Ithaca Winterizer

Sampled from growler courtesy of TomDecapolis. Poured a deeper ruby red color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of roast, christmas spices, spruce trees, and banana chips. Tastes of spices, roast, soem dark fruits, bananas, and chocolate.

Head is initially small, frothy, light brown, mostly diminishing. Body is dark amber. Aroma is moderately malty (cookie, caramel, grain), with notes of allspice, clove, and brown/candy sugar. Flavor is moderately sweet, moderately acidic, moderately bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately acidic, heavily bitter, slightly husky. Medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation, slightly metallic. I typically like these winter spiced beers, but this one has problems. Mostly adequate aroma I suppose (thanks primarily to spices, though), but some of the same problems as the Nut Brown with regards to cleanliness (poor water? poor malt extraction? dunno)...the aftertaste and mouthfeel make me cringe. Unbalanced (too much spice bitterness paired with the acidity, flimsy malt). Not a brewery I'm interested in exploring further, but I enjoyed giving it a shot.

Tap at HDG Daze of the Devil. Very dark brown beer. Toasty chocolatey aroma with a bit of brown sugar and loads of banana as well. Flavour is very chewy and sweet. Spicy and wheaty with a chewy lingering sweet finish. Toasted sweet malts and light chocolate. Lingering spiciness and is quite well-balanced and tasty. A kiss of alcohol on the back.

A clear reddish brown ale with a thin light moka head. In aroma, similar to a Belgian Palm or an old english ale, with caramel malt and vinous notes. In mouth, a pleasantly fruity malt taste, good hopping, not floral but more European, vanilla and wood notes. Medium bodied.

Bottle (12oz). Shared with blankboy. Bright, deep burnt brass, smallish frothy beige head. Odd aroma - vaguely reminiscent of latex paint - alcohol, roast acidic nuttiness, slight pine resin; spicy. Mild roast in the taste, but lurking pungent hop and burnt fruit, cold coffee, cinnamon husks, nut oil - kind of estery, oddly reminds me of a fruity altbier. Light, slick body, quite acidic in a subtle way, oily malt up front, but carbonized and bitter in the fairly long finish. Would probably mellow down to something even more interesting with a year in the cellar. Someone more alcohol at this point than I would prefer.