Winter Beers in the Snow

[Rich Pawlak]

I've finally been starting to buy up some of the winter and holday beers out there, starting with Saranac's "12 Beers" collection (the first without a new or exclusive beer in the mix since I can remember buying this holiday pack), from F.X. Matt Brewing in Utica, NY, filled with some of their regular styles, and beers like their Caramel Porter, Single Malt ale, and their Season's Best nut brown ale.

I popped the Season's Best last night. It had a nice dark copper color, chunky khaki head and terrific candy/burnt sugar aroma. The head faded fairly quickly, and as the beer warmed, I sipped. Kinda thin actually, but with some peanut and almond flavors up front, and a light vanilla in the finish. I was expecting something a little more robust, but that's often the way with Saranac beers, they're a little light in the loafers. A pleasant enough quaffer, but nothing here to make you want to open another and salute the holiday.

So what winter and holiday brews ave you been drinking? Post your TNs here.

[beans]

Great Lakes' Christmas Ale

Pretty much as they describe. Deep honey and cinnamon. For some reason this year's batch tastes differently than previous years of this brew's production. It is a tad bitter instead of spicey. Regardless, it is still a treat and usually in short supply.

[Rich Pawlak]

Great Lakes' Christmas Ale

Pretty much as they describe. Deep honey and cinnamon. For some reason this year's batch tastes differently than previous years of this brew's production. It is a tad bitter instead of spicey. Regardless, it is still a treat and usually in short supply.

I've always found the Great Lakes Xmas to be overly spicy, really heavy-handed. I can actually get some of that here in NJ, so I will grab a sixer and see if its been toned down.

[john b]

Troegs Mad Elf. This may be my new favorite holiday beer.

The label says it's brewed with honey and cherries, so I was expecting something that would be too sweet, not what I like. I was surprised to find that the cherries add a nice tartness and the honey smooths out the beer, which is very big at 11% ABV. It's perfect for sharing a bottle and sipping in front of a fire like a port.

[John]

Two seasonal beers that we get every year are Harpoon Winter Warmer and Geary's Hampshire Ale. My wife loves the cinnamon and nutmeg flavor in Harpoon, and has me buy it every year when it comes out. I like the heavier Geary's with that distinctive Ringwood yeast strain. A regular English style pale ale that I used to love was Wild Goose Pale Ale that was brewed in Cambridge, Md. My absolute favorite beer. They went out of business and the beers were/are being brewed by Frederick's Brewing in Md. I was delighted to once again see Wild Goose, but greatly disappointed when I tasted it. A completely different taste. No Ringwood yeast, and probably not fermented the same way in open fermenters. A beer called Red Feather, out of Pa., was similar, but also is no more.

[Big Bunny]

Here in Baltimore I haven't found a six-pack of Anchor's seasonal.

At Brewer's Art, I had a Storm King on Wednesday. It was very

good, but I was eating sausage at the time - can't remenber the

flavors well.

At Dougherty's they have lots of Sierra Nevada's seasonal,

I can never remember names.

It is good, very herby, with a pronounced celery/fennel aftertaste.

I may get back to BA tonight. They have several more I'd like to try.

BB

edit - pakk -> pack

Edited December 7, 2003 by Big Bunny (log)

[LJDolan]

I'm a newbie to the beer board here, but another old timer from the Prodigy beer board. I have to agree with John on the Mad Elf. Another one I really like is this year's winter seasonal from Old Dominion - a baltic porter. A very malty porter.

I am looking forwaord to trying the three news beers from Dogfish Head being released in early December - Au Courant, Pangea and Festina Lente.

[beerguyjim]

Two seasonal beers that we get every year are Harpoon Winter Warmer and Geary's Hampshire Ale.

Geary's HSA has been year-round for quite some time now.

[Susan in FL]

Hi, Lloyd! Welcome. Good to see you!

Three new beers from Dogfish Head, thanks for the info. Russ and I will check that out, and hopefully he'll buy some during his next trip north. Any highly hopped?

Anything else new at Old Dominion?

Susan

[LJDolan]

None of them highly hopped.

Au Courant is suppose to be a belgian style pale ale with pureed currants as part of the mix.

Pangea - some hybrid style of beer with ingredients from each continent.

