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Left Hand Snow Bound Winter Ale

 (RETIRED)
Percentile
76
overall

bottled
common

on tap
available

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
3363.32/5.03.31/5.0Winter8.6%83.2Lager glass, Tumbler
Commercial Description:
Fight cabin fever! Made with Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, hops, yeast, honey, orange zest, and other spices.

Editor’s Note: beginning in 2006, Snow Bound became the name for Left Hand’s strong winter seasonal beer made with honey and spices. It was previously known as XXXmas Ale. Below is the original XXXmas Ale description for reference.

XXXmas Ale is a spiced strong ale, using all natural ingredients to give it its festive nature. We brew this beer from a relatively high initial gravity to give it strength and body. This is (in our opinion) appropriate to a winter beer, and it helps to balance the numerous spices added. Honey is also added to increase fermentable sugars and give additional sweetness. Northern Brewer and Saaz hops are used sparingly, to allow the spices to evidence themselves. We add ground nutmeg, whole cloves, crushed cinnamon, orange zest and chopped ginger to spice the beer. Carbonation is kept low to accentuate the flavor of the beer and spices. It’s like a liquid cake. Brew water is relatively soft.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 goldtwins (4079), Nesconset, New York, USA
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/57/103/513/20
Nov 27, 2006  
Poured a clear dark copper color with a small beige head. Huge spicey aroma with cinnamon, nutmeg, and some chocolate. It was sweetness under spice. Chocolatey sweet malt flavor with a spicey middle and finish. There was a ginger burn at the end.


 argo0 (6890), Washington DC, USA
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/57/103/513/20
Nov 22, 2006  
(22oz bottle, bought yesterday but still labeled XXXMas Ale) Lightly hazed copper body with small off-white head. Aroma is medium sweet, orange, some candi sugar, allspice, light herbal, cinnamon, ginger. Taste is moderately sweet, orange, honey, some allspice, ginger, light herbal. Alcohol hinted at but not actually tasted. Medium body, smooth.


 JPDIPSO (4897), Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/514/20
Nov 17, 2006  
Ruby umber color with a moderate, creamy looking tan head. Decent lace. Nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger power over the dark fruit bread aromas. Good malt depth with caramel and a pumpkin muffin flavor. Quite balanced as spice brews go. They are certainly there, but not in an overpowering spice rack type. Gingersnaps with a mild cream frosting. A nice winter warmer.


 RollinHard (756), Fort Worth, Texas, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/103/56/104/513/20
Nov 14, 2006  
Pours a fairly clear reddish brown, with a nice sized, dissipating head. Aroma is....strange! A bit gingerbread, nutmeg, maybe some cinnamon, but it all comes together fairly strange. Taste is fairly sugary sweet, with some more gingerbread flavors, and a nutmeg dryness. Finishs with a roasty toasty flavors. A bit cloying after not sipping for a while. This beer should be good, but its flavors just kinda fall apart everywhere. Also, I don’t really like nutmeg much. At least the texture and body was quite good.


 railcat1 (578), Orlando, Florida, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/104/57/103/517/20
Nov 12, 2006  
This was very good hints of nutmeg in the finish and a slight cinnamon flavor.I like this and would try again.CHEERS!


 jazz88 (2236), San Francisco, California, USA
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/56/103/514/20
Nov 9, 2006  
Bottle. A brown color. A good malty aroma but the spice comes through well in the flavor. A slight mint chocolate flavor. Rating from December 2005 notes.


 glkaiser (1164), Seattle, Washington, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/57/103/516/20
Oct 31, 2006  
Light amber with decent head. Ginger & pumpkin pie aroma. Pretty tasty spiced fall beer...just enough spice. Good malt backbone is not too sweet. It’s hard to make a 9% holiday beer you can drink the hell out of, but this is it.


 Steib (574), Queen Creek, Arizona, USA
2.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/103/56/103/511/20
Oct 21, 2006  
Fruity, apricot zest in the nose. A faint aroma of honey very subtle. Dark amber color with a fast moving, diminishing head. Flavor is a little watery. Acidic not very bold. Some zest and spices but mellow. Sweet somewhat bitter finish. Just too blah. Not quite ready for primetime holiday cheer.



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