Wild Goose Snow Goose Winter Ale

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

Poured dark brown color with a normal head that provided normal lacing. The aroma was malty and somewhat nutty, similar to a brown ale. The flavor was based on caramel malts, was somewhat nutty, and finished with a nice touch of hops and spiciness. A nice holiday ale with a typical moderate body.

I was initially interested in this beer because I really like the picture of the label for it posted here on RateBeer. I can get many of the Wild Goose offerings in nearby Northern Kentucky, but for some reason I have never seen the SnowGoose Winter Ale. Luckily my buddy Sean was able to grab a bottle for me in Tennesse. Unfortunately the current label isn’t nearly as cool as the one shown here on RateBeer, but the beer is still quite good none the less...

Wild Goose® SnowGoose™ is a deep amber/nearly brown color and is quite clean and clear. It has a fluffy tan head that has good retention and leaves average lacing on the glass. roasted malt, chocolate, and some nuttiness are apparent in the earthy aroma. The flavor is fairly robust overall. It is roasty with dry, slightly bitter cocoa undertones. There is a nutty quality in the flavor toward the back side. The initial flavors are balanced by a moderate, distrinctively British bitterness. The body is medium/average (maybe slightly more) body and has a good carbonation level. Overall, SnowGoose is a gratifying Winter brew and worth the wait...

12 oz bottle (12007FX) from illinismitty. Thanks again Sean!

THOUGHTS: Nice beer, very British. A little too sweet, but the funk makes it interesting. A little barley wine-like. Yet also wee heavy-like. My bottle said the ABV was 6.3%. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a clear, medium to dark, reddish amber with a small, off-white head that mostly diminished and left fair lacing. The aroma was moderate to heavy dark bread and caramel malt, light to moderate herbal hops, light leathery and cobweb-like yeast, apple, cherry, whiskey, candy, slight tea and lemon and slight smoke. The initial flavor was sweet and a little acidic; while the finish was a cidic an rather bitter with and average duration. There was caramel, cherry, apple, tea, herbal hops, citrus, dark bread and candy. The medium body was slightly syrupy and also oily with very fizzy carbonation and a light to moderate astringent finish.

Nice brown color with faint head. Nice carob nose. Very very good carob body. Solid body.

12 oz bottle courtesy of Coldbrewky. Pours a light brown caramel color. I was a little sloppy with my pour & ended up with a huge angry head. Malty nose with some floral hop. Mildly carbonated with a bit of body to it. Flavor was malty with mild spice. A little bit of hop background.

Medium reddish-brown color. This beer has a predominant nutty, woody flavor, and pretty dry palate. Not quite what I was expecting in a winter warm-you-up ale; perhaps a little sweetness or extra spice would provide the finish I looked for.

Bottle from family in the area. Poured clear redish brown with a small off-white head, little lace. Aroma is really malty, some roasted and sweet notes, light spice, mild fruit. Taste is extremely malty, again mixed roast and sweetness. Some light spice & fruit notes. Hop presence is very mild. Some nut flavors also noticed. Mouth is smooth and carbonation is mild. Overall, a decent winter ale.

Darker brown color with light head. Aroma is malty, with a dark-bread style to it. Taste is a nice mix of dark bread, lightly roasted malts, and maybe a little brown sugar. Solid brown/English style ale. Better than most I’ve tried from Wild goose.