Indigo Imp Winter Solstice

Brewed by Indigo Imp
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Cleveland, Ohio USA

Serve in Lager glass, Tumbler

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   add pic

From notes. First reviewed 9/9/2011. Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a snifter. Thanks to readbaron (maybe) for bringing this along. My pour is a murky brown copper color with plentiful black flecks of particulate. A large-bubbled white head fades to a wispy ring. Wow, the aroma is pretty bad. Cooked vegetables and some stinky feet go along with caramel malt. Light spiced and heavy bready malt. The flavor starts with a full caramel sweetness, then some soft cinnamon and general spiciness. No real hoppy flavor here. The finish is reminiscent of steamed cauliflower. The body is unnecessarily light, with a medium carbonation and a tingly mouthfeel. Sticky on the lips. Overall, this is pretty bad. The flavor is not as bad as the aroma, but an absence of bad flavor is hardly a compliment.

Bottle:   Dirty caramel in color, moderate sandy colored head, sparce lacing.   Tart nose, seems bretty, hints of cinnamon.   Yes, rather tart on the tongue.   I get some malty cinnamon like notes in the back, but this one I think has turned.   Funny tho, because its like a Sour Ale.   Seems pretty smooth.   Not as spicy as probably when it was fresh.   Had someone given this to me and said it was a Sour of sorts with some light spices, I would say "spot on".   Probably not what was intended for this beer.   We’re 6 months from Winter, so just assuming this one fell off the edge.   Still entertained in its Sourness tho.   Heh!   Thanks Jeff for the bottle.

Waxed (?) 12oz bottle via trade. Cloudy reddish-amber in color with a two-finger light tan head. The aroma is not bad, with caramel, spice, orange peel, and earth. The flavor is all right despite a cardboard note. Bready and caramel malt base with some toast, citrus, cinnamon, and earthy hops on the finish. A little more boozy than it should be with average carbonation and medium-full body. Not too impressed, but it’s not as bad as some other beers from the Imp.

Tap sample. Poured hazy brown with an average frothy off-white head that was mostly lasting with good lacing. Moderate toasted malt and citrus aroma. Medium body with a smooth texture and soft carbonation. Medium spice and citrus sweet flavor with a medium spice sweet finish of moderated duration.

Rich vinous fruits and alcohol. red-brown with cream head. Fairly lively with fruity malt. No discernable spices, not bitter. Reminds me of an 80/-. Finishes with a dry oatcake flavour.

Bottle from Beer Ritz, Leeds. Poured a murky dark chestnut colour with a slight beige head. Sweet malty nose with some vague spice lurking. Slightly cloying fkavour with no real depth and little in the finish. Drinkable but drab.

Bottle 12fl.oz.

Clear medium amber colour with a small, fizzy, fair lacing, mostly diminishing, off-white head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, caramel, dusty chocolate, spicy, cinnamon dusty, moderate hoppy, citrus, orange - citrus. Flavour is moderate to heavy sweet and moderate bitter with a average to long duration, chocolate dusty. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. [20110617]

Bottled@Cask Pub And Kitchen, London. Reddish amber colour, small head. Aroma is fruits, spices, quite sticky sweet with some mild notes of tobacco. Flavour is coffee, fruits, spices, fruits and some mild tobaccoish notes. Also some mild chocolate.

355 ml bottle. 5.8%. London, England.
Hazy reddish amber colour with small creamy head. Berries, strawberry, cinnamon and spices in aroma. Malt, sweet berries and spices in flavour. Quite christmassy. Probably not the best choice for the summer.

Bottle at CASK, Pimlico. Very spicy, cinnamon and other Wintery spices over a fine malty base. The hops add some pepper to the proceedings.