Pours a deep brown with a big tan head. Smells sort of spicy. There are some grassy hops in there, but more peppery than hoppy.
Says it's an amber. Weird, although in the light it is more like a deep amber than a brown. Nice amber taste to it though. The hops and spice trade places in the taste. Nice enough winter warmer.
Showing posts with label Winter Warmer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Winter Warmer. Show all posts
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Widmer Brothers Brewing Company's Brrr Seasonal Ale
Never been impressed with Widmer. Bought this as a single a while back and have been avoiding it in favor of others, but I figure, what the hell.
Pours a slightly hazy amber with a quickly dissipating tan head. Throws off a nice smell though, slightly peppery with some alcohol. So far, better than expected and seemingly on type.
Seems like a repurposed amber. Pretty big hops bite for a winter warmer, and although there seem to be some spices they don't really come out as much as they should until well into the aftertaste.
I like it, but it's a better amber than a winter warmer.
Pours a slightly hazy amber with a quickly dissipating tan head. Throws off a nice smell though, slightly peppery with some alcohol. So far, better than expected and seemingly on type.
Seems like a repurposed amber. Pretty big hops bite for a winter warmer, and although there seem to be some spices they don't really come out as much as they should until well into the aftertaste.
I like it, but it's a better amber than a winter warmer.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Brooklyn Brewery's Winter Ale
Here's a winter warmer that didn't make my Winter Warmer Blitzkreig last month because it wasn't in Houston at the time. But, here it is. Hope it's better than their Monster Ale barleywine...
Pours nice and coppery. Light tan head disappears as quickly as it appears, despite decent carbonation.
Smells nice. Like a bock, almost, with the malt but a zippy slightly spicy smell that a warmer should have.
Nice. Bigger in the feel than I expected. A little more bitter than many warmers, but not overpowering and not very specific in the type of bitterness. It just grabs you a little without being piney, floral, or grassy. A little less malty than I thought it would be based on the smell. It's pretty zippy, but not peppery like many warmers.
This style is bland sometimes, but it's generally a good beer all-around. This is no exception. Good beer, nothing to write home about though.
Pours nice and coppery. Light tan head disappears as quickly as it appears, despite decent carbonation.
Smells nice. Like a bock, almost, with the malt but a zippy slightly spicy smell that a warmer should have.
Nice. Bigger in the feel than I expected. A little more bitter than many warmers, but not overpowering and not very specific in the type of bitterness. It just grabs you a little without being piney, floral, or grassy. A little less malty than I thought it would be based on the smell. It's pretty zippy, but not peppery like many warmers.
This style is bland sometimes, but it's generally a good beer all-around. This is no exception. Good beer, nothing to write home about though.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Anchor Brewing Company's Our Special Ale 2009
I thought the in-laws would never leave.
Finally found the 2009 offering of Anchor's winter warmer. This is traditionally one of the smoothest, silkiest, most complex of the winter warmers. I know that sounds goofy, but this is always a great beer. Different every year, it's always somewhat similar, and always great.
This year appears to be no exception. It pours the usual deep coppery brown with a nice but smallish dark tan head. It looks like a dopplebock.
Smells like a warm, dark bread.
Nice and smooth, with probably the lowest bitterness of any warmer I've had. Slightly nutty, still mostly bready, and a great body that feels like a medium-sized stout. It keeps the bready smell and taste, but as the glass gets empty and it gets warmer it takes on a deep ripe fruit smell that is kind of indistinct but sweet and deep.
Very good beer. I have a sixer held back to see how it ages, and I bet it keeps getting better.
Finally found the 2009 offering of Anchor's winter warmer. This is traditionally one of the smoothest, silkiest, most complex of the winter warmers. I know that sounds goofy, but this is always a great beer. Different every year, it's always somewhat similar, and always great.
This year appears to be no exception. It pours the usual deep coppery brown with a nice but smallish dark tan head. It looks like a dopplebock.
Smells like a warm, dark bread.
Nice and smooth, with probably the lowest bitterness of any warmer I've had. Slightly nutty, still mostly bready, and a great body that feels like a medium-sized stout. It keeps the bready smell and taste, but as the glass gets empty and it gets warmer it takes on a deep ripe fruit smell that is kind of indistinct but sweet and deep.
Very good beer. I have a sixer held back to see how it ages, and I bet it keeps getting better.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale 2008-2009
Ran across last year's vintage of Winter Welcome, and couldn't resist seeing how it held up. It went well with my winter warmer binge anyway, and was an excuse to buy another Sam Smith beer. I have to go through the others, and look for more Stingo...
Pours almost a straight amber that's lighter than many warmers. Great light tan head that's as big as you want it to be, which gets pillowy before slowly receding. Fairly strong carbonation.
