River Horse Belgian Freeze Winter Ale

Brewed by River Horse Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Lambertville, New Jersey USA

As a stand a lone beer this wasn’t to bad. but when you say it’s a beligan, well - oyur wrong. he flavor is off and the body is thin. Not a good example of it’s style, at all.

I first tried this fine creation end of last winter during a tasting at the brewery. Freindly people, nice atmosphere, felt welcome... I liked it so much I left with a split case of this and the Tripelhorse. Since fall began I’ve been waiting for this to come out again. Cruising the well micro’ed isles of the A&P liquers on Howard Blvd in Ledgewood, there it was! This pours a dam beautiful glass of beer, Dark mahogany, with a creamy, frothy head that literally explodes upward as you pour it and leaves nice sticky lacing down my glass as it settles. Let this stuff warm a bit to disipate the carbonation & allow the flavors to really come out. Aroma of sweet malt, silky smooth feel in the mouth, & finely crafted complexity of flavor with dark fruits, malts, a clean sweet then bitter hop finish, This is a fine Belgian Ale.

pours dark brown, thin tan head. aroma of dark fruits (especially raisin). tastes of roasted caramel, fruit and brown sugar but not bitter or burnt. extremely smooth. quick slash of flavor and it disappears as quick as it came. very mild carbonation on the backend. not super dynamic and palate could have been a bit more refined, but quite enjoyable.

deep amber with a thich white head. Sweet malty aroma. A touch of sourness with some phenols present. Rich complex and well balanced, excellent brew for a non Belgian brewry

Nice malty start, sappy end. Burntish taste with a bit too much bitter without being balanced by other flavors. Alcohol comes through all too clearly - dry and unlike their other products too thick. Weird. Definitely a bit off kilter.

Bottle. Sticky dark malty aroma, touch of coffee (only faintly) and dark chocolate, but more caramel and brown sugar with a buried berry tone. Dash of yeast. Dark brown pour, nudging chestnut, with columinous, consistent carbonation and a lacing tanned head. As for the taste, very dry and slightly rubbery, memory of cured ham with a holiday herb note. Dark overripe fruits and the occasional flash of a Dubbel. Good blending yeastiness, subdued and characterful. Nutmeg. Medium body with only a light, lilting crispness, but otherwise silky smooth. And yes, it’s Belgian enough to take the name. Enjoyable.

bottle. probably a year or two old, but hopefully the 8% helps it stand up to the time. aroma is perplexing mix of roast and caramel. dark reddish-brown, not terribly carbonated. medium body, flavor is at once slightly tart, with roasty malt riding into a dry finish. very strange. almost reminds me of de dolle export stout but at about half the quality. the tartness is out of place (maybe it’s just this bottle?) and the roast is confusing, but it’s not bad, just very odd.

Bottle thanks to yobdoog, Thank you Trevor!! Poured a dark brown with a nominal tan head that didnt last very long. Aromas of roasted malt, sour yeast and fresh linens. Taste is sour up front with a slight bitterness from the hops and malts in the secondary, with almost too much carbonation. A light mouthfeel that leaves the throat somewhat parched. An aftertaste commonly found with stouts, which was somewhat smoky and roasty. A very unique beer, a little bit too much carbonation made it feel like it was tapped from a gas station soda fountain, but that was the only real drawback. I liked the exquisite balance of the sour and bitter, which played off eachother really well. Could have been as high as a 3.9 if not for carbonation issues.