 TheBeerLover (1019), DC Metro Area, USA
| 4.4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 5/5 | 19/20 |
Oct 19, 2006 12 oz bottle. Pours to a light amber to copper color, with a soapy white head that fades, and a moderate to soft carbonation. The nose on this beer is very pleasing with aromas of caramel, and spicy hints of pine and spruce. The palate is soft with good flavors of toffee, biscuit, and caramel. This beer finishes with more good malt flavors up front, then ends with a piney/spruce finish that slightly lingers. The spruce tips in this beer makes for a very interesting and flavoful beer. You really get pleasing spruce flavor in the nose and finish. This is a nice, easy drinking, winter ale. A nice after work or dinner brew, and a good beer to sip and savor with a good book or a movie.
RasputinsBeard (11), Why do you give a fuck?, Oregon, USA
| 4.3 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 19/20 |
Sep 22, 2007 In my opinion this is a great example of a Scottish Gruit. The commercial description says English Olde Ale, but to me it is Scottish. Here is my review: AROMA - Some fruity-malt notes. Very crisp smelling; APPEARANCE - Medium amber in color. Faint head at the start that quickly fades. No real carbonation, and lacing is minimal; TASTE - The taste is that of a typical Scottish Gruit. The base flavor is malt, then the fruity bitterness of the spruce tips adds a nice roundness to the pallete; MOUTHFEEL - Mouthfeel is pleasant with roasted malty tones. No carbonation bite either; OVERALL - I really liked this brew. Beings that it is a limited release seasonally. If you see it, pick it up...dman fine brew.
badfinger (55), Washington, USA
| 4.1 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 4/5 | 18/20 |
Dec 14, 2007 Good, but not as good as the regular amber, a little heavier and a little more bitter
MicroRob (42), Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| 4.1 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 |
Mar 12, 2003 Quite different from most 'Winter Ales' with its lighter color. The spruce tip aftertaste is what is unique about this one. Very enjoyable.
Macanudo (14), USA
| 4.1 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 |
Apr 3, 2005 Spicey and bitter. This one is truly a seasonal. They add spruce tips to the recipe and you can tell. Nice color and is drinkable right after the pour.
JFGrind (1352), Glenside, Pennsylvania, USA
| 4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 3/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 |
Nov 8, 2003 I enjoyed this seasonal while watching the sun set over Lake Tahoe. Spruce trees where not only in my view but in my beer. Spruce flavor added to this hearty winter ale, and gave it an almost Belgian "yeasty" aftertaste. Maybe I was too caught up in the view of Tahoe from the 11th floor of Harvey's Casino because I felt this beer had the flavor of a six story tall spruce. If you see this winter ale it's worth a try.
rich42 (128), USA
| 4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 5/5 | 16/20 |
Oct 21, 2002 waaaayyyyy under-rated (in my opinion). flavors of lightly roasted malt, candy sugar, and just a touch of maple syrup / spruce tips (this is in no way a "novelty" beer). medium hopping. slightly on the sweet side - but not out of character for the style and pretty well balanced. have found to be great on tap or in the bottle, relatively warm or ice cold. easy to drink, very enjoyable winter ale.
rodolito (162), San Diego, California, USA
| 4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 3/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 |
Feb 21, 2003 It appears that I will be going against the grain on this one. I look forward to piney maltiness of this one every year. Pours a clear light orange/amber with a thin white head that rapidly disappears. Aroma of sweet spruce, caramel, and malt. Simple but nice. Sweet malty flavor followed by a full pine whallop. Not overpowering with pine. Aftertaste of light hop bitterness. Resiny mouthfeel that is moderate, as with the carbonation.
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