The chill creeps, the days shorten, the Jack Frost nips - although we never really have been sure who, exactly, Jack Frost is to begin with - and you're leaving those vodka drinks and summery Pilseners behind for something with a little more sand in its pants. Something like a barley wine.

Admittedly, barley wines aren't for everyone. Hefty and malty, brews made in this wide-ranging style can be stored for years like the vinous spirit from which they take their name, and thus similarly gather profiles of increasingly complex flavor.

Although most modern brewers usually add hops galore to the process, the result still can be slightly sweeter, more caramel-y than the average beer drinker would expect.

But we think the average beer drinker needs to buck up, put down the Rolling Rock and give barley wine a try - there simply isn't a better brew to enjoy on a chilly fall day.

Famous examples available in your local liquor store include Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot Ale and Dogfish Head's Immort Ale.

While both are fine examples of the style, however, we recommend visiting the Bull & Bush Brewery (4700 Cherry Creek South Drive) and sampling its excellent Royal Oil, a goblet full of goodness that will leave you ready to roast chestnuts and sing carols in Middle English.