Cable Car Small Batch Winter Brew

World Brews, Winery Exchange Inc.
Brewed at Genesee Brewing Company
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Novato, California USA

Serve in Lager glass, Tumbler

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12oz bottle (courtesy of Headbanger) poured into a Shaker at 42°. Color is a clear golden brown with light carbonation and a very thin head. Aroma is a light sweet roasted malt scent with a hint of spice in the back. It has a lighter medium body that gives a crisp mouth feel. Flavor is bright with mild malt notes come out first bring a sweetness, then a mellow spicy taste comes in and it ends with a very light bitterness. In the after taste the spicy flavor kind of hangs with a bland feel. Overall its just ok, I’ve’ never liked these Winter spiced brews much but this ones not bad.

Pours a deep caramel color with a modest thick, creamy head. Aroma has a very light spicy nose with a semi-pumpkin note and not much else. Allspice, light nutmeg, and cinnamon early on, some light orange fruitiness late and a light caramel finish. Smooth, light sugary feeling with very low carbonation. Overall an okay brew. Spiciness is definitely good as its not at all powerful.

12oz bottle 4/4/11 Batch 00025 (Whole Foods Naperville)-53° in Lager Glass-Pours a light amber with a small loose off white head. Aroma of roasted caramel, toffee, malt, and slight christmas aroma. Taste of malt, caramel, toffee, and spices. This medium bodied brew is easy to drink and fairly tasty. Not too shabby.

Poured 12oz. bottle into a lager style glass. Color is clear dark amber.Head is thin with very light lacing. Aroma comes off as gingerbread. Flavor also backs up the caramel, nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon aroma. Sort of overall tastes like gingerbread. Definitely has the right holiday spices but not the best I’ve ever had. Mouth feel is pleasant, medium bodied, and lively carbonation. Overall it’s not the best holiday brew ever, but for $5.99 I cannot complain about this beer!

Had with friends at a small gathering -- it was what was available. Popped and drank direct from the bottle. Aroma was of sweet malt with a little caramel, nice and pleasant. Very faint scent of christmas spice, cinnamon, maybe a little clove. Appearance - couldn’t pour into a glass so I had to look through the bottle - not a lot of lacing on this one as I drank. Taste - Pretty good, actually, reminded me some of Sam Adams’ Winter Lager. Not quite as flavorful, but it was a pleasant reminder of it and it was an enjoyable drink. I’d drink it again if offered. Palate - A bit overcarbonated; it was a little too astringent but not offensively so. Overall - I’d drink this again if it was offered to me - it’s not too bad. It’s not awesome, either, but it’s certainly far from the macro swill out there.

UPDATED: JAN 31, 2011 07-Jan-11 (12-oz bottle: BevMo in Solana Beach, CA) I guess the marketers have designated the Winter Brew to be Small Batch No. 00025 -- such hogwash. It certainly seems to be the best of the Cable Car beers, but the rest are pretty terrible, so no great accomplishment there. This one pours a crystal clear, bright-copper color that really shines in the glass. The off-white head is small and settles quickly to a thin ring. Aromas of honey, brown sugar, spice, caramely malts, and a touch of grassy hops lead into flavors of nutmeg, cinnamon, caramely malt, ripe apples, caramelized sugar, and honey, but also a bit of weediness and spicy harshness in the finish. Medium in weight, and the medium-high carbonation is a bit prickly and harsh. Despite tasting moderately sweet, the beer has a dry mouthfeel, but is somewhat cottony and astringent in the finish. Overall, this is an okay beer, but there are so many great winter seasonals that blow this away, there is no reason to ever choose this one next winter.

12 oz bottle from Bevmo Salinas, given to me by Enniskillen. Rating #10 for the beer. Small Batch # 00025. Nose is candi sugar, bubblegum, and hints of nutmeg. Clear amber with a medium beige head. Slightly sweet with some nutmeg spiciness, but kind of weakly watery tasting. Flavors not very strong.

Poured into a pint glass. Ruby/copper color with an off white head that is quick to fade. Aroma is spicy like gingerbread with some malty undertones. Taste seems a bit muted compared to the aroma. Spicy and malty notes are still there, but I expected a bit more considering the aroma. Palate is a bit on the light side, more like a lager. Overall, not bad, but nothing spectacular either. Should note it was only $4.99 for a six pack at the local BevMo.

Courtesy of my main man mar. Clear amber color/ ivory head. Light pit fruit, bready, herbal aromas. medium bodied. Spicy caramel, marshmallow sweet flavors with a mildly bitter, astringent finish.

Thanks to mar for sharing this beer. Always wanted to try Cable Car, but this will have to do for now. The beer pours an orange color with a white head. The aroma is toffee with some bread mixed in. Definitely a malt-forward aroma, I just wish there was more going on. The flavor is more complex. I get some toffee and bread notes as in the aroma, but I also get some grassy hops as well as some cinnamon and nutmeg. You can taste the spices, you just can’t smell them. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Decent, but nothing special.