Festina Lente- a peach lambic.

Besides the baltic porter which I highly reccommnd Russ buying the the case if not the pallet, Old Dominion has finally developed a version of their bourbon stout that they will be able to bottle. All they are waiting for now is ATF aproval.

[Rich Pawlak]

I'm a newbie to the beer board here, but another old timer from the Prodigy beer board. I have to agree with John on the Mad Elf. Another one I really like is this year's winter seasonal from Old Dominion - a baltic porter. A very malty porter.

I am looking forwaord to trying the three news beers from Dogfish Head being released in early December - Au Courant, Pangea and Festina Lente.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLoyd! Almost missed your post; welcome! This is a SERIOUS beer geek, folks! Lloyd is from Northern Virginia, and he knows his stuff.

[jariggs]

I tried the Anderson Valley Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale the other day. I'm usually very wary of beers with added flavorings like spice or fruit, but this beer won me over. It has a nice, subtle taste of vanilla and other spice. They have it on draft in my area (Washington, DC) at the Reef in Adams Morgan. The Reef also has the very interesting Stone Smoked Porter, which while not a seasonal beer seems to complement chilly winter weather well.

[Susan in FL]

Old Dominion has finally developed a version of their bourbon stout that they will be able to bottle. All they are waiting for now is ATF aproval.

Yesss! Now that is good news, if it's close to what I had at the brew pub. Please keep us posted.

[Rich Pawlak]

Sampled a couple of winter beers tonight at the legendary Grey Lodge Public House in NE Philadelphia. On tap were Penn St. Nikolas from Pittsburgh, Sierra Nevada Celebration, Anchor Our Special Ale and Weyerbacher Old

Heathen Imperial Stout, as well as the return of Legacy (nee Pretzel City) Duke of Ale.

First, Anchor Our Special Ale, Anchor Brewing, San Francisco, CA.

What a surprise! Silken, smooth and full of plums! There are tastes that you remember all of your life, tastes that never leave you no matter what. One of those tastes, for me, is that of Gerber Plums (that's right, the baby food, so sue me). And this year's Anchor OSA has GOT to have some of those in the brew. Gone is the sometimes strong pine/retsina/pine bark taste that OSA has always seemed to have, replaced by tons of gorgeous, purple plums. I swear. Dark and black as night, with a thick, dense 1/2 inch khaki head, the immediate aroma in the glass was like the leather in a Range Rover, a distinctive, Connoly-like smell, and then a hint of tobacco, But then the first sip: sweet, smooth and plummy, without a trace of harshness, as in previous years, and none of that oily mouthfeel. Oh, my kind of winter beer, and so far this winter, my favorite.

[Okbrewer]

Though not all are considered Winter Beers, the following tasting notes were prepared last week while imbibing some of the best beers I've tasted in a while. My friend from Alaska did bring me some of the famous Alaskan Smoked Porter! Talk about a winter warmer!

Here are the notes (Smoked Porter not included):

Tasting Notes December 4, 2003

In attendance: Pete Devaris, Bob Rescinito, Steve Law, Tim Nagode, Mike Groshong and his friend John ?

Pete, who conducted the tasting at Bob’s house, provided most of the beers. The beers were carted to OKC from Anchorage, Alaska!

1. Pete’s Belgian Christmas Ale (homebrew) - Hints of cardamom, coriander and EKG hops, along with a lactic, citrusy aroma. Flavor was sweet yet surprisingly dry! Well-balanced with hints of orange and a soft alcohol bite. Trappist-like, Saison-like. Very enjoyable beer to start the evening! Good job, Pete!

2. Delirium Noel – Fruity, Munich malt character in the nose, rather light bodied. Candi sugar / caramel expresses itself in the flavor all the way to the finish. Rum notes. Hints of hot alcohol. Good, not great.

3. Oud Beersel Gueuze Vielle – All the requisite lambic aromas! Horsy, lactic nose with hints of pears. The flavor is nutty, peach pit-like, well-balanced, with a very dry finish and a salty edge. Very nice beer and palate cleanser for things to come!

