James Page Winter Warmer Ale

Formerly brewed at Stevens Point Brewery
Style: American Strong Ale
Stevens Point, Wisconsin USA

looking at some old notes here...Light umber liquid with a some beige head. poor taste. something seems wrong with it. had a musky sorta flavor, traces of something that could be good. not sure, maybe i got a bad batch or something.

2005 bottle as a bonus from CharlesDarwin, consumed on 12/30/2005. Upon opening, DMS is practically flying off the beer. As well, there are some light tea leaves and a growing caramel-toffee, rather English in nature. Amber body is clear, with a beige head, mostly diminishing to cover/ring. DMS leaves fairly quickly and in place, a fruity yeast and sticky toffee. Toffee aroma remains rich and full, with tea-like herbal hops in the background. Flavor is quite toffeeish (butter toffee, English toffee, what have you), with light toasted grains, earthy, almost mossy, plant-like hops. A light note of citrus on the finish, as it warms, seems in slight contrast to the butter toffee, but it is a minor complaint. Body is medium, carbonation quite low and the texture rather plain, light chewiness to light creaminess at times, and not overly filtered. Is this really 8 abv? No sign on that.

Light umber liquid with a moderate beige head that settles to a dense lid of small bubbles. Light fruit cake aromas, with dates and raisins, sweet bread and mild spicy hops. First impression is a barleywine lite. Deep caramel, and malt flavors. Seems to thin in feel as it warms. Mild fruit and a touch of earthy pine hops. Touch of alcohol found late in the quaff. Linger is faint and thrifty. A touch more heft to this one and they might have something big! We’ll see what Point does with this one, if they keep it. Thanks CharlesDarwin.

Murky orange brown pour, with little to no head. Rich strong aroma fo raisins and hot cream, backed with a tinge of sherry. Flavor continues on aroma, with notes of sherry, cherries, muddled fruit and a huge whack of caramel and toffee. Palate is sweet, sticky, and very chewable. Some bready notes that rise to a finish in grapefruit and some light floral. I would drink this on a regular basis...not outstanding, but solid.

Clear reddish-amber body with some yeasties floating about. Fluffy white head. Appealing woody/caramel aroma with some raisin accents. The flavor and body and a letdown from the tempting aroma - slippery mouthfeel wiht a generic caramel-sweet flavor. There’s some woody dryness and piney hops too, but they’re nothing huge. I’d call this a session winter warmer but that probably won’t fly at 8%.

Amber Coloring. Malt. Woody. Fruity. Spice. Not a strong showing but a decent beer to try.

Ambery brownish color, thin yellowed dusty foam on top, good lacing sticks in strings. Aroma is mild with a dulled fruity maltiness, some light hop spices that has an herbal piney edge roam around within with a few sparkles of vanilla. Taste is bit bland, with some tired sweetened fruityness, lazy hops try to build a base but are wiped clean early with just a smidgeon of spice and burnt vanilla lingering into the finish. Feel has a weakened effort, empty in most places, sweet and kinda spicy in others, a subdued creaminess kinda peps things up a bit but not by much. A slightly above average beverage here. There’s not alot going on with this one I’m afraid. Fresh keg still didn’t impress me.

Aroma is fruity. Taste was fruity (apricot?) malt with some hops - I didn't find it particularly hoppy. Thin for an 8% beer, but it had enough body for me. I wouldn't have guessed it was 8%. Good drinking, but a bit plain. Thanks to slikwily.