37page

37 Huyghe Brewery Delirium Christmas The Huyghe Brewery in Belgium has been producing their renowned beers since before World War I. Delirium Tremens, their most famous offering, is considered by many to be the best beer in the world. Delirium Christmas is the wintertime version of the brew, and we’re lucky enough to have access to it at Reilly’s Taphouse in Itaewon. Delirium Christmas is a deep red color, with flavors of dark cherry, chocolate, cane sugar and spices. It pours with a light white head (added bonus: at Reilly’s you can drink the beer out of a special glass decorated with pink elephants). At 10 percent alcohol by volume, this is a very strong beer. But you wouldn’t know it from the taste; the beer is sweet, smooth and complex, and lacks a strong alcohol aftertaste. Whereas most of the beers on this list are available year-round, Delirium Christmas is a seasonal offering. You can only get a bottle during the cold months, which might be why its price is significantly higher than that of many other beers on this list. Think of it as buying an experience more so than a drink. WHERE To GET IT Reilly’s Taphouse in Itaewon Magpie Porter Magpie made an immediate splash on the Gyeongnidan scene when it opened two years back, wowing customers with a super-simple menu of just two ales: a pale and a porter. While by no means a heavyweight compared to some of the monsters on this list, the porter nevertheless hits the spot for a punter in need of something dark, roasty and delicious. Chocolate and coffee notes are all there, with a smooth finish that ensures this beer can be enjoyed by the pint-full. If you’re new to the work of darker beers, make Magpie your first stop on the path to the dark side. WHERE To GET IT Magpie Brewing Co. in Gyeongnidan Theakston old Peculier Next stop on our winter beer journey is peculiar indeed. Brewed by Theak- ston Brewery in the North of England, Old Peculier has a toasty malt nose with some dark fruits — think plum and fig — bringing thoughts of Christmas straight to mind. Tasting reveals a lighter-bodied dark ale with medium, soft carbonation — something of a British interpretation of a Belgian quad (we’ll get to that later). As you work through it, the malt character takes center stage, bringing a toffee sweetness that would never work in summer. But in the depths of winter, it’s just the thing to warm you through. WHERE To GET IT Shinsegae Department Store Clocking in at 10 percent alcohol (but you’d never know it), flavors of brown bread, caramel, figs, clove and tobacco dominate. This is quite simply one of the most complex brews around.