While we may think of champagne or a fine wine as the standard celebratory beverages, there are a few unexpected but worthwhile alternatives popping up on our radars.
Barley wine is a nice example of this. The name is a little misleading since the initial recipe is more beer-like (a brew of malt and barley) but the fermentation and aging process makes it more of a beer- fortified wine-spirit hybrid.
Mill St. has been producing a barley wine every year for the past decade. Each vintage is made from the same recipe but with slight alterations so that each release is unique.
2017's Barley Wine was brewed in the spring and aged in bourbon barrels from Kentucky's Heaven Hill distillery, giving the brew a touch of cinnamon and vanilla flavour that whisky fans will appreciate. Aging time also helps the brew acquire a nice, deep amber hue.
Mill St. Dry-Hopped Barley Wine is a complex beverage and a boozy one too at 11 percent, so save this one to share with close friends and family over the holidays. It's best sipped in a snifter glass (to enjoy its aromas) next to a roaring fire.
$14.95, LCBO.
