Why we picked it: How could we not drink a beer named Winter Solstice on the actual winter solstice?
About Anderson Valley's Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale: The holidays are a special time in Anderson Valley. The days are darker, weather colder, and foods richer. And Anderson Valley’s Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale is perfect for this time of year. Deep amber in color, with an inviting aroma of spice and nutmeg, it was made for the turkeys, cranberries, hams, and yams of the holidays. Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale evokes a crackling fire, drifting snow, and smells of home. A hint of spice and hop bite to balance out the creamy and smooth mouthfeel, and medium sweetness.
As with all of our products, Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale is never sterile filtered nor heat pasteurized.
ABV: 6.9%
Case Cost: $39
Best ale so far. And a nice ABV.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to mine tonight and the subsuquent reviews from Joe, Bill and nobody else. Worst contest ever.
ReplyDeleteHey Brad - new idea. Me, you, Joe, and McNary. 24 beers of Xmas. Its where we all get together on 12/26 and each drink 24 miller lites. We blog our comments after each one.
a) We'd get hammered
b) It would cost us $16 not $45
c) We'd get the same amount of comments as we are now.
d) We wouldnt' have a splitting headache.
e) Caloric content would be under this contests 23,000.
Here's a sample:
Beer 1 8:07AM - Oh Miller Lite, how I missed your delicious pilsner taste. I'm looking forward to the next 23
Beer 14 3:32PM - I'm starving!!! Lets got to Taco Bell!!
Beer 17 3:08PM - I love you guys. This is the bess contest ever. F*&^ Tony.
Beer 20 5:09PM - What happened to my pants?
Beer 23 7:22PM - Anybody got dip?
DJ - LMAO. And definitely in for that blog.
ReplyDeleteI've got to say my commenting in this blog has been limited somewhat by thinking to myself - "Does anybody really want to see me write for the 19th time that I'm really not a big fan of ales?".
Is it possible to come up with a beer that Bill hasn't tried? I'm pretty sure that Bill can reel off his top ten drinking episodes for each of the beers on the list.
One of my favorites, not sure of what that finishing touch is on my taste bud, but its got a nice ending. Some might say 'a happy ending'
ReplyDeleteThe dip/drunkenness test (the point at which a person is willing to take a dip of Copenhagen):
ReplyDeleteBrad - pretty damn buzzed
DJ - near blackout drunk
everybody else - never
Some more comments about the Anderson Valley Winter Solstice Ale. To achieve the ultimate Anderson Vally Solstice Ale experience, pair it as described below.
ReplyDeletedrug pairing: huffing computer duster spray
food pairing: kung pao chicken - duh
music pairing: Kaiser Chiefs. For Bolter, it's Billy Joel.
color pairing: orange - to have the ultimate experience with the Winter Solstice Ale, I highly recommend that you situate yourself in a completely orange environment.
weather pairing - 48 degrees with a slight mist; easily doable today with a little bit of AC and a humidifier.
My pairings haven't gained a lot of traction in the past. But my boy T wants comments. So I'm going back to my pairings.
Holy crap thats funny.
ReplyDeleteMany moons ago in a time of far fewer good breweries, I tried this beer. It was probably about 1999. At the time, I liked most winter beers I'd had and so I thought this was going to be great. And all the beer snobs I know were always raving about Anderson Valley and how it was the best beer in the world. So I got a sixer of this stuff. Cost well over $10 at the time. I had one sip and nearly gagged. The other 5 sat in my fridge for a couple of months until I think I brought them to some Super Bowl party and left them there.
ReplyDeleteThe good news is that this beer is better than I remember. I didn't gag. The bad news is I still don't like it. What are those flavors? Plums? Dates? Seriously, I'm not sure what the aftertaste is but it's a fruit that I'm not a fan of. I will be finishing it. And then I have to drink last night's beer since I once again got drunk at the office holiday party and decided that it wouldn't be good to stumble home and crack open another beer in that condition.
Brad, I totally support the pairings category of your posts. Dave, I'm in for the case of Miller Lite in a day with live blogging and tweeting. And I think I have had less than half of the beers we've tried. I just have a verbose story about each of those. Which Anonymous hates.... Two days before Sierra Celebration. My comment on that beer is currently in front of my dissertation committee and should be ready in time. Going to give a whole new meaning to the phrase, "your comment was published." I'm also compiling a ranking of all beers. Will post that on Saturday morning. I'm getting dragged to Christmas Eve Mass and I plan on finishing that entire 22 ounce 9% beer before that 4 pm service.