4. Pete’s Cassis Lambic - Big Time FUNKY!! Horse blanket, hay, fruity, goat cheese, pine-like aromas all competing for attention! Exceptionally dry with a juniper-like bite from the cassis with hints of citrus/tangerine/pineapple. Spritzy! Excellent, nicely crafted, well-aged beer, Pete! Would have been the hit of night had it not been for the DEUS!

5. N’ice Chouffe (1996) – Oxidized, cardboard, wet newspaper aromas, but not as bad as in previous samplings of this beer. Some fruity and malty aromas and flavors, but still somewhat oxidized and lacked carbonation.

6. DEUS!! - The name says it all! This beer is god-like! Divine! A well-orchestrated symphony of aromas escapes from the rising white head and tickles the nose. Star anise! Lavender! Baked apples! Champagne-like in its carbonation, the beer climbs up the flute and doesn’t want to be confined to the glass. It begs you to drink it! But the aroma is, well, DIVINE! You just want to keep smelling it! The crystal clear, sparkling golden color adds to the beauty of this beer. All the aromas show up in the flavor along with a perfumey, licorice spiciness and the cinnamon/apple, persimmon, clover flavors all dancing on the tongue! All married together in this well-balanced, exceptional beer! Divine! Amen!

7. Terrible - Plum-like, Trappist nose with hints of chocolate malt, and a sassaphras/root beer-like aroma and flavor, notes of blackstrap molasses. Very angular flavors, not well-balanced. Some fruit cake and rum flavors lead to a hot alcohol finish. Didn’t quite live up to its name, but close. Not the best beer of the night. Could it be because it followed the Deus!?

8. Gouden Carolus Noel - Banana esters in the nose and flavor, followed by a huge malt component. A lot of alcohol in the aroma and flavor. Flavors included dark fruits, raisins, plums, sweet, with hints of bourbon and licorice, finishes with a carbonic bite.

9. Delirium Nocturnum - Highly carbonated, with a thin, light body. Some raisin and plum flavors with hints of chocolate. A mediocre dark Belgian, good, but not great.

10. Old Foghorn - They should call this Old Reliable! The usual: caramel, malt, hops. Big flavors in a small bottle. Refreshing barleywine. Comfort beer?

11. Lee’s Harvest Ale (1997) – This beer has body in the nose!! Smells like caramel covered toasted marshmallows! Put it on pancakes!? Toffee, loads of caramel, raisins, plums, dark fruit, malt all meld nicely together, finishing with an alcohol flourish. This beer was awesome!

12. Thomas Hardy’s (1975) - Yep, that’s right, 1975! Pete dusted off a few vintage bottles for us to try.

PFFST on opening, always a good sign! Beautiful tawny, copper color. The aroma is malty, with hints of smoke, wine and bitter chocolate. Smells like the bottom of a well-used barrel. Salty, leather, tobacco flavors merge with licorice and caramelized raisins. The smoke turns to bacon-like flavors. It moves like mercury in the snifter. The flavors are almost maduro cigar-like. This is a well-worn boot; it fits and feels so good! Outstanding beer!!

13. Thomas Hardy’s (1974) – Another from Pete’s collection! It’s cloudy, almost chunky in appearance. Raisins and plums are prevalent in the aroma, followed by a hint of smokiness and some alcohol in the nose. Some lactic, vinous components in the flavor hit first, followed by the same leather and tobacco as in the ’75 version. This one finishes quicker, with some tartness balanced by a candi sugar sweetness that merges into a dry finish. Exceptional!

What a wonderful evening! And what a variety of exquisite beers we sampled! The clear favorite of all tasters was the Deus, followed very closely by the pair of Thomas Hardy’s. Also receiving high praise was Pete’s Cassis Lambic. Thanks, Pete, for sharing! Let’s do it again some time!

[malarkey]

Great write up Bob. Now if I can just find some of that Deus. crap, might be too late.

[Rich Pawlak]

Though not all are considered Winter Beers, the following tasting notes were prepared last week while imbibing some of the best beers I've tasted in a while.

Bobbo!

Folks, this is Bob Rescinito, from Oklahoma City, OK (but dont hold that against him), another one of the most passionate beer people I know, an expert homebrewer (wait until he starts chiming in on the Homebrew threads!) and serious foodie. Another of the original Prodigy beer community folks, and a welcome addition here!

