Stegmaier Winter Warmer

I had never heard of Stegmaier until I saw it in the mix-a-six beer case, so of course I grabbed their Winter Warmer to see if it would be up my alley.  Apparently they're located in Pennsylvania, so that's kind of cool.

Vittles:
Specialty Beer
7.8% abv

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 21/25
Taste: 34/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 4/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 83/100

Impression:
I put this in the Specialty Beer category because, though it says it's a winter warmer, it really doesn't fit that profile very well at all.  Not to say it isn't a fairly decent brew, but it's kind of difficult to place, since it doesn't match my expectations for a winter warmer.  For starters, the nose has a lot more lighter malt notes than I would expect.  It smells like dough, maybe a little wheat, and I think I can smell some pilsner malts in there, too, under some sweeter notes like caramel and toffee.  The flavors are much the same, except there's a bit of spice, maybe clove, and there's some citrus lurking in the background, too.  It's fairly tasty overall, just not what I was expecting from a winter warmer.  The medium-full body, smooth mouthfeel, and fairly crisp and slightly dry finish make this beer pretty enjoyable.  I might consider it some sort of brown ale, maybe, but it doesn't quite fit there either.  I'd have it again, since it's a good beer, especially for the price.

Cheers!

Sierra Nevada Celebration

I've had Sierra Nevada Celebration a couple times before, back before I really got into beer.  I remember thinking it was very bold, but I couldn't remember much else about it, so I snagged a bottle to try again:

Vittles:
American IPA
6.8% abv
65 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 23/25
Taste: 38/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 91/100

Impression:
It's certainly bold, that's for sure.  It packs one hell of a hoppy punch both in the nose and on the tongue.  The aroma is dominated by grapefruit, with some spicy, pine, and floral notes playing backup.  There's a bit more of a malt presence in the flavor than there is in the bouquet, and that provides a decent balance, but the American hops characteristics, particularly the grapefruit and pine, are really front and center.  I'm also picking up on something a little on the herbal side lurking in the background -- it's a little unexpected, but not off-putting.  If you're looking for a solid IPA, this'll do quite nicely.

Cheers!

Spaten Munich Dunkel

I've had Spaten Munich Dunkel on my wish list for a while, and I finally found it at a local beer shop, so I threw one in a mix-a-six:

Vittles:
Munich Dunkel
5.1% abv
21.5 IBU
199 cal.

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 21/25
Taste: 35/40
Mouthfeel: 7/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 84/100

Impression:
I thought the head poured out a little thinner than I would have liked.  The aroma is mostly of bread, toast, caramel, and toffee, with little noticeable hops character.  The flavors were well balanced, and there was more raisiny sweetness than I expected.  I was also a little surprised to taste a hint of chocolate and some mild nuttiness.  The mouthfeel was on the thin and watery side, but it made for a very crisp, clean, and refreshing brew.  I would look for this one again.

Cheers!

PALM Brewery Steenbrugge Tripel

I'm a sucker for a good Belgian tripel, so I couldn't resist when I found a bottle of Steenbrugge Tripel at a family gathering recently:

Vittles:
8.7% abv
Made with Gruut

Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 23/25
Taste: 38/40
Mouthfeel: 9/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 9/10
Overall: 93/100

Impression:
Unfortunately, there were no clean glasses left, so I didn't get to pour this one out.  The aroma is light and fruity, with some malty/grainy, floral, and herbal character in the background.  Apple and peach stood out fairly well, as did a bit of spice, maybe coriander?  Golden raisins and grapes came out more on the tongue, as did a fair banana-and-clove kind of flavor that I love so much.  The malt came across more like crackers and biscuits, with a nice caramel flavor to round it out.  What really sets this one apart is the medium-full body of the brew which, combined with a decent level of alcohol-warmth and a somewhat crisp finish, helps to carry the flavors into the aftertaste without being cloying.I will definitely look for this one again.  It's a good, solid Belgian Tripel that really hit the spot.

Cheers!

Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout

On a frigidly cold night like tonight, I want a beer I can chew on, something hearty and warming.  I hope Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout is up to the challenge:

Vittles:
Oatmeal Stout
4.95% abv
36 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 21/25
Taste: 33/40
Mouthfeel: 6/10
Style: 4/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 80/100

Impression:
It's a dark, dark, dark beer with a smallish tan head and low retention.  The aroma is mostly coffee, bitter chocolate, and dark-roasty goodness.  I can smell the oat notes, and there's some nuttiness in the background.  The flavors match fairly well, with a good bitter bite and a smoky-char quality.  Unsweetened chocolate flavors are fairly prominent, with a little anise hiding behind it.  The big downside for this beer, as far as I'm concerned, is that it's almost as watery as Guinness.  It's smooth and a little on the dry side, but the mouthfeel is a let-down; this could have been an excellent cold weather beer, but it's not quite there.  Overall, it's not a bad beer, but it's not the rich, velvety stout I was hoping for.

Cheers!

Long Trail IPA

The beer du jour is Long Trail IPA.  I found this one tucked way far back in my keezer -- I didn't know I had any Long Trail beers left, so that was a nice surprise.

Vittles:
English IPA
6% abv
48 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 21/25
Taste: 35/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 4/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 84/100

Impression:
The head poured out alright, and it settled out with decent lacing.  The aroma smells of pine and grapefruit, but the scents are more subtle than I was expecting.  The flavors are largely of pine and grapefruit, as well, but they don't obscure the malt profile, which is nice.  It's got a little stickiness to it, but finished mostly clean and crisp, with a refreshing, citrusy aftertaste.  This is a good, solid, by-the-book English IPA, and I'd readily drink it again in the future.

