Troutbrook Winter Brew

Please note that on my older reviews I used a 100 point scale. To make up for any scoring discrepancies, all palate and apearance scored are assigned a neutralized 3/5.

Undated 2001?: This beer smells like a Christmas tree and is very bitter tasting. It reminds me of a wooden baseball bat. Not something I’m likely to drink again.

Dark reddish-amber, clear. Little head. Cookie-sweet aroma. Flavor of honey and raspberries, bland & weak. Thinnish, watery finish.

Clear body with minimal white head. Aroma is sweet, pine/floral hoppiness. Taste is sweet and floral hoppy, very smooth despite the bitterness.

A decent brew. The waiter likened it to the Harpoon Winter Warmer, but it wasn’t quite that good. Still, a good winter offering. Draught at brewhouse.

On tap at GIBF in Providence RI: Light golden amber hue. White head. Aromas of spruce resin. Grains, toasty, buttery, sticky, medium bodied, and very nice dry bitter finish. Nice hops, well balanced and warming.

I had this in the summer, so maybe I’m missing something. I liked it better than the summer beer, but it still wasn’t tickling my tastebuds, so to speak. There’s really nothing special about this that sets it apart from the hundreds of other winter and pale ales.

Aroma of pine and Goldings hops. Nice clear light amber body with a frothy white head. Flavor is piney, citric with notes of Goldings. Points for good hop burps. Lightly roasted and sweet but a dry finish that leaves you thirsty. Tastes like a New England Gold Stock Ale, light. Label on bottle says ’...will stand up to even the coldest New England winter’. Doubtful. It’s a decent brew but for a winter seasonal it would be knocked over by Celebration Ale’s aroma alone. ---- Contract Brewed by Mendocino Brewing Co., Saratoga, NY