Have Your Cake And Drink It, Too

Beers that are high in alcohol and taste like dessert are a worthy winter indulgence.

- Spike Carter

A frosty mug of fizzy yellow pilsner might not sound like the most luxurious post-dinner drink, but what about an imperial stout that’s twice as strong as a regular brew and tastes like pistachio-chocolate ice cream?

Certain boozy subgenres of sweet beer—porters, stouts, and barleywines, particularly—are increasingly popular as dessert drinks. Defined by their high alcohol content, they do the work of a nightcap while doubling as a dose of sugary satisfaction before bed. Some of their potency comes from aging in used spirit barrels, but clever beer makers have discovered ways of coaxing wine-level alcohol content out of yeast as well.