Samuel Smiths Winter Welcome Ale

Brewed by Samuel Smith
Style: English Strong Ale
Tadcaster, England

Pours copper-colored, with a nice white head that leaves a thick collar, and lacing as you drink. Aroma is caramel malt and some faint earthy hops, with hints of the alcohol. Flavor is caramel and malt, with some earthy character. Alcohol is apparent, but not overwhelming. Thank goodness they finally put this in dark brown bottles. It is so much better than the light struck versions I had on previous years.

12 ounce bottle in pint glass. Clear light copper color with lasting flat head. Very mild malt aroma. Toasted malt and mild fruit (candy apple?) flavor with mild bitter finish. Medium body and carbo. Nice enough, but not what it used to be compared to the many great beers that available nowadays.

Pours a coppery color with a 2 finger head that settles into a thick collar. Lively carbonation. Aroma is malty & sweet, with hints of caramel/brown sugar. Taste--WOW!! Sweet malt balanced by bitter hops, with candy & hints of fruit. Satisfying medium mouthfeel. REALLY good stuff!! I’ll now look forward to the onset of winter if it means having this around to warm me ’til spring!!!

550 mL bottle from LCBO, 2007-08 ed., served at cellar temp. in a tulip glass. DE07/07.

App.: Medium-deep amber, clear, decent light tan head. Aroma: Lots of toffee and dark dried fruits, some stone fruits, light nuttiness and earthiness, light “warm” spices, dark rye bread crust and burnt sugar, light funk. Palate: Medium-ish body, soft carbonation. Flav.: Similar to the nose – fruity, earthy, nutty, caramel/toffee; a touch sweet, a hint of alcohol and a touch of bitterness.

Tasty but uninspiring.

12oz pour to a nice head that goes poof! Gone but laces ok. Nose is all malt and similar to an ESB. Goes down very smooth like an ESB and not what I expected for a Winter beer. Nice balance all in all but there are many Winter/Christmas beers that are better. Young’s is one example. Not a worthy offering from a brewer whose other beers are all world class.

Pours a clear brown amber with a medium off-white head, some bubbles work their way up the brew, left some lacing on the glass, aroma reminds me somewhat of a brown ale, caramel with faint nutts and malt sweetness, some dark malt with some roast malty flavors and faint caramel-dark sugar sweetness, not as sweet as a brown ale, finish dries the palate for the most part but leaves some malt flavor on the tongue, even mouth feel, ok brew, it is just that I was expecting a little more ’Umph’ in malt chewiness since this is advertised as a Holiday ale. Did they use to distribute this in clear glass bottles?

I didn’t care for this. This beer had a grainy aroma and a malted milk-ball flavor, of which I am not a fan. Appearance was a clear and brilliant tan/copper color. Aroma was very grainy and cereal-y. Flavor was very much like a malted milk ball, which I really didn’t like. Mouthfeel was relatively smooth, but if you don’t like the way something tastes, does it really matter? I would not recommend this.

12-9-07 bottle. Clear amber color. Burning malt and yeast aroma. Strange tart taste - it tastes old and stale - not fresh at all. Slightly sour finish. Watery base. Just not impressed!