[Rich Pawlak]

Another beer sampled at the Grey Lodge Public House last night was

Penn St. Nikolaus, from Penn Brewing Co. Pittsburgh, PA.

Deep brown in color with dark orange highlights, this plummy, creamy brew gave up hints of chocolate, almonds, even pears to me, and a finish like slightly burnt pie crust. Nice frothy khaki head, fabulous aroma of coffee and chocolate. Always a winter favorite, and a tremendous version of the dopllebock style. Always great to see every December on tap at the best bars in Philly. A great beer with a cigar, too.

[john b]

Sampled a couple of winter beers tonight at the legendary Grey Lodge Public House in NE Philadelphia. On tap were Penn St. Nikolas from Pittsburgh, Sierra Nevada Celebration, Anchor Our Special Ale and Weyerbacher Old

Heathen Imperial Stout, as well as the return of Legacy (nee Pretzel City) Duke of Ale.

First, Anchor Our Special Ale, Anchor Brewing, San Francisco, CA.

What a surprise! Silken, smooth and full of plums! There are tastes that you remember all of your life, tastes that never leave you no matter what. One of those tastes, for me, is that of Gerber Plums (that's right, the baby food, so sue me). And this year's Anchor OSA has GOT to have some of those in the brew. Gone is the sometimes strong pine/retsina/pine bark taste that OSA has always seemed to have, replaced by tons of gorgeous, purple plums. I swear. Dark and black as night, with a thick, dense 1/2 inch khaki head, the immediate aroma in the glass was like the leather in my Range Rover, a distinctive, Connoly-like smell, and then a hint of tobacco, But then the first sip: sweet, smooth and plummy, without a trace of harshness, as in previous years, and none of that oily mouthfeel. Oh, my kind of winter beer, and so far this winter, my favorite.

note to self:

get off your butt and find some OSA this weekend.

I forgot about the St. Nik from Penn Brewing. I had a case of it last year. It's really good stuff.

[Susan in FL]

Bob R. from OKC, nice to see you, as well. It's like you died and went to Winter Beer Heaven, with those wonderful tasting notes.

John Who I Thought I Know But I Don't, I'm with you. I have got to find some Anchor OSA. From RP's description, what I did not like in previous years is gone and what I do like is there.

It's really great to see all of you and your beer reviews, and it's so reminiscent... I want to have an ATTACK. Any chance of that?

[LJDolan]

I have got to find some Anchor OSA.

Sue,

If worse comes to worse, you can get it shipped to you from Belmont Station in Portland.

www.horsebrass.com and follow the links.

[Susan in FL]

Lloyd, thanks. What a resource. We are going to call or email them and see if they will ship to Florida. Some will and some won't. If not, will anybody feel sorry for me here without real beer, and send me some?

I'll keep you posted.

[LJDolan]

If not, will anybody feel sorry for me here without real beer, and send me some?

I'll keep you posted.

Sue,

Where in Florida are you now living? I have been able to find Bigfoot in Fort Lauderdale. Also, Big Bear Brewing in Coral Springs (we have been there) took the GABF gold in 2002 for their belgian dubbel. Brewzzi's in Boca Raton won four medals in 2001 and 2002 in real beer cateories. There are also some brewpubs and microbreweries in the Tampa area my brother really likes.

If not, I'd be more than willing to ship if I only had beer shipping boxes.

[Rich Pawlak]

If not, will anybody feel sorry for me here without real beer, and send me some?

I'll keep you posted.

Sue,

Where in Florida are you now living? I have been able to find Bigfoot in Fort Lauderdale. Also, Big Bear Brewing in Coral Springs (we have been there) took the GABF gold in 2002 for their belgian dubbel. Brewzzi's in Boca Raton won four medals in 2001 and 2002 in real beer cateories. There are also some brewpubs and microbreweries in the Tampa area my brother really likes.

If not, I'd be more than willing to ship if I only had beer shipping boxes.

I have a few shipping boxes (probably from Frank E. in IL (remember him?) but have surely gotten away from the shipping beer thing. Good enough time to revive that dangerous habit.

[john b]

John Who I Thought I Know But I Don't

I like that new last name. I wonder if it'll fit on my license and credit cards??