robust flavors.

And so, on the eighth day of Christmas, LOUtoday sends to you 11 winter beer releases and some beer terminology. Sorry, we skipped the eleven pipers piping this year.

🍺 Winter beer terms

Stout | A strong, almost black beer brewed with roasted malt or barley and tastes like coffee, chocolate, and licorice with a full, creamy body.

Porter | A dark brown bitter beer brewed from malt partly charred or browned and has a roasty coffee flavor.

Imperial | A word short for “this beer is extra boozy.”

Christmas Ale | A beer brewed to mimic the flavors of the season and often are a spiced, malty ale.

Barrel-aged | A technique brewers use to age high-alcohol beers to pick up wood characteristic of a barrel which is most of the time a bourbon barrel.

🍺 Winter beer releases

Spruce Gouse | Chimera Brewing

Style: Barrel-aged cranberry sour

Availability: Now on draft

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Boy | Atrium Brewing

Style: Pastry sour

Availability: Now available on draft + 16 oz four-packs

London Balling | Against the Grain Brewery

Style: Barleywine

Availability: Mid-December draft + 16 oz can release

St. Nick | Falls City Beer

Style: Red ale with spruce

Availability: Now on draft

Winter Witt | West Sixth NuLu

Style: White IPA with juniper berries and grapefruit

Availability: Mid-December draft release

Bonus: This beer was brewed in collaboration with the Louisville Ale Trail

Leon | Holsopple Brewing

Style: Bourbon barrel-aged spiced beer

Availability: Now on draft

Shitter’s Full | Gallant Fox Brewing

Style: Christmas Ale

Availability: Now on draft

Crowd-Sourced 5th Anniversary IPA | Mile Wide Beer Co.

Style: Double dry-hopped double Northeast IPA

Availability: Dec. 9 on draft + 16 oz four-packs

Bourbon barrel-aged Chocolate Mint Stout | Butchertown Brewing

Style: Barrel-aged chocolate stout with mint

Availability: Now on draft

Bourbon Barrel-Aged 10W-40 | Hi-Wire Brewing,

Style: Barrel-aged imperial stout with coffee, chocolate, vanilla + lactose

Availability: Now on draft + 16 oz four-packs

Peach Pie in the Sky | TEN20 Craft Brewery

Style: Milkshake IPA

Availability: Now on draft

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