Winters Bourbon Cask Ale

Clear copper color pour with a small foamy head. Caramel malt, vanilla and bourbon in the aroma and flavor. A touch of hops on the finish. Reminds me of a Michelob Amber Bock with some artificial bourbon and vanilla flavors added. Nothing great, but among the better AB products.

"Snowman tap" at Zeke’s. Clear amber. Small head disappears fast. Sweet caramelly nose and cream soda aroma. Cream soda to the max flavor overload. Mainly sweet. Medium carbo, decent mouthfeel is thankfully not sticky. Can’t get over the cream soda thing.

From a twelve ounce bottle purchased at "Krogers" - This one pours an amber lbrew with a vanilla-malt aroma and a tall. long-lasting white head. Tastewise, this beer is heavy on the vanilla side with the bourbon-charred oak chip taste being very in the background. An interesting, but somewhat thin, brew.
Earlier Rating: 1/2/2007 Total Score: 3
From a twelve ounce bottle purchased at "Keller’s IGA" in Cincinnati, Ohio - Although I absolutely HATE giving A-B any of my money, I could only purchase a six-pack of these to sample (no singles), so I did so... and regretted it (especially since "Goose Island Oatmeal Stout" was next to it on the shelf and two dollars cheaper!). On to the review... this one pours an amger, well. bourbon colored liquid with a smoked marshmallow malt smell and a small white head of foam. Tastewise, it’s a sugary, vanilla-boubon taste that’s really lacking body for a cask beer! Not great, but not as terrible as Bud!

Pours clear ruby-orange into a shaker. Head quickly dissipates to nothing. Vanilla aromas. Crisp and dry with vanilla; very little bourbon or oak.

Golden-amber colour. Vanilla nose. Flavor is mostly vanilla as well. Sweet and light with hints of caramel. Actually, it’s got enough balance to be fairly drinkable, much better than other vanilla-oriented macro fare like GI Lion’s Winter Ale.

Michelob’s attempt at using the ever growing trend of Bourbon barrel aged beers. Hit or miss? I’d lean toward the miss, although I appreciate their attempt. Pours copper with tan head. Aroma is filled with vanilla and really faint touch of bourbon. Taste. I was expecting something innovative, and instead the beer kept the signature Michelob. Nonetheless, the beer did have some wood characteristics with a very faint touch of the bourbon. Additional malts and just a load of vanilla. They did manage to capture the thick mouthfeel of the cask. Not a bad beer, just poorly crafted. Seems the bourbon flavor was flooded by the vanilla.

I did get the vanilla and the malt, but let me say this about that, it’s still A-B no matter how you dress it up.

Bottle. Finally got a hold of this... Rusty amber pour with a tall cream colored head. Nose is vanilla, caramel, some oak notes and a hint of bourbon. Taste is big vanilla, caramel, some light bourbon and malt. The vanilla is a bit over the top. Sort of a sugary sweetness to this whole thing as well. Body is light, soft and creamy. The carbonation compliments this as a soft and whispy feeling - sort of dessert-like. Ends with more vanilla, caramel, sweet malts and a touch of bourbon. Good try for AB I guess, but nothing really special.