Southern Tier Old Man Winter Ale

Brewed by Southern Tier Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Lakewood, New York USA

Courtesy of sebletitje. Thanks Sebastian. Pours deep to light copper with thin white head. The aroma is a mixed bag of crystal malts, grainy malts and fruity esters coming from cherries, sweet raisins and prunes. The taste has multiple levels of maltiness with roasted malts, graininess, moderately roasted malts and sweet malts. Much more malty than suggested in the nose. I get notes of apricots, raisins and cherries off in the background.

Bottle courtesy of sebletitje. Pours a caramel color with a thin white head. Aroma is floral hops, malt, notes of spice, caramel and honey, fresh herbs. Flavor has a much higher hop profile than the nose with notes of caramel, honey, grapefruit, and spice. Medium body with a slightly hoppy finish.

This has been the taste of this, the winter in this, the foul year of our Lord, 200and8. Something about it keeps me coming back. It pours brown, caramel if you will. Nice carbonation. Purdy, if I may. It is a little sweet to the taste, at least until the hops hit you. Ouch. Unlike any other old ale, this old man packs the punch of a young indian prizefighter composed of sweet, sticky hops. Or something to that effect. So the hops add a nice piney citrosity to the mix. It, in effect, has a balancing effect on the big maltiness the old man has packed on. I continually enjoy the hell out of the fresh ones, looking forward to taking the suggestion of Southern Tier and aging a few of these old men.

12oz Bottle: Aroma of hops, toasted malts, pine, citrus, slight soap, nuts, light caramel, and slight caramel. Poured amber/orange in color with a small, creamy, white head that lasted throughout. Clear. Slightly sparkling. Excellent lacing. Lightly sweet, medium bitter flavor. Tastes of hops, malts, light citrus, light caramel, alight nuts, light toasting, and some pine. Medium body. Average texture. Average carbonation. Slightly sweet, lightly bitter caramel hop finish is a tad dry.

Pours a thick off white head with a clear amber color to it. The nose is nice and floral with bitter hops and mild spice. You can really taste the malted barley in the flavor and initially the hops have a nice zazz on the palate. there is some hints of nutmeg and vanilla also in the flavor which is very pleasing. Overall it has a great flavor with well balanced carbonation which makes this a perfect brew.

Pours clear amber into a snifter. Head quickly recedes to hug rim. Vanilla and citrus aromas. Crisp upfront with dark caramel turning syrupy. Sweet yet well balanced with a dry hop finish.

Pours a clear copper colour with a medium creme head that fades to a sudsy film. The nose is sprucey hops, roasted malts, and crystal malts. The booze is hidden very well in the aroma. The flavour is aggressively hoppy with a spicy crystal malt body that isnt as papery as other winter brews. This beer is very much reminiscent of The Bastard, though it is less citric. The flavour is also highlighted with resin pine and sweet, bready malts. It is slick and gently carbonated. Nice.

12 ounce bottle in pint glass. Reddish amber with lasting flat head and lace. Fresh hoppy aroma with some mild malt. Medium malty brown sugar with ripe red fruit and assertive hop flavor and lingering bitterness. Medium body and carbo. This one is nice and fresh, full of assertive flavors. Very good.