cookies, spiced breads, roasted duck and turkey club sandwiches. Mulling in a fire adds a bit of romanticism and smokiness that would be lost in a microwave, but the modern efficiency of the latter is hard to beat. My beer head took on the appearance of moussey foam, while the spiciness heightened. I was careful not to raise the temperature to boiling, knowing that the hops would impart an unpleasant bitterness with too much heat. A cinnamon stick and spritz-ofnutmeg served as garnish.
The Autumn Mulling
Devious Imperial Pumpkin from Fegley’s BrewWorks stands malty and spiceinfused at 9% ABV. Its coppery body seems to glow in the firelight, begging to be the first hot beverage in my lineup. Brewed with pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and clove, Devious does not disappoint, whether served cold or with added heat. The alcohol delivers a power-punch when warmed – one that you won’t notice until pink elephants bounce in your brain. Sam Calagione’s idea for Dogfish Head Punkin Ale debuted with Delaware’s Punkin Chunkin event in 1994. Selected as the first place recipe winner in the Punkin competition, Punkin Ale was a winner even before the brewery opened in 1995. Crafted with real pumpkin, spices and brown sugga’, it clocks-in at 7% ABV. As a perfectly balanced, fullflavored seasonal, Punkin Ale, when mulled, lies on the palate with silkiness that sizzles in the warmth. Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale arrives in autumn like a luscious pie, full of gourd-like richness, clove, nutmeg and cinnamon. With its towering 8% ABV, it transforms into instant seduction
with a little heat. Whiskey Barrel Aged Brown Ale, also a Weyerbacher delight, sparkles as dark as Columbian coffee, with garnet red highlights around the edges. The nose is full of dark bread maltiness, caramel, molasses, bourbon, peat, leather and oak. This combination of flavors and aromas is brought to the foreground when put to the coals, although it stands firm on its own with a beefy steak, dripping in savory juices. And what about other styles? Great Lakes Oktoberfest, with its toasty breadiness, liberates Märzen as a style the Germans may well have embraced in their Bierwärmer. Stunningly orange, with brilliant clarity, the head rises up like a velvet blanket to the gentle touch of heat. Delicate flavors are enhanced, and I cannot bring myself to add sugar or spices that may interrupt the sweetness inherent in this style. Fegley’s Bagpiper’s Scotch Ale is perfection in the warmer though, and a little brandy turns this already assertive wee heavy into a potent little animal. Mulling is not befitting to all autumn beers. Some ignite their own heat in the provocative form of sexual desire. Dock Street’s release of Spanish Fly is one of these beers that may infuse fire as swiftly as Casanova propositioned Aphrodite in infinite escapades. Brewed with wormwood, yarrow and ginger herbal aphrodisiacs, cultivated on the rooftop garden of the Four Seasons Hotel - this appropriately French-style Biere de Garde sports a heathen earthiness and Belgique ambience. As a Beer Four All Seasons, it remains a limited-edition, Dock Street exclusive, available in champagne-style bottles at the Four Seasons Hotel following its debut on the elegant Swann Terrace. 27