New Belgium 2° Below Winter Ale

Brewed by New Belgium Brewing Company
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Fort Collins, Colorado USA

Pours clear copper with a small head. Complex aroma of roasted malts, pepper, pine, and hops that all seem to hit you at slightly different times. Grassy flavour that turns into an interesting combination of roasted malt, pepper, and spices. The finish is a little astringent and there is a lingering malt sweetness. When I first rated this I was a bit harsh on this beer, but after a few bottles it has grown on me a bit. I still can’t say I like the grassy flavour much, but there’s many other flavours in this beer that make up for it. A good beer that does indeed work well for a chilly night.

Copper pour with very small head. Floral nose with pine and spices. Flavor is very grassy with nice hops and some spices. I like this beer...although the finish is a bit weak.

Almost no head to this otherwise pretty coppery, glowing beer. Scent of strawberries promises an enjoyable quaff, but this is belied by the papery, generic set of flavors. Light pepperiness on the tip of my tongue, but otherwise, not particularly memorable. Doesn’t do enough of anything. Good alcohol content masked by some tartness left me a bit more enebriated than i had expected.

Bottle poured rich bronze color with vigorous cream color bubbles settling quickly into a thin ring around the glass. Very bright distinctive hop bouquet on a strong malt backbone. Dry and full flavored, but I would love to try a cask conditioned. It’s very toasty, sweet and warming.

on tap at the crescent moon. hoppy nose makes you dream of summer. pretty off-white head looks like a miniature snowbank. golden amber color. This beer is a goat’s best friend - grassy hops will make hair grow on your tongue. Body is lighter than might be expected in a christmas/winter beer, but is not inappropriate with the hops.

Solid malty body with a bitter taste. Orange color with faint head. A little spicier and maltier than any other ESB that I’ve tried. On tap at New Belgium.

I love the fall and winter for their seasonal beers. This brew is a fine example. Pours a clear orange/amber with a fine white head. Aroma is complex with notes of pine, sweet bread, and spices. Delicious beer. Hoppy up front with a touch of pine. Mellows to a smooth finish with touches of malt and sweetness. The finish has a bite of pepper. Another fine brew from a great brewer.

On tap at Fritz European Fry House, Bremerton, Washington. An ale is brought to me. It is a brilliant copper-orange with a thick white head. The head mostly stays and leaves intricate lacing in its wake. The aroma is of freshly torn orange peel, graham cracker, spices, pepper, cloves, light caramel, and a faint floral background. The flavor follows suit—orange peel, graham cracker, and cloves most prominent—with the briskness of newly fallen snow on the pallet and a light hint of alcohol on the finish. Wonderful.