Pours a slightly cloudy amber brown color with a one inch cream white head. Head settles out after a few minutes leaving a thin layer of creamy tightly formed bubbles floating on top. Lacing sheets down the sides of the glass.
The aroma is lightly toasted malt, bread, brown sugar and a hint of spice and a dark fruit making an appearance as well.
The taste is similar to the aroma with lightly toasted malts, bread, caramel, and brown sugar with a light spice. I am also getting a bit of dark fruit, maybe raisin on the finish. The spice is light and is a nice change as too many of the winter beers over do it with the spices.
Medium body with light to medium carbonation. Creamy smooth mouth feel.
Overall I would say that this a solid brown ale that fits the winter season well. It is well balanced with nice winter flavors and a mouth feel that is buttery smooth and easy to drink. I have two bottles that I am going to cellar for a few years as the label says that it will age in the bottle up to 5 year. I'll let you know in a few years how it ages, but for now it tastes great!
Pours clear with a huge, tan, frothy foam. Retention is like no other as it hangs around more than I wish as I hate drinking through foam. Lacing begins as the foam slowly recedes: sticky and web like.
Aroma is toasted malt, earthy, slight spice, with citrus hops. Not huge on the sniffer but definitely pleasant.
Taste is a toasted but sweet malt up front with a touch of roasted malt in the finish. Peppery on the lips. A bit of bitterness throughout with a strong citrus (grapefruit) hop bitterness into the aftertaste.
Medium body but thicker than it appears to the eye as it is a bit sticky. Light carbonation.
A good beer that I could have each season as it really doesn't come across as that big of a spiced beer. Easy drinking and low enough ABV to have a few. Enjoy!
Note: bottled on 10/16/09 1838 (from side of bottle)
"...there is only one game at the heart of America and that is baseball, and only one beverage to be found sloshing at the depths of our national soul and that is beer." - Peter Richmond