Sweet, ever so slightly sour, very dark brown. In the place of traditional winter ales nutmeg or other spices, is a mellow and pleasant bitterness. Minimal carbonation from this tastey seasonal ale. Nothing jumps out at you other than the presense of higher alcohol content. Enjoyable, but not memorable. This brewery from Lancaster, PA delivers a very drinkable beer with a very subtle caramel aftertaste.
Even though this winter has proven to be more than mild, I did manage to get some frostbite- River Horse’s Belgian Frostbite Winter Ale that is. This hearty ale with a deep dark color imparted a strong aroma with a taste to match it. The coffee-like flavor delivered a strong bite, which I felt deep down in my stomach as I sipped it. It had a pleasant white head that disappeared shortly after pouring and its body was on the medium side. With an 8% alcohol content, this is a sipping beer.
All in all, this was the one time where frostbite can be a pleasant experience.
Our winter hasn’t been very inspiring- I think we’ve had one measurable snow fall. Our local mountains are not snowcapped- certainly not very exciting.
That’s what I found myself thinking as I sipped upon Pyramid Brewery’s Snow Cap Ale. This dark reddish ale definitely wasn’t bad, but there wasn’t anything about it that would make me go out of my way to have another. With 7% alcohol and a small head, it did have a warming feel; moreover, it had some spiciness to its taste, but I think it could have delivered more.
Much like Mother Nature, who appears to be holding off on us, Pyramid under delivered with Snow Cap.
Harpoon’s Winter Warmer is a spicy beer with a phenomenal cinnamon & nutmeg taste that leaves you wondering why you have to wait for winter to enjoy it. This ale has a medium to dark color and smells good enough to be the scent of an air freshener. This is a commendable beer worthy of a tasting.
This is the only beer from Harpoon that I’ve tasted; however, judging by its excellent showing, I’m eager to taste others by this Boston brewery.
Visit Harpoon.
Bananna nut bread. That’s what I think of when I try to descibe this unfiltered wheat beer. The label mentions, “wild, fruity flavors and deep, spicy aromas.” It’s a dark bock beer, with a lot more character than most wheat beers, which is complex, but easy to drink. This ‘Autumnal elixir,’ has a pleasant aroma and flavor but a mildly bitter aftertaste like fruit rind.
Visit Victory.
Alcohol content 9%. This is everything that I want out of a winter ale (and no I don’t mean the high alcohol, although it doesn’t hurt when you’re on the East Coast). I really like all the offerings from Mendocino because of their zealous attention to quality ingredients. Their beers rely on just the basics and have a crisp and consistent taste. This seasonal offering is no exception. If you don’t like a “robust, full-bodied Imperial Pale Ale,” like this, with, “a rich blend of luscious malts paired with enormous amounts of Cascade, Amarillo, and Simcoe hops” then bah humbug to you and be on your way!
The Abita Brewing Company’s Christmas Ale is a spicy Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale-ish taste from the bayou. By far the best beer offered by Abita, especially if you’ve only tasted this and Purple Haze.
By the way, if you haven’t ever tasted Sierra’s Celebration go buy a case of it. If your local beer super store is out of it, then buy some next November.
Abita’s Christmas Ale is spicy but definitely not heavy. The color is medium, like a lager, but the taste is pale ale-ish (just add some spices). No hint of cajun either. This beer is worthy of a tasting if you can find it.
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