Chatting about the joy of winter beers with Craig Thomas, Master Cicerone

"The coldest months are peak season for winter beers, a slightly amorphous category defined by production date, alcohol content and spice flavors that can resemble a mincemeat pie. Enjoyed hundreds of years ago in societies such as English and Norse, these tipples fell into a lag only to see a resurgence in the 1970s as winter warmers or Christmas beers. They became a hit in the U.S. after San Francisco's Anchor Brewing released its Christmas ale in 1975, and today include the likes of Sierra Nevada's Celebration IPA, Allagash Brewing's Ski House and Deschutes Brewery's Jubelale."

"In 2023, Thomas made beery history by earning the title of Master Cicerone from the Cicerone Certification Program. It's the fourth, and final, tier of the program; of the 150,000 people worldwide who've successfully ranked as a Cicerone, only 28 (including Thomas) have made it to this highest level. What, exactly, is a Master Cicerone? Think of it as an exceptional beer sommelier who's verified through written, oral and sensory testing."

"It's winter, time to curl up by a crackling fire with a blanket and a hot cup of cocoa. Craig Thomas is a beer expert and a Master Cicerone living in Templeton, Calif. In 2025, there were fewer than 30 Master Cicerones in the world. (Courtesy of Craig Thomas) Or if you happen to be a beer lover, perhaps a glass of pitch-black, high-octane beer peanut-butter stout, maybe, or oak-smoked doppelbock that will warm you from the inside out."

Winter beers peak during the coldest months and often feature higher alcohol, production-timing, and spice flavors that can evoke mincemeat pie. Historical examples appeared in English and Norse societies and declined before resurging in the 1970s as winter warmers or Christmas beers. Anchor Brewing's 1975 Christmas ale helped popularize the style in the United States. Contemporary examples include Sierra Nevada's Celebration IPA, Allagash's Ski House, and Deschutes' Jubelale. Flavor profiles range from dark chocolate to gingerbread to peppermint. Craig Thomas, a Master Cicerone from Templeton, Calif., previously worked in sensory research at Firestone Walker and now develops extracts at Abstrax Hops.

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