Anderson Valley Winter Solstice

Brewed by Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Boonville, California USA

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker, Tumbler

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2003 bottle: Dark amber with a decent head, sweet toasty vanilla aroma. Nicely balanced with a unique flavor set consisting of roasted caramel malt, cookie and vanilla finishing with some hops bitterness. A very different and enjoyable creation, I'll look to pick up a sixer for the holidays.

After the first sip I thought this beer beer was average or below, but as it warms up, the flavors roll. A very smooth finish with a strong caramel palate.

Looks great in the glass. Red/brown color with tan head. An ultra sweet fruity aroma. This beer is tart and just too overwhelmed by the fruit flavor. Fruit in this type of beer just doesn't work for me.

2003 Vintage:
Great amber colour with copper highlights and a thin dense off-white head. Aroma of caramel, strong malt and a bit of spices. Medium-bodied; Assertive hoppiness with a fair spicey/sweet flavour-very nice! Aftertaste similar to a hoppy scotch ale! Overall, fairly nice-definately worth trying! I bought this twelve ounce bottle from Norm's in Vienna, Virginia and sampled it on 21-November-2003.

2003 bottling. Clear amber-brown color with a large tan head that left great lacing. Nice aroma, sweet malty backbone with prominent spice and floral hops. Flavor is sweet, dark roasted malts with a nice balancing of spice and bitter hops. Medium body and moderate carbonation. Another good seasonal - more to my tastes than the Anchor "OSA" that I just rated.

Dark brown, small whiet head. Malty aroma of dark roasted malt, toffee, vanilla and caramel. Has also a malty flavour, hints of chocolate, toffee and vanilla. Quite sweet and smooth. Medium bitter finish.

UPDATED: DEC 12, 2004 Pours a hazy amber/brown, with nice carbonation and a prettty tan head. Aroma is mostly of caramel/toasted malts. Flavor starts sweet, and ends with a light hoppiness. Pleasant enough, but seems lacking. Re-Rate for 04: pours a chill-hazed amber with a pourly-retained white head. aroma is primarily of vanilla, with some toasty malts. flavor is all vanilla-like a cream soda. average mouthfeel and drinkability. avbc has lost some good brewers lately (Fal&Brit) and it shows in this poorly-conceived beer

Pours a reddish amber color with a medium off-white head. Aroma is malty with a light spiciness. Like harlequinn noted, the flavor is very much graham crackers. Also notice some vanilla and earthy notes. Body is medium with some alcohol on the swallow.

Ok bought in the 12 oz brown bottle..GoldMedal Winner apparently. Nice enough beer poured into the pint glassdark amber/ruby red beer..slight haziness..nice creamy off white head. Good aroma mostly malts though the spices do peek through. The taste though while above average is not that good..its mostly maltiness with as liquorice style bitterness..it ends fast to..then theres an alkoholic warmth in the throat. IT is as it says very creamy and smooth on the front of the palate..somewhat dry on the back..then the alcoholic aftertaste. Its a drinkable ale..ok but sort of lightweight despite the alcohol volume..not very exciting.

A medium thick to thick tan head sits atop a burgundy body with a good amount of lacing left behind. The malty aroma is sweet and full of vanilla with a slight fruitiness and a subtle spiciness. A nice aroma but not overly aromatic. The flavor is malty and sweet with notes of vanilla and fruit and a slight spiciness. Medium to full bodied, smooth with a slight tingle on the tongue and a warming sensation.