Wild Goose Snow Goose Winter Ale

Brewed by Wild Goose LLC (Flying Dog)
Style: English Strong Ale
Frederick, Maryland USA

Since they are both brewed by the same company I tried this with the Blue Ridge Snowball Chance at the same time to see if there is any difference. And yes there is a difference. Very slight but it's there. The Snowgoose is a little darker and a little malter the the Snowball Chance.

Definitely a scottish style winter ale - without the toasted maltiness. Decent, no head, slightly bitter finish.

Snow Goose pours to a deep brown color with a nice, creamy tan head, and a soft carbonation. This beer has some really nice, fragrant hop aromas. Piney, citric hop aromas marry with aromas of sweet malt, toast, and caramel. The palate is a very firm malt backbone. Rich flavors of sweet malt, caramel, toast, and toffee coat the tongue. Really a muscular malt body, not too hefty, but satisfying. Snow Goose finishes malty up front then dries with a long, citric bitter hop bite that lingers, and a slightly warming burn. Really a very well done winter ale. Really good balance of malt and hop flavors and aromas. I don’t think it will ever return to the ringwood glory days, but this Snow Goose is the best I have had in the past two or three years. The big hop character is welcome in my opinion. I would match this beer with hearty fare. This would work well with roasted turkey or pork. I would even pair this with a nice grilled steak and baked potato.

Lots of toasty maltiness in this beer. Some noticed hops, but not me. All malts and a huge body. A very different kind of winter ale but a good one.

Thin bodied, clear-ruby/brown body. Head is beach sand and of average thickness. Smell is lovely chocolate and some rather aggressive pine hops. Taste is surprisingly big and sweet with aggressive California style hops. This could easily pass with a stone or rogue label. Lots of chocolate and some raisins and winter spices accompany the pine hops. Aftertaste is toffee/coffee and more pine hops. Nice beer and certainly an even nicer surprise from previously-unknown-to-me Wild Goose Brewery.

Big rocky head over deep dark liquid. Fruit and alcohol in the nose, a great aroma, really and a smooth dark malt flavor. Rather easy drinking.

Pours a dark brown with a small tannish head. Mild nose with wood and caramel tones. Flavor is nice, but seems to lack a good enough balance to knock it up a bit more. Has a slight tangy edge that is just a touch too much for me. Feel is nice with the carbonation. This is a nice drinker. Went well with my homemade gumbo.

Deep reddish-brown color with a decent off-white head that leaves a good lacing in my glass, fruity and malty aromas. Smooth nutty and chocolate flavors, medium to full bodied with mild carbonation, full creamy and smooth mouthfeel, finishes kind of dry, alcohol well hidden until it warms, a solid winter ale.