Schell Snowstorm (2008 - Weihnachtsbier)

Formerly brewed at August Schell Brewing Company
Style: Vienna
New Ulm, Minnesota USA

Source: 12 oz bottle from a sampler purchased at Friar Tuck’s in Peoria.
Glass: Poured into a lager glass.
Appearance: Poured a clear red/brown color with a half finger of tan head.
Aroma: Sweet malts, brown sugar and earthy hops.
Flavor: Sweet malt, with an earthy spiciness and a hint of chocolate.
Palate: Medium/full body with soft carbonation and a chewy mouthfeel.
Overall: Very nice. Pleasant surprise considering some of the other offerings in this mixed pack.

Bottle from Sean, and I think this originally came from Chad. Thanks whoever! Poured a little bit into my glass to see what it looked like then drank the rest from the bottle. Yellowish brown color with a tan head on it. Smell is fruity and has some hops and wheat in it. Interesting aroma. Taste is smooth and malty, rich, but not too rich, not really a bitter hop presence but there is enough there to know that its got some in it. Good enough to drink, surprisingly good really.

Pours an amber brown into glass with a small head. Aroma is malt with bread and grain (lager-like). Flavor isn’t too bad, there is some sweetness in there but mostly bread and grain with some caramel. I thought this brew could be drain pour from the aroma but it’s actually drinkable. Lots of malt flavor in this brew and goes down smooth and refreshing.

I have tried this both on tap and bottled. Deep copper brown body with a yellowish khaki head. The aroma has some notes of old leather and apples. There is also some wet dog. The taste has toffee, leather and apples. There is also some sweet biscuit and rye. There is a little bit of almond. A nice brew.

Bottle. Pours deep amber with off white head. Aroma has herbal spicy german noble hop smells mingling with bread and caramel malt. Lots of depth in the aroma. Flavor is a range of lightly sweet grainy, bready malt flavors with a tinge of citrus and mild herbal notes on the finish. Palate is nice and chewy, but if it was beefed up just a little this beer would be absolutely outstanding. As it is a beautifully balanced dark lager with nice hoppiness.

I thought this was an all around good beer. Not to much of anything. Nice caramel and oat and sweet malt flavor with a just the right amount of bitterness. I can always tell a good one when I have drank the whole glass before Im done rating it.

Bottle from trade. Pours dark amber, smells bread-like, with a bit of pepper and rye. Nice flavor, the rye comes out a plays well with the malt and a bit of balancing hops. For a bock, it’s quite drinkable, even though it’s a bit on the thick tasting side. Cool beer, I’d drink it again.

Bottle. Pours a beautiful amber with a nice head. Aroma is autumn leaves and malt. Flavor is slightly dirty strawberry and malt. Average mouthfeel. I’d write more but I’m kinda buzzed right now.