Blue Ridge (MD) Snowballs Chance

Brewed by Wild Goose LLC (Flying Dog)
Style: English Strong Ale
Frederick, Maryland USA

Another winter warmer clocks in at number 29. Malty, nutty. Pretty good. Nothing to write home about. Doesn’t have a snowball’s chance of being at the top of the list of the 43 beers I sampled tonight.

12oz bottle via trade with slob - Thanks Bert! - Pours dark brown with a short offwhite head that fades quick to a ring but laces down the glass. Aroma is nutty, with notes of chocolate, and caramel. Flavor is chocolate covered nuts with caramel inside. A touch of bitterness on the dry finish. Smooth with lots of body. Enjoyable..

pours dark with a thin tan head, aroma of malt, slight floral hops, and nuts. flavor is slightly bitter, mildly carbonated, spiced, good body, nothing outstanding here, but not a flop.

Snow Ball’s Chance pours to a beautiful, bright, garnet color with a nice tan head, and a soft carbonation. The nose is very rich and malty. Aromas of sweet malt, toffee, nuts, and chocolate flood the nose. The palate is rich and satisfying. Flavors of sweet malt, caramel, a bit of roast, and a touch of chocolate coat the tongue. Mouth feel is very nice on this beer, it is hefty, and slightly syrupy. This beer finishes with more good sweet malt character, then is balanced out with just a touch of hop character, and a slightly warming, soothing burn. Really a very well done winter warmer. Plenty of good malt flavors and just enough alcohol boost to take the chill off a cold night. This would make an excellent desert beer. I would serve this with a warm bread pudding with whiskey sauce, or perhaps a hot apple or mince meat pie.

Pour is a very dark red with a small tan head. Aroma is very mild and hard to detect. Flavor is a bit malty with some spice and nutmeg added. Overall pretty bland and watery.

Draft poured a brown cola color with chocolate and coffee aroma. Moderate bitterness, a bit of ginger spice detected in the finish. Has some OSA spice qualities but not as well built as Anchor’s Winter seasonal.

12z bottle. Brownish hue with a hint of purple. Opaque with a tan layer of head. Malt dominated in the nose with hints of coffee and bitter chocolate. Cocoa and fruit. Sweet malt and coffee notes. Dry and piney. Nutty and smooth.

Very dark brown color with a tall, but diminishing light beige head. Heavy malt and dark fruit aromas. Dark caramel, light chocolate, earthy dates and figs with a mild roasted malt scent, mingle in the nasal passages (7+). Smooth, full, rich and silk on the palate. Dry lightly roasted mocha flavors. Mild dry roasted nut flavors mix. Mild herbal hoppiness. Quite drinkable. A dry espresso linger.