Happy Solstice! To celebrate this first day of winter and the longest night of the year, I’ve selected a barleywine from Brasserie Dieu du Ciel in Canada: Solstice d’Hiver (which is French for “winter solstice,” of course). First brewed in 1998, this beer is 10.2% alcohol by volume and warming, comforting tipple on this longest night.

This deep-brown winter ale offers up complex aromas of fruit, alcohol and hops. The boozy mouth feel is vaguely sweet with hints of brunt caramel. Up-front bitterness accompanies a surprising element of complex red fruit, followed by an expressively hoppy finish.

Tuck into this classic from Montreal and set a few more aside for the winter.

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