Laughing Dog Cold Nose Winter Ale

Brewed by Laughing Dog Brewing
Style: English Strong Ale
Ponderay, Idaho USA

Date: November 21, 2008
Mode: Bottle
Source: Liquid Solutions
Appearance: dark ruby red, fine beige head, bits of lace
Aroma: sweet dark caramel and butterscotch aroma, nice spicyness, earthy balance
Flavor: rich and spicy malt flavor, touch of dark caramel sweetness is well balanced with a woodsy earthyness, touch of buttery character goes with the spices for a mulled effect, spices spill over into a bitterness leaving a bitter finish
Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 3/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: *4

Hazy burgundy brown colour, thin light brown head. Chocolate, woody aroma with notes of earth and toffee. Very hoppy profile - big woody character. Strong coffee/chocolate note as well...just big all round. As it warms, more chocolate comes through, toning down the bitterness. Nuts emerge in the finish. Rich, complex if you let it get to a decent temperature. That was worth the wait...burp.

12oz bottle. Poured a medium amber color wtih a smaller sized off white head. Aromas of buttered popcorn and some caramel...yuck. Tastes of the same butteriness. Off to the sink to dump this one.

(12oz. bottle) Pours a deep mahogany body with a small beige head. Aroma of butterscotch, caramel popcorn, and light floral. Flavor of roasted malt, black licorice, charred grain, caramel, butter, and hops (earthy, light citrus).

Brown color, and a brilliant umber color when held to the light. Smallish dense light tan head. Toasted malt, toffee and a hint of silage in the aroma. Not the most inviting scent for me, but interesting nonetheless. Toasted grains, and herbal hops fight for attention. Some cocoa and wood in the middle. Quite bitter int the finish. with some more hops. LIght spice also come in toward the finish and into the linger. More like a hoppy brown ale for me, but a slightly better than average one.

Draught at The Front Door, Boise, ID: Pours a dark mahogany color with a thick tan head. The nose is fresh and hoppy; lots of pine and wood, earthy with a bright underlying resinous hoppy note. The flavor is full bodied and creamy, moderate malt notes with some chewy caramel and light toffee. Mostly the hop bitterness in the finish, reminds me a bit of the Stone XI Anniversary with the dark malts and ample hops. Lovely winter ale, fits the category well but blossoms out with a maltier body and a more robust, albeit hoppy, not cold, nose.

Bottle. Pours brownish caramel with off-tan head. Nose is caramel, mild fruit, hops, smoke. Tastes malty, earthy, with figgy fruit, mild hops, caramel, and mild x-mas spice.

Bottle from Bottle Trek. Ruby amber color with a decent beige head. Roasted caramel aroma. Near full bodied with creamy carbonation. Flavor is caramel with butteriness. Seems to be earthy hop. Quite different, but quite enjoyable.