In the cooler months, it’s a bit of a reflex action to reach for a glass of robust red wine. It’s an easy approach to warming the cockles, and there’s good evidence that the heartier fare of the season works a treat with fuller-figured wines. While I’m not immune to this approach, I very much enjoy diversifying what I consume. Hence beer, wine, spirits and non-alcoholic drinks that fit the cooler weather are also in my winter repertoire. 

Coming immediately to mind is the realm of dark beer. While many claim porters, stouts and brown beers feel like ‘a meal in a glass’, there should be great delight in the fact that well-made offerings of this kind offer both generosity and refreshment with each sip. 

Porters, stouts and brown beers work a treat with stews, slow-cooked dishes and roasts of all kinds – a kindred kind of richness, yet a cooling freshness that resets the palate well. While I tend to stick to classic styles, there’s a wealth of chocolate, coffee and other additions to dark brews now available for those seeking adventure and further complexity from their beer. 

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While less frequently consumed by me (mea culpa), I don’t mind the odd thimble of Australian wine’s national treasure of fortified wines. These are impenetrably brown-black coloured, viscous, sweet, aged wines blended with spirit – fortified wines such as muscat, tawny and topaque are in my crosshairs. They’re a talking point too; impossibly rich and unctuous, a treat for their layers of richness, sweetness and gently savoury flavours. 

Honey, toffee, caramel, dried fruits and nuts, woody spices, sweet spices and treacle all seem to appear in these wines. Sometimes I describe them as liquified Christmas puddings, for ease of description. They elevate the conclusion of most dining experiences, or can be enjoyed on their own, in small sips by the fireside.

Spirits, particularly the darker ones, also work a treat. Australian whisky is at an all-time level of excellence, with more mature and complex examples easily within reach. Whisky can be surprisingly good when matched with food, with alcohol resetting the palate and woody spices and sweetness working aptly with bolder dishes. Alongside them, emerging boutique Australian rums and historical brandy are reaching reinvigorated heady heights, with more nuanced, refined and wonderfully evocative products emerging from artisan distilleries. Roll out the dark chocolate desserts. 

Three to try

Faber Vineyard Swan Valley Liqueur Muscat (500ml, $60, Swan Valley, WA)

This has all the high-quality hallmarks of top-flight Rutherglen counterparts in fortified wines; indeed, excelling above many. Christmas pudding with velvety texture, some choc-truffle notes and sweet spice. Lush and lovely. 

Coopers Best Extra Stout (South Australia, $46)

One of Coopers’ best beers, and indeed one of the best Australian dark beers all up. This has dark chocolate and toasty spice notes with a peppering of hoppy, herbal bitterness on board. Great with meaty stews or, indeed, even as an ingredient! 

Archie Rose Single Malt Whisky (NSW, $119) 

Classy stuff here. Soft, smooth texture with molasses, toffee apple, ginger, clove and cinnamon notes all rolled through caramel and toffee. So many layers here! Pairs wonderfully with charry meats and vegetables, or a good old-fashioned roast. 

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