12 Beers of X-Mas: Smuttynose Winter Ale

Smuttynose Winter AleThe winter offering from Smuttynose Brewing Company in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is called simply Winter Ale. This milk chocolate colored beer has a nice pillow of tan head. The aroma is delicate. Toffee, chocolate, and caramel character predominate the moderately sweet nose. A faint spiciness almost eludes detection.

The flavor is also somewhat sweet, caramel and chocolate mostly, but there is also some nuttiness and a significant spiciness. Earthy noble hops and a bit of alcohol accent this spicy yeast character. Overall a very intriguing flavor. The palate is big, almost chewy. It doesn’t seem cloying because of the significant spice and a fair addition of hops, but I’m still left licking sticky lips.

+Smuttynose Winter Ale

3.7 (4-7-8-3-15)

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