Elysian Bifröst Winter Ale

Brewed by Elysian Brewing Co.
Style: American Strong Ale
Seattle, Washington USA

Pour is caramel amber with a big dense and tightbubbled light brown head...smell is initially hoppy with pine, resin, and grapefruit notes...taste is a little doughy up front with strong resin and pine notes building the bitterness until the finish of grapefcruit bitter...pretty good!

Draught pint at Redbones, 12/29/2005. Deep gold and rust tones swirl amidst light copper and amber notes. Moderately hazy, with a dense, yet small white head that is well-retained and laces quite significantly. The aroma lets you know you’re in for a hop ride right away, coming at you with lemon, grapefruit, orange peel and light pine all at once, leaving only a small place for the pale malts. A touch of rusty/sourish munich malt can be sensed as well, but it is nearly lost in the pine sappy-like sourness. The flavor begins very strongly bitter and hop flavored. Light nectarines, peaches and oranges emerge in the background but are fully controlled as grapefruits, lemons and pine resin dominate the palate. The pale malt sweetness is there, in a lightly doughy way, but yet it adds body and light balance, without much flavor. Soft fruits, sweaty hay-like notes and then more grapefruit perfuminess abound in every sip. Surprisingly, the pine acidity seems to recede as it warms and I drink more (or at least, it does not build up to an unbearable level). Sticky hops meet sticky doughy, sugary malts, but there is so much of everything that it is difficult to not appreciate the quality. For all the talk of hops bitterness, pine and grapefruit, it dosent destroy the palate, nor cloy you with the malt. Alcohol is well-controlled and the carbonation is low.

I bought this on a whim, Liked the upfront taste and didn’t mind its hoppiness but didn’t care for the finish. Didn’t know anything about this beer until I opened it up. I don’t care for these types of beer overall.

From the tap. Arrived at the table with no head. Copper red in appearance. Very refreshing and hoppy character. Had with pizza.

From the bottle

Pours a reddish-orange with a good-sized head and nice lacing.

Great big PacNW citrus and pine nose, balanced beautifully by the warm caramel malts. The flavor follows, the best of citrus hops, almost a sweet IPA or IIPA, balanced beautifully with assertive malt. The high alcohol content is totally obscured, and the warm oily mouthfeel (with no alcohol burn) is the only hint that one is not dealing with a 6% beer.

This is a top-notch beer; the key here is in the balance, and definitely worth revisiting. Well done!

22 oz bottle, about a year old, from Sams in Chicago (Dec 2004). Pours a light reddish gold, substantial head dying quickly to leave some creamy lacing...citrusy hops in the nose, bit of caramel, new leather, pine tar, fairly assertive but not particularly well blended....quite hoppy at the front, but large amounts of sweet citrus and more than a hint of syrupy honey keep it in check, as well as making for a somewhat cloying mouthfeel...still the hop level is pleasant, and it dries out enough at the end to provide a nice dried orangepeel citrusy tang...ehh, it’s decent enough.

brownish orangish color thick white head well laced. Hoppy aroma a bit stale some nice citrus and a good carmel w/ a twinge of alcohol. Palate is lightly creamy and well coated. Reminded me of a barley wine. Big malt taste some carmel and toffee a lightly bitter finish and a warm swallow. Pretty good stuff.

Pours to a deep brassy red colored body with a nice thin white head that’s bubbly and foamy. Excellent lacing. The aroma is citrusy and malty with sweet fruits. The flavor is a lemony malt with nice barley and light peanuts. Actually a nicely balanced and flavored brew. The palate is medium bodied with a nice carbonation and smooth mouthfeel. Very drinkable. Thanks Matt!