About Weyerbacher Winter Ale: At Weyerbacher we’ve created a Winter Ale that is a must for any malty beer lover. Winner of a Silver Medal in the 1998 World Beer Championships, Weyerbacher Winter Ale is brewed with deep-roasted chocolate malt. The taste predominates with a warm, roasty flavor, balanced out with a slightly dry finish. It’s smooth but not cloying, with a warming belt of alcohol (5.6% ABV).
Although winter ales predate history, they are believed to have their origin in the pagan celebrations of winter solstice. Later, when monasteries produced the local brew, winter ales were made each year to commemorate the birth of Christ. Back then, winter ales were brewed full-bodied as a source of nutrition for the upcoming winter months. Today, winter ales are typified by their seasonality, their rich, malty flavors and by their deep, dark coloration.
Generally available November through February, Weyerbacher Winter Ale is the perfect libation for a winter meal, with good friends, or beside a warm fire fending off a cold winter night.
Beer Advocate Score: 78 points
Alcohol by Volume: 5.6%
Case Cost: $38
*website: http://weyerbacher.com/blog/2012/11/winter-ale/
The definition of a standard winter ale. Not bad but not great either. I liked the beer but it didn't leave that much of an impression on me. C
ReplyDeleteLike many things in life this looked sooo good but turned out to be sooo avg. Plus following the Mad Elf and Santa Stumble last night, I'm hung over and really just too heavy for my condition. Need a good night's sleep and promise to be a better judge tomorrow night.
ReplyDeleterating: 6.8
Was introduced to Weyerbacher this year with their imperial pumpkin ale...That was awesome! THey make great beer. This is a solid winter ale and hits everywhere it needs to.
ReplyDeleteI'll probably snag a case of this to get me thru these cold winter months
Was not a big fan of this beer. Not terrible but nothing to set it apart, no wow factor. Give it a C and won't go out of my way to order this.
ReplyDeleteWith so many notable winter beers in the line up so far, this one was truly not at the top of the list. (I'm not sure how I would have felt about it had I not already had the Mad Elf.) Don't get me wrong. It was good and the flavors were all there and on target. It was good; just not great.
ReplyDeleteHere's what I think about this beer. I think it's average to good as a whole. The problem I see with it is not the beer itself, it's all the other ones we've tried so far. I think the selection this year is pretty good and interesting...so much that when a good beer like this comes along, it's overshadowed by the others we've already had. Following the Mad Elf I would say this beer is weak and boring. Maybe I placed this beer poorly in the lineup. Overall good beer, but it's not going to be in my top 5 of the tasting. Rating 7 of 10, C+
ReplyDeleteI don't have anything interesting to say about this except that I don't hate it.
ReplyDeleteSo, I'll take this opportunity to thank those of you who are posting each night. I enjoy reading the comments and stories. I hope the rest of the beers bring more comments because we have 36 people participating!
Notable events of 1998:
ReplyDelete- Google is launched.
- Lewinsky / Clinton impeachment hearings began.
- Washington National Airport is renamed Ronald Reagan National Airport.
- Snowboarding, curling, & women's ice hockey are official Olympic sports.
Not-so-notable events of 1998:
- George Michael arrested in Beverly Hills park for committing a lewd homosexual act.
- Weyerbacher winter ale wins Silver Medal in World Beer Championships.
"D+"
I got more of a nutmeg/cinamon taste more so than chocolate. It tasted how I think a winter ale should taste. Even though I liked it, there was nothing thst set it apart from other winter ales. B.
ReplyDeleteThis exactly what I expect from a winter ale. It has a nice spice and a good initial flavor. It could use a bit more punch to it, but all and all a solid beer.
ReplyDeleteThis is a winter ale. Pretty tasty. Looks like most of you were upset over the lack of spruce, allspice, honey, cauliflower, and birds of paradise, but I'll take this over those freak beers anyday. Maybe when one is a civil servant living in a generic 1950s brick rancher in a random subdivision with a wife, two kids, a dog, and two Corollas, this is what it should be expected that I should like. Guilty as stereotyped.
ReplyDeleteThis beer was kind of interesting, but average at the same time. I had never had a beer that finished so dry like it did. It took me a while to figure out what it was about this beer that was different. I thought the malt character was good, but strange finish. I'll give it a C+.
ReplyDeleteI'm playing catchup tonight. Just scarfed this one with my dinner, and it was quite quaffable, I thought. Nothing to jump up and down about, but it got more and more tasty the more I drank. It seemed to go well enough with my random dinner of potato and leek soup, buttered toast, and a slice of quiche with ketchup. Not bad at all.
ReplyDeleteStill playing catchup. Solid winter ale. Very dark and thick, not much of a scent. Maybe a hint of coffee? Not sure. I could drink a few of these if someone had them at a party but I can't imagine buying a six pack.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as i caught up, I get slammed with the flu. Oh well. Nothing new to add here. I agree with everyone else when I say this was an average beer.
ReplyDeleteI would call this OK. I like a winter beer without spices or with very little at all. Not bad, but not great.
ReplyDeleteI'm with pretty much everyone else on this one. Standard winter ale, but nothing spectacular here. I respect anyone with any award at the GABF, but this one just didn't do it for me. I kept wanting to get through it to try something else on the list. It's not terrible though, so I guess that's something.
ReplyDelete