Dark Horse 4 Elf Winter Ale

Brewed by Dark Horse Brewing Company
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Marshall, Michigan USA

Despite the intense aroma of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove with lot of ginger, the flavor is actually not overbearing. I think the reason I like this one where most spiced beers don’t work for me is that the sweetness is much more restrained than usual.

(12oz bottle, thanks ryan) Small off-white head atop clear dark brown body. Aroma is medium sweet, allspice, clove, nutmeg, ginger. Taste is moderately sweet, allspice, caramel, nutmeg, clove, some ginger. Medium body, low carbonation.

12oz bottle from heliosphann - thanks, Scott! Nice dark brown pour, lively carbonation. What an aroma on this one! Huge notes of ginger and especially clove. This one smells like Christmas cookie all the way. Nice full body with a prickly carbonation that lets the flavors play nicely. The clove makes it go down well with the Indian food I was eating tonight. As several other raters have suggested, this is strongly similar to Anchor’s OSA, and I found it delicious.

Courtesy of fishingnet. Pours mahogany with thin tan head. The aroma is huge with Christmas cooking goodness emitting all spice, cinnamon, cloves, anise, nutmeg, ginger and mint. Aroma seems to be 100% spice and is like sticking your nose into a spice cabinet. The taste is much the same with overwhelming spiciness from all those noted in the nose. Overall to me this seems to be over spiced. It would be interesting to try in 5 years when the spices have been muted and blended some with age.

Draft at the brewpub during Crawfish Boil 2009. Pours a dark brown. Large tan head. Lots of lacing. Very spicy aroma. Tastes of nutmeg and other spices. Nice full bodied feel. Makes you think of the winter holiday season. Gives you a noticable warming sensation. Didn’t expect to find this on tap at the Dark Horse’s annual crawfish boil. Odd for the summer, but still quite a treat. Very tasty beer.

poured a deep red. Nose is an abrasive potpourri, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, mint and vanilla. Holy Christmas! Smwlls like my grandmother’s house during the holidays. Flavors is much the same as the nose with some woody notes. Not my kind of beer. Too much even for a small sample.

2008 Bottle - Thanks ogglethorp! - Pours dk dk brown with a medium creme head...aroma is highly spiced, autumn fruits and pumpkin, dark sweet malt...flavour is immediately heavy nutmeg, cinnamon, raisin bread, allspice...there is a light bitterness on the end and is dry throughout...while the spice is the biggest (only) noticable component, this would be great to share around the fire when it’s snowing...this brought me to Christmastime instantly and it’s currently Summer...

Pros: Super heavy spice character, big time pumpkin, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon and brown sugar. Strong flavor. Lots of taste. Even finishes well. Nice color.

Cons: A bit heavy on the spice, so much where it is basically the only element. Thin bodied. Out of balance.

Still pretty impressive.