Summit Winter Ale

Brewed by Summit Brewing Company
Style: English Strong Ale
St. Paul, Minnesota USA

The arrival of a new brewery to the neighborhood is always a joyous occasion, whether they are a local brewery or a distant brewery whose hand of distribution now reaches mine.

She poured clear copper-brown with amber shining bright where the light pierces through. Her peak is but a mere whisper of a dream which is quickly reduced to a thin patchwork of bubbly film. An encouraging swirl does nothing to stir her stubborn depths, though it does release a warm bouquet of winter spices and seasonal blessings. Pumpkin, ginger, brown sugar, nutmeg, and all-spice sway in a gentle rhythm with raisins, figs, and prunes while warm breads provide gentle support. She shows a sweeter side with maple, molasses, and crunchy milk chocolate. Spellbound, I am drawn in for a wet, lingering kiss which is full-bodied and contradictorily thick with a soft effervescence. While her nose was spice-forward, her palate is less-so. Dancing delightfully about my tastebuds are brown sugars, cinnamon, and nutmeg with a pleasingly meaty note of pumpkin. After I finish my first couple quaffs, I notice the chocolate in her aroma with each finishing breath. A bright lemon zest tingles across the top of my tongue like a chill of electricity while thick, sweet, molasses mingles with spice. About halfway through I notice a pleasing dryness to my palate. A bit more chocolate as she warms along with some creamy pecans creeping into what has turned into an exquisite blend of spices, dark fruits and breads, pumpkin, and caramelized sugars.

I was not sure what to expect, but I was very pleased with the Winter Ale from Summit Brewing. Their goal is to create well-balanced beers with great flavor and easy drinking ability. While I can’t speak for their other beers, I can say they achieved exactly that with their Winter Ale. May I have another please? Old man winter isn’t quite done yet.

One from the backlog. Pours a deep brownish red almost burgundy color with a nice tan head. The aroma is nutty yeasty and roasty with a light fruitiness. The flavor is roasty and a little chocolaty, mildly nutty with some good bitterness. Much better than I had remembered but not exciting per say.

Ft. Myers, Fl. - Total Wines - 12 oz bottle - part of a 12 pack winter variety pack - great to see this stuff from my hometown reach this far south. Peanuty aroma awith hints of that Summit "house taste". Dark, murky brown pour with an off-white head that leaves a nice coat of lacing. Flavor has some earthy notes, s bit of chocolate, some nuttiness and just a hint of that slightly off-putting home-brew-like house taste that all Summits seem to have. Mouthfeel is thick enough - but only par for the style.

methinks it’s not unlike a porter - roasty, cocoaE, fairly plain and simple with the hops playing a very diminished roll. Not spectacular by any means, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Clear mahogany with a slowly dissipating medium brown head. Aroma of caramel, lots of malt – toasted, roasted and sweet with the mildest of hops presence. Taste of caramel, mild chocolate , mild sugar, light chocolate and malt. Pretty devoid of flavor though it gets a bit better as it warms.

12oz bottle from Willow Bend Liquors (Tampa, FL). Pours a dark brown color with reddish highlights and a one finger tan head that settles slowly. Aroma is sweet and malty with notes of roasted malt, caramel, chocolate, hints of coffee and toffee. Flavor is similarly sweet and malty with notes of roasted malt, caramel, chocolate and hints of toffee and coffee. Generally light to medium body with a pleasing roasted malt finish. A little thin but generally good.

Bottle as shown. Pours a dark ruby color with a large frothy light tan head. The aroma is a roasted malt with chocolate, toffee and smoke. Good sticky lacing on the glass. The taste is roasted malt, with licorice and a nice dry finish. A good english strong ale from Summit.

A decent ale. At first I did not think I would like it. It poured a dark color but was not as...flavorful as I thought it should be. I may have over-rated this one but it is not bad.