Despite not truly being a beer to be cellared, it seems to have held up well. Good carbonation is a good first sign, and a fairly floral smell is another. Very slightly bitter and malty, with a good balance. No obvious spicy smells though.
I like this beer, but it's more like a light pale than a warmer. That may be the first sign of how it's mellowed over the year. It's mildly bitter with a good malt backbone, neither or which is truly significant in flavor. But it's solid, and like most every Sam Smith beer is very good. It just has no winter warmer spice to it, is all, but like I said that's as likely to be because of the extra year it spent in the bottle as anything else.
Guess I'll have to go out and get this year's to see.
Pours almost a straight amber that's lighter than many warmers. Great light tan head that's as big as you want it to be, which gets pillowy before slowly receding. Fairly strong carbonation.
Despite not truly being a beer to be cellared, it seems to have held up well. Good carbonation is a good first sign, and a fairly floral smell is another. Very slightly bitter and malty, with a good balance. No obvious spicy smells though.
I like this beer, but it's more like a light pale than a warmer. That may be the first sign of how it's mellowed over the year. It's mildly bitter with a good malt backbone, neither or which is truly significant in flavor. But it's solid, and like most every Sam Smith beer is very good. It just has no winter warmer spice to it, is all, but like I said that's as likely to be because of the extra year it spent in the bottle as anything else.
Guess I'll have to go out and get this year's to see.
Sprecher Brewing Company's Winter Brew
Continuing with the winter warmer binge with this fire brewed (can you brew any other way?) lager. Lager? We'll see.
Nice. Darker than most warmers, it pours brown like a bock with reddish amber highlights and a nice tan head.
Smells bigger than many lagers too, it's got a solid malt smell while keeping the spicy smell that warmers need.
Huh. Bigger in body than many lagers. Smooth and slow in the feel, with not a lot of carbonation to help pick it up. That's okay, but different for the type is all. It's not as light as the usual ales, which is an interesting twist. Light bitterness and slightly peppery in the aftertaste, the taste is dominated by a nut-brown flavor.
Good beer, just different for a warmer that is an admittedly vague class of beers. This would be almost indistinguishable from some browns.
Nice. Darker than most warmers, it pours brown like a bock with reddish amber highlights and a nice tan head.
Smells bigger than many lagers too, it's got a solid malt smell while keeping the spicy smell that warmers need.
Huh. Bigger in body than many lagers. Smooth and slow in the feel, with not a lot of carbonation to help pick it up. That's okay, but different for the type is all. It's not as light as the usual ales, which is an interesting twist. Light bitterness and slightly peppery in the aftertaste, the taste is dominated by a nut-brown flavor.
Good beer, just different for a warmer that is an admittedly vague class of beers. This would be almost indistinguishable from some browns.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Boulevard Brewing Company's Nut Cracker Ale
I'm not too wild about another Boulevard beer, but it's one of many winter warmers I picked up on my latest beer haul, and I was able to buy it by the single, so no harm no foul if it isn't the best.
An unfiltered warmer. Interesting. Pours the appropriate reddish amber, with a nice tan head that gets pillowy before receding. The unfiltered appearance is nice.
Initially, the pour threw off a bit of a sharp hoppy smell, but it's much more tame once it's all in the glass. After the smell settles it's just straight=up malty. You have to really get in the glass to smell any specifics, and it is a bit bready when you do, but otherwise it just smells like many beers of the type. Nothing fancy, just beer.
Pretty zippy feel to it. The body is bigger than usual because it's unfiltered, but it has pretty good carbonation that makes it feel a little faster. It's also on the slightly high side of bitter for the style. Not overpowering, and not really unbalanced, but just tipping toward bitter. Not sure at what stage they stopped filtering, but it almost tastes wet hopped.
Pretty good beer, and one of the best, if not the best, Boulevard beer I've had.
An unfiltered warmer. Interesting. Pours the appropriate reddish amber, with a nice tan head that gets pillowy before receding. The unfiltered appearance is nice.
Initially, the pour threw off a bit of a sharp hoppy smell, but it's much more tame once it's all in the glass. After the smell settles it's just straight=up malty. You have to really get in the glass to smell any specifics, and it is a bit bready when you do, but otherwise it just smells like many beers of the type. Nothing fancy, just beer.
Pretty zippy feel to it. The body is bigger than usual because it's unfiltered, but it has pretty good carbonation that makes it feel a little faster. It's also on the slightly high side of bitter for the style. Not overpowering, and not really unbalanced, but just tipping toward bitter. Not sure at what stage they stopped filtering, but it almost tastes wet hopped.
Pretty good beer, and one of the best, if not the best, Boulevard beer I've had.
