Anderson Valley Winter Solstice

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

Serve in Lager glass, Tumbler

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Can. Murky light amber pour with a nice fizzy head. Aroma is cinnamon and nutmeg, along with some caramel malt. Medium yet full palate. Taste is caramel malt with spices. Quite enjoyable.

Aroma of graham crackers, nutmeg, orange, and molasses. Murky reddish brown color with a very thick, creamy head. Tastes of malt, peat, leather, cardboard, currants, and cinnamon spice. Very smooth palate, yet well carbonated with some bitterness at the finish. Not bad. Definitely a cold weather beer.

Can. I tried to filter through a few other ratings to see if my thoughts were seen by others also, but I couldn’t find any. My impression of this brew was dominated by wet cardboard that I get from IPAs that are past their prime. I had a lot of trouble getting past that, so I guess I am going to have to try this fresh next year.

Bottle. The pour was a murky reddish amber with an average sized (1-2 finger) light beige creamy head that was mostly diminishing, reducing down to a thin film with a small collar and a little spotty lacing. The aroma was of a toasted dark bread malt and a sweet doughy yeast with notes of toffee, caramel, dark fruit (figs and dates) vanilla and a hint of nutmeg. The taste was malty sweet with notes of vanilla and toffee right off with the finish being about the same except for hints of dark fruit and nutmeg towards the end. The flavor stuck around for an average time after the swallow, allowing the sweet fruity spice taste to linger for a little while. Mouthfeel was almost medium in body with a nice smooth creamy texture and a mild soft carbonation. Overall a brew that smells as good as it tastes. It has the right blending of ingredients and flavors, making it quite an enjoyable drinking experience...

Aroma is a bit like coffee and roasted almond, and somewhat yeasty. The color is a reddish brown with a warm cream colored head when poured. The taste is fairly complex, consisting primarily of sweet bread and a touch of spicy berry. A nice, balanced palate that is smooth and pleasant. I got this beer on a great sale towards the end of the season, but it’s held up well. Good, medium bodied beer.

Hazy russet reddish in colour with a cream colour head that disappeared quickly. Aromas of stewed nectarines, allspice, cinnamon and poached pears. Smells good enough to drink. Plenty of carbonation and rich flavours of hawthorn berries, those stewed fruits and a touch of spice. A tasty ruminative brew and likeable.

Pours golden orange with a decent head. Hint of spice on the nose, not too overpowering. Taste was good, not great but good. I did taste this at the beginning of spring so maybe would have appreciated this more in the dead of winter. Intrigued by their claim of being a solar-powered brewery.

Darker amber with a decent amount of head, this one actually comes across a little sweet. You can really taste the Christmasy spice in here, but it’s not overpowering.

Pours a reddish amber with minimal head, aroma is mildly spicy and molasses, crisp corbonated feel, initially feels a little sweet then taken over by the carbonated feel light on the palate with a nice warmth as you finish the sip.

A subdued nose with little hint in the appearance that prepares you for the caramel hit you get first time around. Not overly carbonated, and over the course of the bottle is did become a little stale.