Brasserie Thiriez Winter Pepper

Winter Pepper comes from Brasserie Thiriez in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France, and it sits in the speciality beer category. That category is usually where spiced and seasonal brews end up. The name points to pepper as the defining ingredient. No ABV, IBU or recipe details are listed here, so the notes below describe what spiced winter beers of this kind typically offer, not a measured profile of this bottle. Expect pepper to show up as a dry, warming spice on the back of the palate and in the finish, rather than as heat. In beers like this it tends to sit alongside a fuller, rounder malt body than a summer beer would have, with some bready or lightly caramel sweetness for the spice to play against. Hop bitterness in the style is usually moderate and supports the spice instead of competing with it. French farmhouse-influenced breweries in the north often add a dry, peppery yeast character of their own, so the spice may read as layered. Serve it cool but not cold, around 8 to 10°C. Straight from a fridge at 3 or 4°C, the spice and malt tend to go quiet. A tulip or a stemmed beer glass is a good choice, because the narrowing at the rim holds the aromatics. Pour with a gentle head so the spice comes forward as you drink. At the table, the pepper suits roasted and braised dishes, such as pork shoulder, duck, or sausages with mustard. It also works with washed-rind and aged cheeses like Maroilles, a regional staple, or a mature Mimolette. A slice of gingerbread or a baked-apple dessert would bring out the sweeter side of the malt.