Odell Brewing Company's Isolation Ale
I'm going to make the rounds of several winter seasonals over the next few days. I'll start here, and move up to the ones that I expect to be much better. Still, I have high hopes for this one, since it's one of my recent beer haul from out of state.
I'm going to call this one a winter warmer, although it says nothing as to style on the label or the website. If you're listening Odell, you should put that on there. Just because.
Pours a coppery amber, almost like a red. Nice but not impressive tan head and good carbonation.
Smells right for a warmer. Slightly spicy hops smell, with a hint of malt. Light overall, and instead of bitter the hops are more peppery than anything, like a warmer should be.
Nice. Still a little peppery, which gives it a good zip. No alcohol bite or hops flavor, which appear to be just bittering hops that linger just a bit in the aftertaste. Warmers are never really sexy, but when done well, like this one, they're light and drinkable but have good flavor to them. Nothing extreme, just a good beer.
I'm going to call this one a winter warmer, although it says nothing as to style on the label or the website. If you're listening Odell, you should put that on there. Just because.
Pours a coppery amber, almost like a red. Nice but not impressive tan head and good carbonation.
Smells right for a warmer. Slightly spicy hops smell, with a hint of malt. Light overall, and instead of bitter the hops are more peppery than anything, like a warmer should be.
Nice. Still a little peppery, which gives it a good zip. No alcohol bite or hops flavor, which appear to be just bittering hops that linger just a bit in the aftertaste. Warmers are never really sexy, but when done well, like this one, they're light and drinkable but have good flavor to them. Nothing extreme, just a good beer.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Lancaster Brewing's Winter Warmer
Well, it says it's a winter warmer, but its listed as an old ale, so it's probably a less spicy version of a warmer, which is OK with me because spices can be easily overdone.
Pours deep opaque reddish brown with a huge tan head and good carbonation.
Fantastic bready smell. It subsides when the head dies down some, but this is what a malty beer should smell like.
The malt is balanced by an indistinct bitterness that finishes with a slightly sharp alcohol taste that warms nicely. Great warmer, and despite the slight taste of the alcohol it actually hides its 8.9% ABV very well. The fact that the alcohol comes out is what makes it passable as a warmer, but it has a vinous almost bordeaux hint to it as well, like an old ale should.
Great beer. Only my second from Lancaster, and it has convinced me to keep coming back to them.
Pours deep opaque reddish brown with a huge tan head and good carbonation.
Fantastic bready smell. It subsides when the head dies down some, but this is what a malty beer should smell like.
The malt is balanced by an indistinct bitterness that finishes with a slightly sharp alcohol taste that warms nicely. Great warmer, and despite the slight taste of the alcohol it actually hides its 8.9% ABV very well. The fact that the alcohol comes out is what makes it passable as a warmer, but it has a vinous almost bordeaux hint to it as well, like an old ale should.
Great beer. Only my second from Lancaster, and it has convinced me to keep coming back to them.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Anchor Brewing's Christmas Ale 2008
Knowing that I can always count on Anchor to put out a consistently good beer, I went to their 2008 Christmas Ale to redeem tonight's beer experience.
This one pours an opaque, deep brown like a porter with a huge tan head that gets rocky and almost never recedes. It has decent carbonation that you can see only toward the top of the beer due to its opacity.
Huh. Grassiest warmer I've ever smelled. That was the smell of hops thrown off by the head at its height, but as it receded and was replaced by a typical warmer smell that's close to a bock or dark ale, with a deep, fermented fruit smell.
Fairly heavy and smooth for a warmer--close to a porter, but less vinous. Solid slow feel with moderate bitterness that lingers in the aftertaste. Hint of chocolate and roasted malts as it warms, with a crisp finish due to the carbonation.
I like this beer. It's not the sexiest style, but it's solid. It's like a darker, maltier, heavier bodied pale. Pleasing to just about everyone, not risky or bold, but a good, consistent style.
This one pours an opaque, deep brown like a porter with a huge tan head that gets rocky and almost never recedes. It has decent carbonation that you can see only toward the top of the beer due to its opacity.
Huh. Grassiest warmer I've ever smelled. That was the smell of hops thrown off by the head at its height, but as it receded and was replaced by a typical warmer smell that's close to a bock or dark ale, with a deep, fermented fruit smell.
Fairly heavy and smooth for a warmer--close to a porter, but less vinous. Solid slow feel with moderate bitterness that lingers in the aftertaste. Hint of chocolate and roasted malts as it warms, with a crisp finish due to the carbonation.
I like this beer. It's not the sexiest style, but it's solid. It's like a darker, maltier, heavier bodied pale. Pleasing to just about everyone, not risky or bold, but a good, consistent style.
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