Blue Ridge (MD) Snowballs Chance

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

Very nice. I am really enjoying this winter brew. Nice dark color and sweet aroma and flavor (just the right amount of sweetness - nothing too over the top). Reminds me just a little of Anchor Our Special Ale but without as much spice or alcohol aftertaste.

bottle-pours mahogony with a cola like off white head, aroma of red grapes, ginger, root beer-kinda odd! even flavors show root beer from all the spice i would guess. some grape twang in there as well. palate is rather overcarbonated and not so pleasant. finish is rather nice-sweet and somewhat spicy with a hoppy edge. not bad!

Thanks again, Tom!

Pours a dark mahogany body and a thick cap of khaki head. the aroma has far less hops than the Snow Goose I just drank. This is not as spicy, smoky, toasty nor fruity. There is a respectable malt backbone here: toffee, caramel as the beer warms, some plums, raisins, and fig. The beer comes across with tons of nuttiness, almond, walnut, pecan… it’s pretty nice. This is surly a respectable winter beverage!

Copper complexion, medium beige head, looks nice and full tasting. I was right, the flavor is nice and malty, just as advertised. Citrus-banana notes in there though, something like a wheat beer. Hmmm. Interesting. Overall a decent enough beer, at least one powerful or over top ingredient.

Appears a dark brown with a slight red hue and a nice beige head that retains nicely. Beautiful beige lacing rings stick around all sides. Smell is of a nice array of malt with a mixed up grain bill that is pleasant. Aromas of caramel, wheat, and perhaps a light billing of German and Belgian malts lingering in the background. Taste is sweet swheat malt mixed with an array of mixed malts. Quite jumbled but interesting enough to drink. Mouthfeel is smooth but slightly watery along the palate with finish cutting out with mild hop bitterness. Definite wheat presence. Drinkability...needs to be more full bodied and definitive. The Snow Goose seems to be more of a winner for a warmer and this is leaning towards a porter gone awry. There is just too much going on betwen the yeast, grain bill, different malts, and mild hop finish. I can’t put my finger on it. Not bad but not that great either.

Great winter ale, it is possible that the rating is a little romantic tho...it was the beer that brought me to drinking beer, at my favorite(now sadly defunct) local tavern made by two of my good friends up in Frederick MD, just up the road from me!!! Thanks Dan and Mike for all your labors.

This bottled brew poured a small sized head of light tan colored fine to medium sized mostly lasting bubbles that left behind a transparent carbonated dark brown colored body. The aroma contained mild smoky notes and heavy nutmeg ones. The mouth feel was tingly initially and mellow in the finish. The flavor nice with malty notes and heavy on the caramel with a mild vinousness.

Medium head that dissipates to a small white head after a few minutes. Ruby dark red color. Kind of a nutty slightly citrus nose. Sweet citrus opens up into bitter then at the tail goes sweet again. A little roast malt in the sweetness.