Almost as renowned as dwarf-crafted arms and armor are their potent and deep-flavored ales. As a race, dwarves seem to share a universal love of fine beer. Dwarves prefer their ales strong, with a hearty bite; some non-dwarves find even the mildest dwarven ale to be potent to the point of distaste. Dwarves brew beers that both accentuate the flavors of their favorite meals and, for those dwarves who travel far from the citadels of their births, remind them of home. Many drinks possess a rustic flavor, reminiscent of low-burning hearths, well-cooked meat, and soot-stained ceilings.
Almost all dwarves begin drinking at an early age, and it is not uncommon within feasting halls to see young dwarves sitting at the table of their clanmates, greedily drinking from mugs larger than their heads. Within the citadels, the love of ale has become almost as integral a facet of dwarven life as warfare against their hereditary enemies, and many dwarves lessen their pre-combat jitters by drinking several pints of their favorite ale before wading into battle.
Every dwarven fortress worthy of the name contains at least one brewery, and each of the remaining Sky Citadels boasts several. Dwarven beer, like dwarven society, changes slowly over time. When the Sky Citadels were first raised almost 10,000 years ago, however, each fortress developed a signature celebratory ale that has remained unchanged throughout the centuries. The recipes for these ales remain closely guarded secrets, and although widely sought, one rarely finds the delicious brews beyond the confines of the citadel in which they were created. To this day, brewmasters continue to search for the recipes of the lost citadels, hoping to recreate them through studious research or descriptions of their taste.
As a whole, dwarves favor strong and bitter drinks such ales, porters, and stouts. Expert brewmasters craft beers both for their flavor and for the benefits they impart.
Auroch’s Breath: This bitter stout bears a flavor that hints of auroch meat, and helps hardworking dwarven craftsmen endure long hours at the forge by lessening the sting of ambient heat. Drinking a pint gives you the benefit of an endure elements spell for 1 hour, though only against warmth and heat, not cold. A pint costs 1 gp.
Lost Halls Porter: This porter has an almond aftertaste and enhances dwarven resistance to poison. Drinking a pint gives dwarves—and only dwarves—a +1 alchemical bonus to saving throws against poison. A pint costs 1 gp.
Wondrous Whippersnap: This light ale, a rarity among dwarven beers, extends the range of your darkvision by 1d3 × 5 feet (varying from batch to batch, and even from person to person) for 1 hour, making it a favorite among warriors who stand watch in the deepest, darkest halls of the Sky Citadels. A pint costs 1 gp.