A Microbrew Review of Lancaster Brewing Company's Winter Warmer

The holidays are just around the corner and for any microbrew and craft beer lover, this season is always met with excitement. I love Christmas beers and winter warmers. The winter beer season is officially upon us and I'll be reviewing microbrews of the wintertime ilk for the next several months.

Tonight, I reached in the fridge and pulled out Lancaster Brewing Company's Winter Warmer. Lancaster Brewing Company (an eastern Pennsylvania microbrewery) offers some great beers and I was looking forward to trying their Winter Warmer offering eagerly.

Pouring the beer into my unchilled beer glass, This beer pours a dark ruby, mahogany color with a mild creamy tan head only about a finger deep and quick to subside to a meer corona of froth on the outer walls of the glass. Nice color and virtually opaque with only the slightest hint of light passing through when held up to the kitchen fan light.

Classified as an Olde Ale, this beer's scent is warm and fuzzy, sweet and caramelly with a hint of spiciness in the nose. Toffy and scotch eminates from the surface with a butter cookie background.

First sip is smooth on the tongue with a sharper alcoholic bite in the swallow. Winter Warmer is a very sweet and sticky microbrew leaving a ring of lollipop stickiness around the lips. It's rich and malty and almost a meal in itself. A slight toffy presence can be detected. The beer became even more sweet and sticky as the beer warmed in my glass. There was no lacing on the glass whatsoever as the microbrew disappeared slowly. This one is definitely a slow sipping kind of craft beer.

Overall, I can definitely recommend Lancaster Brewing Company Winter Warmer for one of those upcoming cold winter's evenings around the fireplace. It's a holiday style craft beer that is worth a try and I will be sure to be picking up several more Winter Warmers before the holiday beer season is over.

One other recommendation is to drink this beer with respect. Lancaster Brewing's Winter Warmer is a bit dominant when it comes to the alcohol level. When it comes to alcohol content in beer, this winter ale boasts a hearty 8.9% alcohol by volume rating and having more than two in a sitting is probably going to invite trouble.

So there you have it. First holiday style beer for the Christmas season and Lancaster Brewing Company's Winter Warmer is a hit in my book. I'm giving it an 8.0 out of 10.00 beer rating points for my microbrew review. Get your hands on Winter Warmer if you have a chance this winter. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
--------------------------------------

Like beer? Did you enjoy reading this microbrew beer review? If you love beer and craft beers & microbrews in particular, you'll find many more craft beer reviews of both new and old microbrews and also fun microbrew and craft beer-related mish-mash at the
===>microbrew review blog
or =====>Craft Beer Reviews.

Enjoy, and always remember to drink responsibly!

Lancaster Brewing
Pennsylvania breweries
winter warmer
microbrew
craft beer
beer blog

A Microbrew Review of Abita Christmas Ale

I have to admit, I picked up a couple 12 ounce bottles of Abita Brewing Company Christmas Ale this evening just solely because of the shiny silver foil printed labels. Something about the appearance of the bottle just shouted "festive". I had to give it a try. And being the holiday season, this beer fit right in. I'll be blunt by saying I'd trying a couple of the year round offerings from Abita Brewing Company (a microbrewery based in Abita Springs, Louisiana) and at least with those microbrews was not the most impressed. I was hoping Christmas Ale might be a little different.

Pouring Abita Christmas Ale into a standard unchilled 12 ounce beer mug, I was presented with an amber, reddish vibrant hue. The beer looked "zesty" so to speak with a bold bright color and energetic bubbles abound everywhere. There was no notable head to point out and despite it's bubbly appearance, the beer gave off a "thin" image.

Taking the first couple sips of Abita Christmas Ale was where it really got going for me. The nose was sweet and bready. A little bit of clove mixed in. Not a whole lot of out of the box going on here but the flavor was respectable. It was a little thin for my taste, but still with a bit of Christmas Ale type spice and bite. Abita Christmas Ale was clean, crisp and refreshing. It gave off a little bit of holiday-esque sensation through it's spiciness but kept it drinkable with the balance of hops throughout. It didn't go over the top.

I actually could imagine myself enjoying several of these regularly during a typical microbrew session throughout the year regardless of the season. Abita Brewing Company Christmas Ale was just that darned drinkable and easy to put down. Now, if only all the Abita Brewing Company offerings were in the same ballpark of flavor, I'd be more and more on the lookout for Abita Brewing offerings in my local microbrew bottleshop haunt and at the beer distributor as well.

