Samuel Smiths Winter Welcome Ale

Starts with a deep copper-orange hued body and a tall, frothy and white head. Aromatic pale and toffee malt elements come across first with an edge of Danish wedding cookies. Soft, woodsy hops flow into spicy tones of cinnamon and nutmeg. Traces of honey crisp apples and a thin paperiness continue the aroma. Sweet and waxy honey notes conclude. The aroma seems warm and inviting one second, sharp and odd another. Caramel sweet with a strong, spicy bread element and moderate apple like acidity up front. Finishes with slightly less sweetness and a resigned, earthy hop bite. Somewhat of a thinner body, yet it holds an oily texture and soft carbonation. What a strange creature; sometimes pleasant other times rather brash and off-putting. One of the better things I can say about this one is, at least they stuck it in a brown bottle this year...now I know what it’s supposed to taste like, even if that’s not terribly exciting. Bottle, Burgundy glass.

Old rating, 2.7 total (7/3/5/2/10):55 cL bottle, shaker glass, 2003-2004 edition, 55 degrees F. Foamy, rocky, white head is large but bubbling away quickly. The medium copper body has light carbonation but appears a bit thin. Nutty, cookie malt (M); toffee and oak aromas. The aroma is pleasant, but I’m not getting much here. Moderately sweet, heavily acidic flavor becomes a lightly sweet, lightly bitter, moderately acidic finish with an unclean feeling. Too much acidity for my liking and somewhat under-flavored for a 6% beer. Medium-light body, fizzy carbonation, watery texture, moderately astringent. The bottom line is: I’ve had this beer before and it was "off"; I’m not so sure that one would have rated much lower.

Bottle 0,55l. Ruby brown colour. An off white head. Quite rich flavour - with heavy fruit dominating. Alcohol well hidden. Well balanced. Almost a barley wine.

Big brown bottle. Big golden dark red/brown pour. Big foamy head. Lots of bubbles seen rising from the bottom of my clear glass mug. Big aroma of yeast & hops. Flavor is water with hints of malt and hops. I drank this ice cold. It hit the spot as I was very thirsty when I drank this one. It was reasonably priced at $3 a bottle. I might buy it again if it was on sale.

I’ve had this beer many times in the past, but most recently I sampled this year’s release (2006-07) at River’s Bend on 10/06/2006... Looks like this beer is in a brown bottle for the first time this year. Color is copper, clear. Mild carbonation with a yellow head. Aroma and flavor were slightly sweet, malty, and a little floral. Very subtle spice/herbal quality (much less than in previous years). Finsih was slightly dry - some warming alcohol came through. Nothing really remarkable or memorable about this year’s release. 550 mL brown bottle.

Meh.. I dunno, maybe it got warm but it was way too bitter tio enjow. Looked great though! Poured the color of new pennies into the glass. I dunno.. Maybe the 2006/2007 version will be better...

Bottle 44F Pint. A touch of skunk when I oppened it probably becuase its a clear bottle and Almost 2 years old. 2004-05. Some sweet light malt aromas with a bit of hops present. A dark orange color, that pours fairly clear, with a light tan head that settles nicely and some but minimal lacing. A Dryfinish, a bit of metallic taste perhaps, moderate to lighter malts, a bit of a nutmeg flavor perhaps, with decent hops, maybe a touch of smoked wood. The taste is growing on me it’s better as I drink more of it. Would be interrested in tasting last years or maybe this years as well. Lots of carbonation, medium mouthfeel. Overall not bad a bit of coffee and warmth to it nothing execeptional though.

Clear bottle. Clear amber pour with a generous, beautiful, lacing, rocky, creamy, tan head. Potent nose filled with fruit and light hoppiness, lightly sweet with vague spiciness. Malty. Tastes fruity and earthy; healthy bitterness and hoppiness duking it out with tanginess and sweetness (the latter two finish off). Light nuttiness. Medium body (thickish with a swish) with a little grit and light hoppiness, a trace of citrus. Caramel is dancing with Miss Herbiness. Alcohol is more hidden than expected for a Warmer. Touch watery in the dry end, aftertaste reminds me of unsweetened Darjeeling-dregs. Mild and unique!

Bottle: Amber coloured, small, but stable lacing creamy head; ripe fruit and sultanas in the nose, mixed with molasses and herbal hops; moderate sweet-bitter flavour, medium bodied; sweetish, a bit caramelly and fruity finish with a mild, but distinctive hoppiness. A pleasant, well rounded Ale !