Since the Christmas season is officially underway, I thought I’d start the month of December with a winter beer review. Smuttynose Winter Ale is one of their seasonal beers which is available from late October to February. Per the Smuttynose website, their Winter Ale is “a full-bodied, amber beer brewed with a special Trappist ale yeast. Stylistically reminiscent of a Belgian Abbey Double, it features fruity aromas and flavor, balanced by soft Crystal hops”. And now for the review…
- Appearance: Dark amber. Slightly cloudy. Half inch head that dissipated slowly and leaves moderate lacing.
- Aroma: Subtle hints of nutmeg, allspice, and molasses. Mild hop scent.
- Taste: Sweet malt flavor upfront, but not overpowering. Mild hop bitterness. Well balanced, lingering finish.
With an ABV of 5.1%, the Smuttynose Winter Ale is a very session worthy beer. It doesn’t have the huge flavor profile of some other winter beers, but that’s what makes it so good. It’s a smooth, easy drinking beer that you can either have by itself or alongside your favorite meal. I give the Smuttynose Winter Ale a B+.
Categories: Brew Review, Smuttynose
AMKrouse
The Alemonger
G-LO
limpd
The Wookie
The ROK
Sarah -BeautifulTangibleThings
The Astounding Prism
It's just the booze dancing... 
I love anything the guys from Portsmouth, NH brew-up. So how much of this stuff did you get? Can I schedule a “session” this weekend at your house?
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Dude! I picked up two. There’s one left. Since you’re the guy that introduced me to Smuttynose, I’ll save it for you.
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Two beers? Who buys two beers? Two beers does not a session make! I hope it was a sampler pack or a “mixed six”.
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Mixed six Boyo!
2 Smutty Winter Ales…
2 Brooklyn Chocolate Stouts…
2 Great Lakes Burning Rivers…
and…
1 Saison Dupont
and a Brooklyn Local 1!!!
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Nice selection …. my faith in you is now restored.
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I’m usually happy with the offerings from Smuttynose although I haven’t tried the Winter Ale yet. I’ve got one in the fridge though – maybe this weekend.
Sounds a lot like the Sam Smith Winter Welcome I had last night. Nothing crazy, but a nice drinker.
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Got a taste of this at G-lo’s place last night and have to agree with his assessment that this is great winter session beer. This brew would be a perfect addition to a big bowl of chili to warm up on a cold winter day.
Unlike most winter brews, this offering from Smuttynose is not over hopped or pumped up with “Christmas” flavors (i.e. nutmeg, evergreen, peppermint). It’s a balanced brew with appropriate weight for the season. A solid B+ in the overall beer world but top of the winter brew class. Leave Santa one of these and some smoked sausage instead of milk and cookies to make the old elf a little jollier
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Photo captures the beer pretty well, eh? The dark, dark color.
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