Cottonwood High Gravity Frostbite

Pours a dark red with a brownish tint with a decent amount of white head. Aroma of malts, spices, caramel, hops. Flavor is hoppy up front, piney, with some wintery spices, caramel, malts some citrus. This taste more like an IPA, but with some added spice. Medium body, medium carbonation, a little dry. I thought this was a decent winter seasonal. Not my favorite though.

Pours a dark ruby copper with a one finger creamy tan head. The nose is sweet, caramel, malty, sharp. The flavor is very bitter and astringent, malty, sharp, warm alcohol, no good, oxidized, musty cardboard. Astringent sharp and waxy mouthfeel.

Tap. Pours brown, taste of hops. I agree about the comment more like an IPA. Good none the less.

Sampled from draft at the Carolina Beer Company in the Charlotte airport during a layover at 9am in the morning. Clear dark iced tea color. Has a mildly hoppy sweet and strong alarming fragrance. Creamy head. Very bitter and hoppy, green grapefruit rinds prevail. Pine flavor impact. Mows over the taste buds. Barely any carbonation. Fairly crude and rude. Medicianl bitter finish. I’d say this is more like IIPA than a strong ale.

On Tap - Carolina Beer Co. Brewpub - Charlotte Airport. Dark orange pour, light khaki head - medium thickness with a bit of lacing. Strong spruce in the aroma Good strong grapefruity goodness, hints of mint and pepper, with some back end maple syrup maltiness. Sticky mouthfeel - nice and thick.

Draft at Carolina Brew Pub, Charlotte airport. Clear dark copper with a two-finger, lasting head. Aroma is slight but shows some caramel, evergreen resin, and slight smoke. Flavor is slight caramel, tamed right away by some bitter, resiny hops and maybe some earthy-smoke flavors. Smooth, medium body is dry and tingly. More like a hoppy American Strong than a brown, but pretty nice all the same.

This was really good. Very hoppy, and doesn’t really look like a brown ale as it is more of a copper/amber color. But I was pleasantly surprised and would have to say this is the best Cottonwood I’ve had so far.

Served on-tap at the Woods on South restaurant in Charlotte, NC. Appearance: Mostly clear, copper body topped by a fizzy, craggled white head. Smell: Aroma predominately of peaches and citrus fruits. Some pale malts in there as well, as is a touch of grains. Taste: Pale maltiness with some sweetness and a slight graininess. Fruity, sweet alcohol kick. Moderate, lasting bitterness. Dry finish with the taste of citrus husks. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Drinkability: The drinkability is fine enough for it being 8.5%. That doesn’t mean I’ll be having another, though!