Today is December 1st. Try as I might to cling (by the skin of my teeth) to visions of summer, I guess it’s time to finally surrender to the gods of the season and accept that winter is officially here.

With the change of season, comes a change in desire (no, not that kind of desire – get your head outta the gutter). Desire for different styles of food and drink. Who craves a nice light salad when it’s -5 outside? Not I. I’ll take a french onion soup and a prime rib dinner, please. And in same spirit, the nice crisp lager that satiated my beery needs all summer long, just can’t hold up these days. I need to go rich and dark and robust.

Today’s beer is from Great Lakes Brewery. They’ve called it “Harry Porter”. And it’s a gorgeous dark brew that definitely brings to mind snowy nights at the pub in Hogsmeade (if you don’t know, I can’t tell you). This beer soothes the soul and warms the spirit and makes this drinker *almost* happy to kiss his summer dreamin’ goodbye.