I’ve often mentioned that porters and stouts are the perfect beers for long, cold Syracuse winters … but have yet to review one. Maybe I have been avoiding admitting that we’ve been drifting closer and closer to the first snowfall and subsequent Syracuse ice age; maybe I have just not been willing to commit to drinking a dark, rich porter. In any case, I decided it was finally time to get into the seasonal spirit, and I already had a beer in mind.

I had been eyeing Leinenkugel’s Snowdrift Vanilla Porter for weeks before finally committing to try it this week. Although I had been hesitant to dive into a porter this early in winter, dropping temperatures and the word “vanilla” led me to eventually cave.

The Snowdrift Porter met my expectations when it came to appearance and smell — the beer had a dark brown color with a tan, foamy head and smelled of chocolate and malts. The first flavor that hit me upon trying the beer was coffee, followed by sweet caramel and brown sugar. Subsequent sips brought about a rich cocoa and vanilla flavors. The Wisconsin-based brewery uses real vanilla when brewing the Snowdrift Porter, and it was certainly evident. The beer had a smooth and creamy texture, making it incredibly easy to drink.

Porters are particularly heavy and rich beers, so they’re perfect for chilly winter evenings. If you’re looking to pregame for the bars with your bros, a porter is not the direction you want to go in. In my opinion, enjoying one at the bar at Faegan’s with a big meal in front of you is the ideal situation.

Leinenkugel’s Snowdrift Vanilla Porter would pair nicely with marshmallow sweet potato casserole, glazed ham, roast beef and Brie cheese (a perfect winter meal). I highly enjoyed this beer; the sweet taste of cocoa and caramel was balanced perfectly by the slightly bitter flavor of coffee, all extenuated by roasted malts.

Cocoa, vanilla, caramel, coffee … What’s not to like?