 Gromit (449), Port Orchard, Washington, USA
Oct 28, 2005
Pours a nice amber color with just a bit of a head that doesn’t last long.
Aroma is nicely balanced hops and malt. Smells nice, but nothing spectacular.
Flavor is almost pure hops. Add some Cascade or Willamette hops and you’d swear this was a PNW IPA. Nice, but not what I was expecting with a winter seasonal. It’s nice to not be hit in the face with the citrus, though, as the palate is smooth. This could easily be a go-to beer for me if it was priced right and available year round. Nicely done, but again: Not your typical winter seasonal.
phishpond417 (1360), Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA
Jun 17, 2008 A nice, tastey, citrusy IPA. Pours a hazey bright orange colour with a fairly large white head. Plenty of fruit on the nose, and a sweet floral aroma.
rudolf (1547), Buffalo, New York, USA
Mar 8, 2008 Bottle via homebrew swap. Thanks! Copper golden body, white head w. nice lacing. Nose is piney resin, grapefruit hops. A lot of malt in there - caramel, butterscotch. As the aroma continues a bit of spiciness rises out of the hops. Alcohol is there but not overwhelming. Flavor is loads of caramel, piney resin, fruit - orange, strawberry, apricot. A hint of toffee. Very fruity hoppy finish. Wish I could get this around here!
kramer (1864), sunbury, Pennsylvania, USA
Mar 1, 2008 12 oz bottle, via kenb. Pours a clear copper with a one finger fizzy off-white head. Decent retention, minimal visible carbonation. Nice vibrant citrusy and floral hop nose with a little toasted crackery malt. Light caramel sweetness. The flavor is well balanced for a West Coast IPA, bright citrusy hops taking the lead with a slightly sweet toasted malt finish. Moderate bitterness on the biscuity finish. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a slight resiny stickiness and moderate fizzy carbonation. Overall, a pretty nice IPA. Nice and bright, the way I like ’em.
zathrus13 (1058), Mount Laurel, New Jersey, USA
Jan 25, 2008 Orange/amber, with a white head. Aroma is citrus, sugar, and malt. Flavor is citrusy hops, caramel, and malt. A nice, solid brew, but nothing spectacular.
markgugs (86), Wood Ridge, New Jersey, USA
Jan 13, 2008 poured from a 12oz. bottle into a tall pilsner glass (bottled Oct. 2007 according to the notch on the bottle)
A: Poured a gorgeous, amber/reddish color with a nice solid finger of creamy, off-white head. A nice thin layer stayed with the beer the whole way down, leaving a satisfied lacing behind.
S: Not at all what I expected, lots of toffee-ish, malted aromas. I was expecting to be overwhelmed by tangy and/or citrusy hops. Slight citrusy zest on the finish.
T/M: Not really sure why this is listed as a "winter warmer," when it’s far, far closer to an aggressively hopped IPA, as those PNW crazies love to do. Very bitter on the finish, but before you get there, a nice toasted blend of hops & malts blast the tongue. Slight aspirin-like dryness adds an ample dose of bitterness to boot. Just the right amount of carbonation makes this beer incredibly easy to drink.
D: This would be a very easy beer to polish of a sixer of. It’s not too aggressive, it’s not too over-the-top, it’s a great drinking beer, just not a winter warmer.
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