Samuel Smiths Winter Welcome Ale

The abv doesn’t seem high enough for an English strong. Hops are light in the flavor and aroma, but there is ample malt. On the dry side, almost Scottish in character. Kind of a premium bitter.

THOUGHTS: Not much carbonation. Flavor wasn’t bad, but not strong enough for my tast. Mouthfeel was also a little too dry for me. I can deal with dry and I can deal with bitter, but not goth. There was way more caramel in the aroma than in the flavor and more hoppy in the flavor than in the aroma. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a transluscent copper color, with a small white to off-white head that hardly laced. The aroma was light to moderate caramel and light hops. There was also some rasin, apple, holiday spice and alcohol which was a surprise since it isn’t a very high ABV. The initial flavor was ligthly sweet and bitter, and the finish flavor was lightly acidic, moderately bitter and sour with a long duration. The body was light to medium. It was dry on the back of the tongue, watery in the flavor and oily in the front of the mouth.

Decent English Ale. Characteristics in keeping, but after a few of these, I found myself wanting something else...

Robe rouge aux reflets dorés surmontée d’une mousse blanche. Arômes de noix et de malt caramélisé. Saveurs de malt caramélisé et de houblon amérisant.

12 oz bottle. Clear copper-orange color with thin off white head that left some lace on the glass. Dried fruits like cherry and raisin temp the nose along with light brown sugar and a bit of spiced rum. Flavor is similar with the additon of some biscuity malt.

A decent beer. It is a bit hoppy and has too mnay other flavors going on. But overall it good. Seasonal winter brew

Bottle at Rustico, 2006-2007 Vintage Pours a slightly hazy dark copper color. Head is big, off-white and fluffy. It has good retention and leaves a fantastic lacing. Aroma is very good, malty with a nice hoppy counterbalance. Initially I felt only herbal and grassy notes but after a minute it gets lots of fruity smells: peaches, aprictos, citrus, nuts and fruitcake. Intense. A woody note is there too. Flavor is bitter with a slightly sweet fruity touch. It has notes of apricots, cooked apples, hazelnuts and walnuts. Very interesting. Body is medium, carbonation is medium to high. Very smooth, juicy texture. No alcohol presence. Finish is dry and leaves a long, pleasant aftertaste. Another great beer from Sam Smith.

Yet another treat from the good brewers at Samuel Smith! Clear red / brown body with thin, frothy tan head that leaves good lacing behind. This easy-on-the-eyes characteristic is indeed very welcoming. What’s more, the aroma of caramelized malts and the hops used in the brewing of this beverage spawns some Darwinian reflex that causes my right arm to lift my glass up for the next swig. Flavor of roasted malts and roasted nuts, hint of dark chocolate and a firm bitter aftertaste... Ahhh, great tasting simplicity! I wish that all running water in our community were henceforth replaced with Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale.