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Left Hand Snow Bound Winter Ale 3.31 339

Left Hand Snow Bound Winter Ale

 (RETIRED)
Percentile
76
overall

bottled
common

on tap
available

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
3393.32/5.03.31/5.0Winter8.6%83.5Lager glass, Tumbler
Commercial Description:
Fight cabin fever! Made with Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, hops, yeast, honey, orange zest, and other spices.

Editor’s Note: beginning in 2006, Snow Bound became the name for Left Hand’s strong winter seasonal beer made with honey and spices. It was previously known as XXXmas Ale. Below is the original XXXmas Ale description for reference.

XXXmas Ale is a spiced strong ale, using all natural ingredients to give it its festive nature. We brew this beer from a relatively high initial gravity to give it strength and body. This is (in our opinion) appropriate to a winter beer, and it helps to balance the numerous spices added. Honey is also added to increase fermentable sugars and give additional sweetness. Northern Brewer and Saaz hops are used sparingly, to allow the spices to evidence themselves. We add ground nutmeg, whole cloves, crushed cinnamon, orange zest and chopped ginger to spice the beer. Carbonation is kept low to accentuate the flavor of the beer and spices. It’s like a liquid cake. Brew water is relatively soft.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 brokephibroke (147), Mead, Colorado, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/103/515/20
May 1, 2009  
Intense spiced aroma: cardamon, ginger and orange. Spice dominate the taste as well: cinnamon and cloves. If you want a spiced, strong ale, this is the one!


 timsilvia32 (447), from Michigan now in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/514/20
Apr 26, 2009  
22 oz. Rather dark brown/amber pour. Limited white head. Strong spice aroma, cinnamon, nutmeg and some maltiness. Some nice lacing. The spiciness is a bit edgy, with the sweetness the drinkability just slightly, but still ok. Taste has some maltiness that improves as it warms a bit. More cinnamon and nutmeg than malt though. Nearly no hop presence. Pretty lively mouthfeel, which is increased with the spice on the tongue. Winter warmers are a real niche that bend into other styles usually, this one is tough to put a finger on. If you like a west coast style, this will not have enough spice/hops. If you like a Euro style warmer, this will be closer but probably too much spice. Worth trying though.


 blipp (1772), Newark, New Jersey, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/514/20
Apr 25, 2009  
Bottle. Pours deep red brown with a beige head. Sweet malty aroma, with ginger bread and clove. The flavor is sweet malty and spicy, with cinnamon and ginger. Moderate bitterness in the finish.


 carruthm (1186), Seattle, Washington, USA
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/57/104/513/20
Apr 10, 2009  
aroma of vegetable spices, pumpkin, nutmeg very present along with ginger. pours a ruby brown color with a thin covering of head. palate is warm and silky then carbonated. taste is somewhat bitter and brings out more ginger. Too much so for my tastes, but that’s personal preference.


 JoeMcPhee (5056), Jackson Heights, New York, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/105/57/103/515/20
Mar 29, 2009  
Tap at Rattle N Hum. Dark brown beer with a thick tan head. The aroma is quite spicy. Loads of cinnamon and clove. Chewy sweet maltiness with some dark maltiness. Light molasses. The spiciness is pretty intense but it works pretty well. Spicy without being woody. Finishes sweet and spicy. Pretty solid winter beer.


 jredmond (1090), New Jersey, USA
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/56/103/514/20
Mar 14, 2009  
On Draft at Rattle & Humm, NYC. Pours a dark body. Noticeably spicy and hopped beer. This is a pretty good winter warmer style ale.


 Pwn3d (1137), Manhattan, New York, USA
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/56/103/514/20
Mar 10, 2009  
On tap at rattle n hum. Pours dark. Noticeably spicy and hopped beer. This is a pretty good winter warmer style ale.


 Maverick34 (729), New York, USA
3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/104/56/103/512/20
Mar 8, 2009  
Draft at Ginger man. Dark w/moderate head. Very little aroma in my glass. Taste was gingery coffeee. Not that successful IMO.



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