Highland Cold Mountain Winter Ale

Brewed by Highland Brewing Company
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Asheville, North Carolina USA

Bright copper body and off-white head. Aroma of crystal malt, ginger, juniper, and vanilla. I pick up troubling urinal undertones. Flavor has a tea-like malt profile plus mixed spices and vanilla extract. Lacking in coherence and not particularly to my liking.

1 liter bottle acquired in trade with merlin48 (thanks!). 2005 vintage. Poured a deep orange color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of spices (I was getting mint, wintergreen, and peppermint), pine, vanilla, and orange peel. The spices were present in the tastes too but on the lighter side with caramel, vanilla, and citrus.

Thanks to hopdog for unleashing this ’05 bottle at the tasting... Appears a semi-transparent orange toned brown with an ivory white head that fades into a collar. Little streaks of lacing are left around the glass. Smell is of caramel, vanilla, juniper, orange peel, cranberries, and biscuits. Taste is of the aromas with a highlight of caramel and berries. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, mildly spiced, along with a light sourness that fades into a wild spiced and hopped finish.

Thanks to hopdog. Pours a translucent orange amber with an average off white creamy head. Aroma of nutmeg, pie crust, vanilla and a lot of various spices. Flavors of the same with tons of nutmeg/vanilla that was covering up any malt/hop presence.

At barleys tap room on draught, this 2006 edition poured w/ a thin white head. Looks like the Gaelic Ale in color. Smells of sweet artificial flavor. Almost like a cream sicle in taste. Sweet, colying, finishes wet. Would expect more out of highland. Sorry.

Dark amber/brown. Small tan top. Toasty, cookie malt, vanilla, marshmallows, subtle hops. Medium/full body, smooth. Easy drinking. Solid, tasty brew.

22 oz bottle, thanks to OhioDad! Pours clear deep cherry brown color with a large beige head. Rich dark fruity malts anchor the aroma, with coffee, molasses, spice, apple juice and nutmeg present as well. Roasty bitter-sweet flavor, with prunes, coffee, bitter spices, candied fruity and an astringent finish. Medium to full body and gentle carbonation. Definitely an interesting beer.

From notes 1/1/04: 1-liter wax-enveloped Grolsch-type stopper bottle. Pours a deep ruby red color with plenty of mahogany tones to it. A large tan head formed easily with a rough pour and reduced after quite some time to a thin collar of foam around the edges with a murky Rorschact test of froth floating in the middle of the beer. Laces well with ample patterns of bubbles and froth inside my glass. Aromas were HUGE and heavenly! Spicy and warming. A solid toasty malt scent drizzled with cinnamon, nutmeg, and caramel. Smells like a dandy. The flavor also was out of this world. Big malts (more toasty with a touch of roastiness) and a lifetime supply of cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, caramel...along with the sweet airy flavors of fruity meltaways. A hint of bubblegum in the background, with a rush of fresh cotton candy (pink, not blue). A faint breeze of hoppiness softly dances across the palate. Holy schnikies this was a New Year’s Eve treat with dinner! Solid mouthfeel. If only the ABV could legally be higher so we could really see how big they could make this beer... Absolutely drinkable. Outstanding. Sad that the liter bottle I shared with the neighbor disappeared so quickly. Tempted to nab another liter from my stash, but there were more beers to drink that night.