Highland Cold Mountain Winter Ale

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

Decent sized head of small and dense bubbles. Very weak aroma with a bit of spices and dry flowery malts. Strange that the aroma is so weak. Color is a nice crimson brown. Wow, not the flavor that I expected. A big slap of vanilla up front. Loads of soft chewy malts, lots of flowers, some more spices and as Pastor said malted milk balls. A very unexpected flavor combination when compared to the aroma. Finishes sweet and pasty with lingering soft malts and vanilla. A unusual brew.

Thanks to brentk56 for sending this want along in his black booty package 22oz bomber poured in to my DFH snifter produced a two finger tan head that trailed of to a thick lace the body of the brew was a nice burgandy color when held to the light The aromas coming of it are quite pleasing Coco not roasted in any ways, some sweet caramel malt, vanilla and other spices I associate with winter. The flavor is quite a surprise, I really like it. The ale was like a malted milk chocolate, but the wrong color if you know what I mean. Just a creamy and full in the mouth as I would expect. The sweetness was there along with the vanilla. I was really blow away by this one and will defiantly look for it again next year. A great winter warmer one of the best I have tried

Winter 2008 22 ounce bottle from PJs Fast Mart in Sylva, North Carolina. Pours a clear deep red color with a medium tan head. Fair head retention and excellent lacing. Aroma of caramel, raisin, toffee, bread, cinnamon. Taste like liquid graham crackers... toastiness, cinnamon, bread, some subtle hops and dark fruits. Medium-full bodied.

Bottle that I shared at the Free the Hops monthly chapter meeting in Huntsville. Poured ruby with an off-white head that left good lace. Aromas of sweet malts, light fruit in the background and vanilla. The flavor found fruit (mainly cherries), milk chocolate, vanilla and spice. Medium body, dry, but sweet. Nice!

Smells like spices, bread, caramel, and some vanilla. Color is deep red with a small creamy tan head. Medium bodied with wonderful combination of spices including cinnamon, clove and coriander. Brown sugar and malts with a hit of vanilla that steals the show. It’s the perfect amount of vanilla that hits the back part of your tongue and is never overwhelming. The palate is well balanced and the flavors compliment one another extremely well. Especially the slight sweetness coupled with the spices. This winter ale is the only reason I still believe in Santa

Brown-amber. Earthy, lightly hoppy aroma. Cookie, earth and light melony hop. Soft and drinkable winter brew. I like it.

Dark red color with no head. Light malt aroma. Complex flavors... caramel and chocolate mixed with dry grains. Some cinnamon and yeast. Certainly Christmasy.

Pours deep cherry-wood off the tap, reminiscent of a good whiskey. The nose is malty and earthen. Some vegetal flavors mingle with vanilla extract, powdered sugar (like the inside of a bon-bon) and malts. These carry through the finish, and accompany a light bitter with a medium-thin mouthfeel. Decent, but a different brew here. Nice to try, and would have again.