4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
Winter Ale bottle. Pours purplish brown. Tan head. Nose and taste of dry chocolate malt, caramel, fig, spices and toffee. Dry chocolate finish with lingering figs and dates. Very nice.
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Bottle on Queens Day from Cracked Kettle. Okay, it’s not Christmas but have wanted to try this for sometime. Dark brown body. Lots of head. Sweet and chocolate nose. Taste also has chocolate and sweet up front, then gets a bitter fruitier. Very nice.
3.7 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
Pours a deep black color with a medium beige head, Nice aroma of roasted malt, chocolate and hops. Very good flavor of caramel, chocolate, roasted malt and hops with a moderate bitter finish. The body is medium to full with a liquorous texture and gentle carbonation. This is very good,
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Very malty, kind of a scotch ale but not quite thick enough for that. Considerable alcohol, very light smoke and earth. Some dark fruits and medium sweet malt.
3.8 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Bottled. Dark brown, almost black colour with a creany light brown head. Roasty malty aroma of nuts, chocolate and yeast with piney undertone. Full flavour of chocolate, nuts, anise, yeast and toasted malts with a long bitter aftertaste of dark chocolate, grass and pine.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Winter ale bottle, I believe it was via trade. Pours dark dark pretty much black with a tan head. Nose is roasted and sweet but light on the aroma. Taste is sweet malty and overall quite tasty.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Bottle: Poured a deep black color ale with a big foamy head with good retention. Aroma of medium bitter roasted malt with some subtle spices. Taste is reminiscent of a porter with some spices and light chocolate notes with a medium hoppy finish. Body is above average with some medium carbonation and a nice creamy texture. I thought this beer was well balance throughout but would have enjoyed a bit more emphasis on spices.
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Deep, dark mahogany body with crimson highlights. Small, asymmetrical, bubbly khaki head. Minimal sudsy lace. The aroma is rich, robust, and inviting with darkly roasted caramel malts, dark chocolate, coffee, oak, and hazelnut liquor showing through. The taste is exactly what a winter warmer should be. Rich, creamy coffee blends smoothly with bittersweet chocolate, burnt oak, dark caramel, hazelnuts, and a touch of vanilla. Very earthy in its use of wood and nut flavorings. Some piney hops show on the back end, adding bitterness. Well balanced, and not too sweet. Substantial body. Very smooth. Lingering, dry roasted finish. A nice, warming, roasty slow sipper. Great beer.
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