4.2 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20What a pleasant surprise when a friend offered me a bottle of Snow Day. For me, balance is everything, and if a brewer can pull off a unique, in-your-face beer with balance, I’m going to crow.
This beer hits you hard with the fairly unusual combo of roasty malt and very strong West Coast IPA style hop aroma and taste presence. What ties it all together is New Belgium’s trademark clean fermentation, which allows for the dramatic malt-hop interaction without a lot of competing IPA-type esters. The beginning---a rich, persistent tan head, and the finish---a lingering malt aftertaste, wrap it all up in a bright ribbon. Perfect for a cozy ending to a chilly winter day.
3.3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 12/20
This I actually drank on a snow day back in college and loved it. Dark and roasty with a nice caramel flavor.
4.2 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
Nice. I particularly like the strong caramel notes in the flavor. That's preceded by a translucent amber pour with white froth. Although not a Christmas ale per se, some spicing apparent albeit not dominant. Grading a little easy because the bottle I'm tasting may be outdated, and right now it's >90 F in Phoenix ...
---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone
3.3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
12 ounce bottle
Thanks to tastybeer for giving me an extra bottle of this. I think it is one of those beers that is just so widely available I always assumed I would get to it later. A solid release, it is something that I imagine I’ll pass on for now. New Belgium certainly has too many other releases for me to try first to return to an average session beer.
Aroma / Appearance - The fluid brownish base has a black tint. The heavy head settles over time to virtually nothing. Coffee, chocolate, and roasted malts provide the setting for an ashy profile.
Flavor / Palate - The light fluid mouthfeel consists mainly of cocoa and malts. The hops that are present provide a distraction before the dry finish. This is a respectable release yet I find myself thinking "if only there could be a bit more complexity." Check it out if you want a widely available solid beer; otherwise go for something more flavorful and local.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Bottle. Biscuity wheat aroma and a bit more hoppy than you'd expect. Nice dry roasted initial flavor that quickly turns flat dissipates with a slight hop lingering around.
---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone
3.2 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
good slightly hoppy smell, taste is also medium-low hops, 50/50 mix of malt and hops, slightly smokey...decent beer
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Poured a black with ruby edges and won top a bright white head. Aroma has spices followed by pine hops. Taste is of black pepper and earthy hops followed by a touch of bitter grapefruit. Mouthfeel is light with very prickling carbonation on the top of the palate.
3.6 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Pours a dark brown almost black color with a medium light tan head with great lacing. Smells of citrus, pine, and roasted malt. Tastes of all the same things with a few spices added and chocolate. Mouthfeel is heavy and oily with medium carbonation and a dry finish. Overall this is a well done black ipa with a seasonal twist. Props to New Belgium.
3.3 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Draft at Crunchy’s (from backlog). Pours near black with minimal head. Light malt and hop aromas. Similar flavors with not much depth.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Nice dark pour with soft amber head. Roasted malt aroma. Nice bitter finish. Mouth feel holds up well.
3.6 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 13/20
Got this in the very late winter, but the cold is hanging on in So. Illinois. Very dark brown pour with a tan head that doesn’t mind hanging around awhile. Chocolatey, roasted malt aroma. Taste is similar, though there are plenty of hops here. No taste of overwhelming adjunct spices that many winter beers have, though spices can be a good thing if done right (e. g., Sam Adams Winter Lager). Leaves me with a pleasant aftertaste. Overall, one of the better winter beers I’ve had.
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