Cottonwood Frostbite

Formerly brewed at Carolina Beer Company
Style: Brown Ale
Mooresville, North Carolina USA

From notes 1/17/03: Seasonal beer available December through March, labeled as a hoppy winter ale. Seemed to me to be "an IPA with a difference", namely the addition of spice (nutmeg?). Otherwise, this is an IPA in my opinion. Why limit us in NC to just 4 months a year? Reddish-brown coloring with a beige head that lasts all winter. Somewhat murky, more translucent that clear. The malty tastes that are silky smooth are offset by the wintry zing of hops. They’re not lying with their claim to a "hoppy ale". Extremely tasty! Your tongue, palate, and throat are all warmed with the hop additions. I love inhaling through my nose as I sip this beer. It’s very spicy and flavorful!

Bottle shared with and courtesy of HogTownHarry. Pours a hazy ruby-orange with a small diminishing off-white head. Aroma of sweet malt and hops -- more sweet then hoppy. Flavour’s the same, the sweet malt overpowers the faint hoppiness and there’s some spices and alcohol in there too. Medium bodied. This didn’t bear much resemblance to a Brown Ale to me and I thought it was just O.K.

Bottle (12oz). Shared with blankboy, my bottle. Murky deep orange-red with a decent off-white creamy head. Sweet yeasty dusty malt aroma, light spices, slightly scorched wheat. Very bitter woody taste, sweet malt almost dusty-sweet toasty malt overwhelmed by alcohol (6%?) and hops - again almost burnt. Mouthfeel still, bitter, burnt and syrupy - interesting but a little too bitter for me, where’s the malt?

Got the last sixer from Total Wine in Raleigh. Poured hazy deep brown/ruby edged, with an off-white head. The aroma was very hoppy, coupled with caramel malt and a sizable chocoff and almond component, plus some cinnamon. The flavor showed a caramelly, somewhat sweet malty taste up front, backed by some chocoff, dark fruit, and finishing hops. Not bad at all.

(12 oz bottle: Obtained in trade with goldtwins, thanks Larry!) After drinking a few dozen standard brown ales in a row, it sure is nice to taste a beer with plentiful hops in it for a change. Aromas of strong, dominating hops, sweet malts, and tea really set the stage. Flavors of very bitter and piney hops, winter spices, orange peel, grapefruit, sweet malts, roast, alcohol and tea, but it’s lacking the dark, chocolaty malts of a "brown ale" to me, and seems rather more like a hoppy strong ale. Medium-full bodied, slightly sticky, and well-carbonated, the strong spice and hoppy bitterness sit on the palate long after each sip. Very ruddy light brown color shows a fair amount of haze, and is topped by a smallish tan head that settles out to a ring. Some small patches of lace remain on the glass. Odd that the brewery considers this a brown ale, but whatever the style, it’s very hoppy and very tasty. If I didn’t know better, I’d say this is a beer from the West Coast. Well done!

Bottled. I happened to find this beer for 1 dollar per 6 pack when they were trying to clear it off the shelves for the next seasonal about 2 years ago. I was quite happy.

Pours a deep mohogany brown with a small slightly off-white head. Aroma is huge with grassy and citrussy hops and maybe some pine as well (C hops for sure). Surprisingly some toffee and roasted malt comes through as well. Taste is of initially sweet caramel and toffee with a substantial malt backbone to keep up with the exelllent hop profile. Citrus, pine and grass with a complementing amount of bitterness that lingers. Finish is dry. Mouthfeel is smooth and medium bodied with the right amount of carbonation. Excellent beer I feel. I don’t understand how it didn’t sell and that they were desperately trying to get rid of it. I got six 6pks.

Poured a dark amber color with a cream colored head. Hoppy aroma of pine and citrus. Flavoris hoppy with some sweet malt. Turns to a moderately bitter finish.

Pours a dark copper mahogany with a thin, light tan head. Green, piney hop aroma has some sweet candy and caramel sugar with hints of cinnamon. Starts with a nice sweetness and hoppy balance, but thins in flavor toward the finish. An interesting, well-hopped brown ale. Thanks to aracauna for sharing!