If you still haven’t found that beer for you that screaming Winter is here, we have another suggestion. From Victor, ID and off Jackson Highway comes word that Grand Teton Brewing has released their seasonal Winter Ale.

This time around the brewery has chosen to brew and release a Belgian-style Golden Ale. But don’t kid yourselves, this is not just some light, golden, ale. At around 9.00% this is more Belgian-style Tripel than some single hop Duvel knock-off.

Here is what the brewery had to say regarding this year’s release.

This year’s Holiday Ale is a Belgian-Style Golden Ale that is rich in flavor and is designed to be a smooth and soothing sipping beer.  Deep blonde in color, Coming Home 2011 uses rich malts balanced by a special Belgian yeast strain that adds notes of soft, peppery, clove-like spice character to the beer.  Belgian candi sugar is used during the brewing process to give this ale a clean, easy drinking appeal.  True to the Belgian tripel style, it carries deceivingly soft alcohol aromas.  Don’t let the innocence fool you, this holiday ale is one to be respected.  It will delight when shared with your favorite people during the holiday season and can also be cellared to warm you on any cold winter’s day.  This beer should age gracefully and can be cellared for a year or more.

Originally brewed by Trappist monks, the tripel style is deceiving.  Pale in color, it nonetheless packs a flavorful punch. Its relatively light body hides its strength.  The use of fully fermentable candi sugar provides lighter body and a drier finish, very different from the strong ales and barley wines traditionally brewed in England and the United States.

The name tripel traditionally indicated a beer that was about three times the strength of everyday table beer, or single, which weighed in around 2.5-3% alcohol.  Dubbels are traditionally in the 5-6% range, and triples usually 7.5-9%.  Though singles today are hard to find, dubbels, tripels, and even quadruples maintain the old naming convention.

Enjoy Coming Home 2011 with Cajun crab cakes or your favorite holiday game bird, whether it be roast turkey, pheasant or duck.  Its spicy herbal character will complement holiday dishes like sage stuffing.  We’ve bottle-conditioned this ale to a traditionally high carbonation level, so its effervescence will cut through the richness of even the creamiest and fattiest dishes.  The beer’s mild sweetness should work with sweet potatoes without being cloying.  For dessert we suggest a delicate crème brulee or an apricot-amaretto tart.

Look for Holiday Ale to be released and stored on the same shelf wherever you see Grand Teton Sweet Grass American Pale Ale & Bitch Creek ESB. As always if you don’t find it on the shelf ask your grocer to buy some!

About Grand Teton Brewing Company

Grand Teton Brewing Company was founded in 1988 as the first modern “micro” brewery in the state of Wyoming. Today, Grand Teton Brewing Company is in the Brewer’s Association’s “Top 100 Craft Breweries in North America.”  Their premium microbrews include the 9x gold-medal-winning Bitch Creek ESB, the 2009 Great American Beer Festival Gold Medal Winner (American Pale Ale) Sweetgrass APA and the favorites of the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks; Old Faithful Ale (pale golden), Howling Wolf Weisse Bier (hefeweizen) and Teton Ale (amber.)  From their production facility in Victor, Idaho, Grand Teton Brewing Company beers are hand-crafted from only the finest ingredients, including locally-grown grains and pure Teton mountain spring water.  Grand Teton Brewing Company is a green company utilizing environmentally conscious and sustainable practices whenever possible.  Grand Teton Brewing Company is also the inventor of the modern glass growler, which is estimated to have saved over one billion bottles and cans from entering the ecosystem to date.  Discriminating beer drinkers can find their favorite Grand Teton Brewing Company brews on tap and in bottles throughout California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Cheers