The Brooklyn Brewery is a great mid-size brewery located in, you guessed it, Brooklyn. They started in 1984, so they’re not a fly-by-night operation, but they’re not a giant. Distributed in 21 states, they’re bigger than your typical local beer, but they’re nowhere as big as a beer like Shiner. Yes, I’m from Texas. I speak what I know.

The Brooklyn Lager is their most famous beer. It’s good. I’ve also had the Brookyn Pennant Ale, which I don’t remember, so I guess it’s not that memorable. And now I’m trying the Brooklyn Winter Ale, one of their seasonal beers.

Most of what I know about the Brooklyn Brewery comes from their website, which is great. I linked to it in the first line, by the way. They have a lot of info on the website, and the owners of the brewery are absolute authorities on all things beer. Hell, they’ve written three books on beer. Can’t get much more an authority than that.

No surprise, the Brooklyn Winter Ale is top-notch. It’s not quite like a stout, but it has a rich, dark brown color. It has some chocolate and coffee notes, but they’re not overpowering like they are in many stouts. What stands out the most in this beer is its effervescence, it’s carbonation, the way it tingles the mouth. It’s unusual for something that tastes like a stout to have so much carbonation, and this one does it really well. It’s much more drinkable than most stouts or even many winter beers, because the carbonation lightens it so much. I can have two in a row, no problem.

Check out the Brooklyn Brewery, and try their stuff. Everything I’ve tried from them has been good. Some of the beers aren’t available everywhere, though. I’ve never seen the East India Pale Ale, for example, even though I’m itching to try it.