Great Waters Winter Carnival Ale

Formerly brewed at Great Waters Brewing
Style: Porter
St. Paul, Minnesota USA

Serve in English pint, Stem glass

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A porter? That would have been about the last style to come to mind while tasting this. I’d say an IPA. Not a particularly pale IPA, but other than that, it fits pretty well. Or maybe a confused hoppy barleywine ala Hog Heaven. Dark amber with dense, light tan head. Cinnamon, orange citrus, and just a bit of dark caramel aroma. Lots of full hop flavor with some significant citrus rind bitterness, though not at all abusive. Very soft with some dark caramel in the flavor too. Medium body, a bit of clinging hop finish.

On cask at the brewery. Served at 52° F in an 8oz glass. Pine hop and strong buttery, brown sugar, caramel dried fruit aroma...reminds me of a barleywine so far. Clear, medium-dark amber in color with a thin off-whte head. Nice bitter hop flavor with lots of pine and a hint of citrus. Hops dominate flavor with a bit of astringancy in the finish. Medium body, oily texture and very soft carbination. Not exactly a porter in my opinion, but not sure what else it would be...a brown ale?

On tap at the brewpub: For a brown this is very brown, nearly porter like in thickness while the color is a deeper looking dark beer bottle brown and was put forth in a pint glass with a thin, bubbly, loose, tan head. Lacing sparcely coats in spots. Aroma is light with powdered cocoa and nuts, even lighter molasses-like sweetness and a tiny maple syrup touch; seemingly dry, clean, and lightly sweet overall. Not much to it. Flavors nearly mirror the aroma perfectly with light powdery cocoa, fluffy, dullish pale molasses sweetness, touches of unsalted dry almonds and walnut spritzed with a thin glaze of maple syrup. Not a flavorful brew, clean and very easy to comprehend, just not a whole lot of any one thing or lasting for any considerable time. Effortless body thats fairly thin, not watery per say, but getting there, kinda flat and no potential with feathery chalkyness here and there; and from a newly tapped keg I might add. A mediocre brew at best thats just lightly sweet with a even lighter backing of dry cocoa and nuts. A bit like a weakened malt tea or something.

On tap at the brewpub. Pours dark brown with a thin head. Aroma is malty and medicine-like. Pretty decent head retention. Slightly metallic flavor. I would say that this ale is closer to a Vienna-style festbier than it is a porter. Is this misidentified on this site?

Dark dark copper body. Sweet off-clovery aroma. Roasted caramel flavor, some cashew-level nuttiness. Medium body, foamy finish, sour hop aftertaste. Similar to Summit Winter Ale, and a tasty session beer.

Dark Dark Brown Coloring with Medium Frothy Tan Head. Dark Chocolate Aroma...and Flavor...Hops Come Out in the End...Dry Ending.. Sweet Chocolate and Malt Throughout with a Creamy Feel...Not Bad!

Black color with a thin head. Slight chocolate aroma. More chocolate in the taste along with some cherries and caramel. Interesting. It’s a bit thin on the taste, but very full and creamy feel which surprised me since it was pushed. Quite tasty!