Cheers!

Starr Hill Snow Blind

I love doppelbocks, and they just seem to be so enjoyable in the chilly weather.  I'm glad I have a couple to choose from in my keezer.  This time around, I went with the Starr Hill Snow Blind:

Vittles:
Doppelbock
7.4% abv
13 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 21/25
Taste: 35/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 85/100

Impression:
The head didn't pour out very nicely, but what're you gonna do?  The aroma really hits the mark for this style -- malt-heavy with brown sugar, molasses, and dark fruit complexities, with some toast and earthy notes in the background.  The cereal and raisin flavors blend well together, and the moderate sweetness is complemented by a slight dryness.  The flavors are strong and bold, and as the beer warms, some yeast characters come out to play.  The mouthfeel is a little chewy, a little creamy, and very enjoyable.  Overall, this is a very good dobbelbock, and I will look for it again.

Cheers!

Founders All Day IPA

I keep meaning to try more Founder's beers, since I have really enjoyed their varieties in the past.  I finally got the chance to try their All Day IPA:

Vittles:

American IPA

4.7% abv

42 IBU

Score:

Appearance: 8/10

Aroma: 22/25

Taste: 35/40

Mouthfeel: 8/10

Style: 5/5

Drinkability: 7/10

Overall: 85/100

Impression:

The head didn't really pan out all that well, but the aroma brings much of the hoppy-goodness I was hoping for.  I like the citrus/grapefruit and grassy notes, and I was happy they came through on the tongue very strong.  What I like best is the crisp and refreshing feel to the beer -- it doesn't coat your tongue in bitterness like other IPAs tend to do, but you still get a big dose of hops with all of the flavors you'd expect in an American IPA, though the pine notes are rather subdued compared to the grapefruit flavors.  I'd definitely get this one again, especially in the warmer weather.

Cheers!

Stevens Point St. Benedict's Winter Ale

I'd never heard of Stevens Point Brewery before, so I made sure to include one of their varieties in the mix-a-six I put together last week.  It's winter time, so I went for their St. Benedict's Winter Ale:

Vittles:
Specialty Beer
6.2% abv
29 IBU
213 cal.

Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 23/25
Taste: 38/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 91/100

Impression:
I was hoping this would be a delicious, dark, malt-forward beer with dark fruit characteristics, and it hit the mark perfectly.  The nose carries some good sweet and spicy notes that almost seem Belgian.  The caramel and sweet malt characteristics stood out the most to me, both in the nose and on the tongue.  This beer is interestingly complex and well balanced, with a medium-full body and a creamy finish.  It kind of reminds me of a fuller, slightly spicy dubbel; I would love to try this one on tap, but I'd settle for another bottle to tuck back in my stash.

Cheers!

Yard's Brawler

A friend of mine tried Yard's Brawler a while back and said it was decent, so I thought I'd pick one up for myself.  I was a little intrigued by the "Pugilist-style ale," so I thought I'd give it a go:

Vittles:
Mild
4.2% abv
12 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 23/25
Taste: 37/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 90/100

Impression:
This one hit all the right notes for me tonight.  It's malt-forward with caramel, bready/toasty, and slightly nutty aromas and flavors.  It has a good balance of sweet and malty, offset by a gentle bitterness.  What I like best about this beer is that the flavor really brings it -- it doesn't taste watered down or underdone, so it has a rich complexity that you don't find too often in a sessionable beer.  I don't often have more than one beer a night, but I could see having a second one of these on a lazy Saturday evening.

Cheers!

Lancaster Hop Hog IPA

I've been missing the delicious bitter bite of hops lately, so I grabbed a Lancaster Hop Hog IPA:

Vittles:
American IPA
7.9% abv
55 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 7/10
Aroma: 20/25
Taste: 30/40
Mouthfeel: 7/10
Style: 4/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 76/100

Impression:
I could definitely smell the citrus/floral character of Cascade hops in the nose, but there was also something herbal/woody/earthy in the background, too, that seemed more characteristic of UK hops, rather than American hops.  I'd expect more of an emphasis on American hops in an American IPA, so the Fuggles seemed a little out of place to me, despite the fact that I love Fuggles in many styles.  The flavors were a little more in line with my expectations, and it tasted very well balanced up front, but then a lingering bitterness took over on the back end that seemed out of whack, and it did not follow the initial taste very well.  The medium body didn't really add very much to the beer overall, and it finished fairly dry.  I wasn't terribly impressed with this one.

Cheers!

Weyerbacher Winter Ale

For the past few weeks, I really haven't been able to drink.  I wound up replenishing my stock with a decent variety of beers I've been wanting to try.  I wanted something malty and delicious for my first beer back after the allergy issue (which isn't really settled, but I'm coping well enough for now), so I grabbed a Weyerbacher Winter Ale from my stash, since I've liked what I've tried of theirs in the past:

Vittles:
Southern English Brown Ale
5.6% abv

Score:
Appearance: 7/10
Aroma: 22/25
Taste: 36/40
Mouthfeel: 7/10
Style: 4/5
Drinkability: 7/10
Overall: 83/100

Impression:
I was unimpressed by the poor head formation and retention, but the aroma was roasty toasty goodness with coffee, toffee, and chocolate notes.  I didn't smell or taste very strong hops flavors -- this is a malt-heavy brew, which is excellent for this time of year.  The malt flavors carry onto the tongue nicely, with a clean nutty/earthiness lurking in the background.  The mouthfeel was on the thin and watery side, though, so that took away a bit.  Decent overall, but I won't be going out of my way to try this again, unless I can find it on tap.

Cheers!