Samuel Smiths Winter Welcome Ale

550 ml brown bottle. Poured a orangey amber color with an average head. Aroma is overwhelmingly sweet with notes of honey and candy and no hop prescence what so ever. Flavor again is sticky sweet with no hops. Not a bad beer but I was definitely hoping for more from this one.

Very drinkable ale. It doesnt really have any flovors that really jump out at you.

550 mL bottle: On the positive side, the alcohol content is not overwhelming (6.0%). On the down side, not really the malty, hopy, fruity drink I was hoping for. Still, this is quality beer from a quality brewery. I’d rather have bitter or ale with full flavour, than a drinkable strong ale which is what this is.

Bottle. Clear amber, big offwhite head. Toffee and grassy aroma with hints of berries. Nice toffee flavours, some balancing bitterness. Again just a hint of tart fruit. Nice enough, but is easily forgotten.

From a 12oz Bottle. Rated Blind. Pours a transparent, ruddy amber color with a thin, quickly dissapating, somewhat filmy layer of off-white head. A vigorous swirl rejuvenates some more foam, evening it out a bit. Fruity aroma of strawberry licorice and vanilla create a perfumy bouquet that sits atop some caramel malts. A little bit of spicy, herbal hop character becomes apparent with a bit more contemplation. Medium bodied, softly carbonated mouthfeel. The flavors are substantially more thin than the nose, causing a bit of a deflation after a bit of olfactory promise. Mild lightly toasted bread crusts mingle with a subtle dose of hops. A little warming toward the back end with some herbal hops lingering in the final smack, but not bitter. A touch of green sherried raisins provide a touch of fruitiness, although the thin palate and sherried fruits suggest oxidation is to blame for this one’s deficiencies. Alcohol seems well hidden at first, but shows a faint glimpse long into the final smack, although not overly done. Palate is a bit thin overall, with too much of a bland vegetal hop flavor.

April 20, 2007; 550ml bottle sampled in a Trappist glass. 2005-2006 vintage. Not really what you’d expect from a classic "winter warmer", but most certainly a very nice -- if flawed -- malty English-style ale. This is a discordant brew, characterized by a delicious candy-caramel aroma, respectable malt presentation -- followed up by a rather incongruous bitter-astringent finish (where some lively spice might have been appreciated). Enjoyed this bumpy ride nonetheless, and wouldn’t hesitate to pick it up again.

Been a while since I had this..so I’m rating it from memory...at the time, I was a full fledged Porter/Stout kinda guy...this one caught my attention...I had it with some chili cheese dogs from Sonic...and it was allll good. This Beer has a different type kick that intrigues you...will buy again before Winter, baby...

Fruity, nutty beer, full of winter flavours. A fine winter beer, and another excample that the classic ingredients can provide a full palate of flavour!