Big Sky Powder Hound Winter Ale

Brewed by Big Sky Brewing Company
Style: English Strong Ale
Missoula, Montana USA

Light brown hue, with a very thin off white head. Toffee, raisin, caramel, a little alcohol showing through. Taste is lightly fruity, with caramel, light alcohol, dried fruit.

Pours with a clear, dark ruby color and a head which is average, beige, and creamy/pillowy; decent longevity and scattered lacing. Nose is faint and unfocused; toffee, toasty caramel, light raisin, and a hint of spice. Flavor is similar but not unpleasant; toffee, toast, light dried fruit, hints of cocoa, and a moderately light British hop to finish. Palate is medium, soft to lively, and a dry but silky feel. Finishes with a lightly herbal bitterness, toffee, and with the feel drying out almost completely. Not a bad winter beer but nothing really standing out. Simple but enjoyable.

This has a good looking pour, a clear reddish brown body with a solid, creamy beige head that laces nicely. The aroma is caramel with a touch of butterscotch, cherries and fresh apples, and a hint of wood. It’s a bit watery or I’d rate it higher. Otherwise, the flavor nicely reflects the aroma. Just a touch of herbal/earthy bitterness is added at the end. Good.

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Copper color with a small white head. Mildly sweet with some notes of caramel malt. Fruity and bready with a touch of hops.

Bottle (thanks, Jake!). Malty, slightly sweet aroma with notes of caramel and cherry, possibly a little toast. Clear red body with a lacing, creamy tan head. Bittersweet. Big, big body with lots of malt and notes of cherry, toffee, toast, caramel, and just a smidgen of salty licorice. Nutty with a slight wine quality. Wee molasses with indeterminate spice (nutmeg?) far in the bg. Very dry and lightly bitter aftertaste. Alcohol is nowhere apparent. Pleasant sipper, I would take this again any day. Well, not Dark Lord Day.

Felt thin, then again for as cheap as this was I didn’t expect it to bee to thick or pack too much of a buzz. Good but not outstanding. I’ve heard so much about Moose Drool that I figured I’d try a single of this since it was available at Blue Max but I can’t see myself trying any Big Sky again since they tend to offer only middle-of-the-road stuff.

Bottle. Pours red-orange with big beige head. The aroma of light buttered toast, some caramel and grain notes--standard amber stuff, really. The flavor is pretty sweet, with some cotton-candy, caramel, brown sugar. There are some interesting notes in the middle, slightly vegetal and slightly tannic. Faint piney hops drift throughout. Bready finish. Good, but uninteresting.

From a 12 oz bottle, this poured a dark amber color with a nice slightly off-white head that left good lacing. Nose of malts and some hops. Mouthfeel average and flavors strong on caramel and overall a little on the sweet side. Drinkable but not exceptional.