Winters Bourbon Cask Ale

Brewed by Anheuser-Busch InBev
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
St. Louis, Missouri USA

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.

Not much nose. Expected some bourbon... but nothing. Some chocolate... but it’s so thin it kinda sucks.

bottle shared with swalden 28. poured an orange/red with an off white head. aroma of obvious bourbon, caramel, wood, and some vanilla. the vanilla threw it over the top for me on this one. flavor of bourbon, wood, and some caramel. light body and high carbonation. this is really not bad at all, i could sip on a few more of these.

Bottle. Pours red/amber with off white head. Aroma of bourbon, oak, vanilla, caramel. Flavor is vanilla, caramel.

Bottle: Had a medium brown pour with a small light tan head. Aroma was sweet with brown sugar. Flavor was again sweet with a very light bourbon but stronger vanilla flavor. Finish reminded me strongly of cream soda. Much too sweet and soda like. Needs body, more attenuation, and much less vanilla. Would not buy again.