ReplyDeleteCome on this beer rocked!!! I loved it!! It was so smooth, creamy and loved the taste! I was trying to figure out the flavors and I think it was the nutmeg that really came out. Definitely better as it warmed up, so I suggest drinking it at a 50 degree temp.
ReplyDeleteRating 8
Best comments of the entire 24 days!! I did take the BMoore suggestion of wearing all orange and snorting computer dust spray; maybe that is what added to my pleasurable experience!
I know that this beer was chosen because it was called winter solstice, and we are drinking it on the winter solstice but the temperature outside when I cracked this beer was 62 degrees. This not envoke visions of drifting snow but the want for drifting white sandy beaches. Although the weather didn't cooperate with the timing of this beer I still enjoyed it and could taste the nutmeg flavor as I prepare to make my own eggnog for the weekend. Good beer and glad people are posting again
ReplyDeleteWhat do mean posting again? Its the same people that have posted this week. Except that we have posted several times. Tony sends out an email but has not posted all week. Where is Katy squared? Mrs. Robinson (or Moir)? I think the chicks scared off anonymous. Where is Ivan's 1 sentence response?
ReplyDeleteThis beer was alright. I would never buy it but if put in front of me, I could drink 18. -- Ivan Blas, December 1-24th, 2011
ReplyDeleteI'm finally caught up! And feeling pretty good. Joe, read my comments from the past couple of days. I've enjoyed these last 3 beers and I don't think it has anything to do with me drinking them all within the hour. I am having a gingerbread cookie with the Winter Solstice and it is delicious! Bill - you have a great memory. I'm glad that Anonymous is MIA.
ReplyDeleteThanks Katy for catching up; I enjoyed your comments especially the one about drinking from the bottle! Anytime you are ready to drink Wheat beers, let me know and I am there! Can we invite Cousin Dave too?
ReplyDeleteI like beer. Better yet, I like getting sloshed by myself and flailing around the house naked with the windows and doors wide open when Tony is not home.
ReplyDeleteWho is this other Katy bitch? I'm going to kick her ass.
Yes, Dave is invited even though he will be bitching the whole time about the wheat beers while holding a Miller Lite in his hand.
ReplyDeleteI'm drinking this beer out of an orange coozie, which almost meets Brad's requirements. I'm also watching CSI with Claire, which is called "being a good husband." Compared to this show, this beer is awesome.
ReplyDeleteIn all honesty, January is going to suck compared to December. This blog is really fun.
Love this beer. It has a smooth taste, definitely not bitter at all. I'm not sure that I can tell that it is not heat pasteurized, but that sounds cool (no pun intended). I am not wearing orange or eating turkey.
ReplyDeleteIn my position as an educator I have to advise against huffing anything. It kills. I'm serious Brad.
And we were watching NCIS, not CSI. I think making such an egregious mistake only qualifies Dave for "being a tolerable husband."
Brad, please bring tomorrow's drug pairing to golf. I'm out of all narcotics at the moment.
ReplyDeleteTeachers like NCIS b/c mark harmon was in summer school, so cliche.
Just got home from work and shopping and rushed in to drink this beer. This one is awesome! Smooth and packed with different flavors that I have yet to taste from any of the beers we've had so far. The high alcohol content is also a plus. I may have to go out and purchase a case of these to have. I'll give it a 9 out of 10, solid A.
ReplyDeleteBTW Katy is the reason I have not been posting. She was out of town this weekend and asked me not to drink any of the beers without her. Yet tonight I got home at 11:30 from a hard day of work and shopping to find her naked and drunk with all the widows and doors wide open. She drank the pass five days beers tonight and now I am left to catch up by myself.
But Claire, huffing computer duster spray is the perfect complement to the Anderson Valley's Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale. It's the only time I do it, I swear.
ReplyDeleteThis beer sucks, period!
ReplyDeleteJust kidding, this beer is not bad. I actually that last beer of taste, like cinnamon.
ReplyDelete