It’s December and what a festive time to be a beer drinker as winter beers are on the shelves. But what is a winter ale and how do breweries celebrate yuletide cheer? There are two breweries that have been doing winter beers well for years: Highland Brewing in Asheville, NC and Deschutes in Bend Oregon.
I think we can all agree that 2020 has been a once-in-a-decade kind of year (if not once in a lifetime), so itâs fitting to end it with a once in a decade beer. Super Jubel from Deschutes Brewery is one such beer that âonly comes around once a decade (sort of),â according to the companyâs marketing. Super Jubel is an imperial version of its Jubelale winter warmer aged in wine barrels and is inspired by a bit of brewery history that has become near-mythic in its retelling.
âSuper Jubel was born as Ice Jubel, through a crime of opportunity. A keg of Jubelale was stolen and left outside at a time when Bend was in the midst of a very cold spell where temps dropped to below -30 degrees,â said founder Gary Fish. âWhen the keg was found the liquid was partially frozen, and when decanted, the legend of Ice Jubel was born. It was delicious, and Super Jubel is our talented brewerâs recreation of this delicious elixir without the freezing.â