Full Sail Wassail

Brewed by Full Sail Brewing Company
Style: English Strong Ale
Hood River, Oregon USA

Serve in English pint, Trappist glass

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UPDATED: NOV 17, 2006 Pours dark amber brown w/ medium semi creamy froth. Froth receds to a fine dusty layer w/ and moderate lacing. Aroma of fresh hops and fruit w/ cinnamon biscuits. Full nectar w/ mellow residual effers. Flavors are strong citrus rind blanced w/ ample malt backbone. Hints of dark fruit, a pinch of leather and coffee w/ slight spice. A well crafted brew. Long dry finish w/ big bittering. Well balanced. Highy recommended. Great cold or warm.

The recipe for Wassail actually changes year to year, depending on brewer John Harris’s mood. The 1999 vintage was only average, but the 2001 vintage was extraordinary. Generally Wassail is on the highly hoppy end, but only average alcohol for a wintera ale.

This is a wonderful holiday ale. The aroma is fruity and spicy. The taste is just great - chewy with a hop bit that is made for cold winter nights. Glad I paid to have some shipped to Maine.

This is right up there with deschutes for me for the best winter ale in the northwest. It is really good. I also like Full Sail’s Barleywine.

Poured from the bottle, pours a deep red. Thin prevalent head, and nice lacing. Flavor is very nice! Great maltiness and hop bitterness. Sort of spicy hop. Flavor has European influence, like a ESB. I really like the balance in this beer!

Thanks to beer handy for this. Pours deep ruby with gargantuan off-white head with an insane amount of lace. Aroma of malt, big hops, spices including black pepper and nutmeg, and fruit. I could smell this all day. Tastes hoppy, with a solid malt backbone. Some fruit and spices appear at mid palate, giving way to a tart, pseudo krieky, merlotish finish. And the hops and spices hit you again on the way down...in a good way. As complex as a Steven Hawking speech, and as unique as his speech synthesizer device, this one is a standout. Full Sail kicks ass and takes names. This one reminds me a little of Alpha Klaus. Bring me another, Jeeves.

Deep garnet with a pitted khaki head. Wonderful aroma, nuts and berries! Dark fruit, plum, blackberry, walnuts, fruitcake, a little gingerish maybe. Rich and sweetish front, with some fruit and a touch of bittersweet chocolate and mild roast, easing into a nicely hopped (spice, floral) finish, with a warming alcohol to top it off. I paired this with a nice strong stinky salty roquefort bleu cheese, and while the combination was pretty good, I have to say the beer didn’t stand up well in terms of intensity of flavors. (that’s just a general comment, not factored into the ratings)

My first beer of the night. Damn this is good. Aroma of bittering hops, chocolate malt, dust. Flavor is roasted barley, peanut shells, some coffee-ish flavors but not too intense, just right. Drying finish, good bittering hops. Really great beer.

Great winter ale. Great combination of spices for the cold holidays. Up here in eastern Washington, we have cold weather 7 months out of the year. This is a great blend of winter spices with great smell and taste. Very enjoyable.

Coca-cola colored, no head, medium fizz. Smells a bit like grapes and chocolate. A great balance of hops and malt. Bitter aftertaste lasts just the right amount of time. I'd gladly drink this beer all year long. It's all about the balance! One of my most favorite beers.