Left Hand Snow Bound Winter Ale

Formerly brewed at Left Hand Brewing Co.
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Longmont, Colorado USA

This bottled brew poured a large sized head of frothy medium sized mostly diminishing light brown colored bubbles that left behind an unnoted lacing. The body contained its initial strong carbonation fades to soft carbonation, was transparent and caramel brown in color. Its aroma contained notes of malty caramel and was nice. Its mouth feel is initially slightly tingly with a fading slightly tingly palate and a smooth caramel malt bite aftertaste. Its flavor contained malt hop flavor favoring the caramel malts notes. This brew had a good kick to it!

Bottle. Pours a deep mahogany body with a 2 finger off white head. Aroma is strong perfume hop character, cinnamon, ginger, and pepper spice. Light honey and citrus notes. Finishes with a light alcohol and a bit soapy. not a fan.

Left Hand Snow Bound Winter Ale Bottle. [Another great tasting session @ Papsoe] Small creamy beige head that mostly diminished. Clear mahogany color. Fair display of lacework. Sweet Christmas spice and light toasted malt. Hint of fruity notes in the sniff as well. Over the palate ginger, yeast, cinnamon, cardamom. Medium bodied with an average carbonation and light dry texture. Moderated sweet flavor. Moderated spicy / herbal like finish that lingers. 6 / 3 / 7 / 3 / 14

Poured from a 22 oz bottle: Dark color of chestnut brown with a thin bubbuly airy head of just off-white. Very different aroma here ... spicey to be sure, and another aspect that’s harder for me to pin down ... anise maybe? Same for the flavor ... over the undertow of sweet malt, there’s a distinct flavoring of honey, ginger! (that’s what that was in the aroma!), and other less obtrusive spices. This is just as advertised and is a good choice for those who enjoy such creations. (#2724, 2/20/2007)

Dark brown color with a fairly large head. Strong aroma of ginger, followed by an even stronger flavor of ginger. The cloves stand out, but the rest of the spices kind of mingle and muddle into the background. A little sweet caramel. Not bad, but definitely must like ginger to enjoy this beer.

Draught tulip at Sunset Grill on 11/17/07
Deep chartreuse-tinted mahogany with some light tan notes on the edges. Clear, with a fleeting chestnut head that leaves little/no lacing.
Ginger and dry nutmeg are strong in the nose, with wisps of chocolate malt nuances on the edges and powdery cocoa mixing with ginger again on the finish. Excessively clean smelling, with little in the way of wholesome or rich malts. Just some passing sugariness and mostly an array of spicing. Not particularly hoppy, and no real yeast suggestions break through (no fruitiness). Definite alcohol sharpness emerges with breathing, on the finish. No flaws, medium strength of aroma.
After two relatively successful Left Hand beers before this one (the smoked goose and the warrior), I was really hoping this would prove to have the same softness of palate (relatively speaking) as those. It certainly did not. Extremely hard, crystal malt-like structure shows hard candy-like sugariness, with too much reliance on spicing to add flavor. Way too much ginger, creating too much astringency and meatiness. Powdery cocoa notes followed by soda water-like flavors on the bland finish from the loose carbonation. Alcohol warmth further dries things out. Like a really, really poorly done Anchor OSA clone with too much alcohol. Difficult to finish.

(650 ml / bomber bottle from Systembolaget) BB 01-2010. Clear dark red color, medium sized tan head. Chocolate, ornage and grains scent. Citrus, spicy and sweet taste. Medium to smooth mouthfeel, medium bitterness. Sweet sirup aftertaste, also some warming alcohol.

Bottled. Deep brown. Small, beige head. Fruity and spicy in both aroma and flavour; clove, vanilla and physalis-fruit.