As a quick wrap up, I'd have to say that I do recommend the Abita Brewing Company Christmas Ale to anyone who's asking. It's not all that complex of a brew and certainly not as sweet, thick, or spicy as a lot of Christmas craft beers are know for, but Abita Christmas Ale holds it's own, is very drinkable and is at least interesting enough to make you pay attention to the beer throughout the entire bottle consumption process. I noticed a little more flavor as the beer warmed and a little more warmth from the milder levels of alcohol by volume included in this beer as well.

I'd recommend going out and picking up a bottle or two of Abita Brewing Company's Christmas Ale if you do get an opportunity to this holiday season. The festive label will make it look a little more exciting than it is, but the beer will not disappoint and would be a nice, "lighter" craft beer addition to any holiday gathering throughout this Christmas beer drinking season.

If you had any fun or enjoyment in reading this microbrew beer review and love craft beers in particular, you'll find more reviews of both new and old microbrews and also fun microbrew and craft beer-related info at Microbrew Review or Microbrew and Craft Beer Reviews. Click through on the links above and please do let me know what you liked or didn't like and also any beers that you might like to see me review next time!

Red Hook "Winter Hook" Just Doesn't Have Me Hooked

It's winter here in good ole' Western PA and things can get pretty boring past the holidays in that lull between Christmas, New Year's and.....Memorial Day I guess. Anyway, it's finally getting cold around here and maybe we'll even see some snow before spring (can you believe it snowed in Malibu, CA today and we're still snow free in PA?).

Well, winter is one of my favorite months because I'm a big fan of winter style beers, if you can even call it a style. I always try to get my hands on as many different new winter type microbrews which I haven't tried before. I'll be starting to post more now that the holiday rush is over and the winter-styles of microbrews will be my main focus for sure.

Red Hook Brewery has a winter offering called....are you ready? Winter Hook. Wow, the name on the bottle blew me away right off the bat. I had to try it. All kidding aside however, Winter Hook is not a bad winter brew. My bottle indicated a brewing date of 11/15/06 which makes it fairly fresh to sample.

Pouring into a standard pub style glass, the color was very much a carmel tone and very clear. Head about 1/2 inch but it dissipated within just a few quick minutes. Taking a long whiff of aroma pulled in a caramel smell but also just a twinge of spiciness that I could only closely compare to a nutmeg scent.

Taste, pretty sweet and sticky which surprised me a little. I've tried a few microbrews from Red Hook before and most that I've tried have given me a "hoppy" impression of this brewery and its microbrews. This one was an aboutface. In fact, this is the first year I've seen Winter Hook around these parts at least so I am a bit curious as to whether this might be a new offering from the Red Hook folks.

This beer, as mentioned was sweet, and tasted very much of caramel, nutmeg (which helped confirm the aroma) and very faint hops in the far background. It was decent in overall drinkability at 6% ABV and I found myself trying a second before I knew it. Whether that qualifies this microbrew as a good one or not, I'm still not overall ready to rank it way up there in my humble opinion. It kind of just went down easy and rolled into another bottle. I didn't really think to myself " man, that was great, I think I'll have another!".

Overall, I would recommend giving this one a shot if you haven't tried it before. It may be just your thing but this beer just didn't go really to one extreme or the other with me. I'd call it a good microbrew, but nothing I'd go searching for 100 miles down the road. Maybe Red Hook Brewery rotates a different style in every year for their "Winter Hook" like some microbreweries do. I really don't know for sure but hey, give it a try. Let me know what you think. It's still far beyond the standard everyday mass produced stuff you will find anywhere else.

I'd give it a 5.75 out of 10.00. Check out Red Hook's other beers here at their site http://www.redhook.com/ Just a heads up, if you like IPA's like I do, they do offer a very good one if you get a chance to check one out sometime (highly recommeded!).

You can check out more reviews of new microbrews and fun microbrew and craft beer related info at Microbrew Review or My Squidoo Lens. Check out Summer Microbrew too!

St. Nikolaus Bock Bier - Santa's Little Helper?

I just love seasonal microbrews and craft beers! It doesn't matter the season or the reason. I love sampling what different microbreweries come up with and their interpretations of different styles of microbrews rotating throughout the year. Christmas-time is just another of my most anticipated times of the year (both for the presents, and for the craft beer...of which would make a great gift for the holidays if my wife is reading this "hint, hint")

Okay, enough rattling on. What I've tested out today is a perfect offering from a local brewery just down the road in East Pittsburgh, PA. I'm talking about the Pennsylvania Brewing Company and their St. Nikolaus Bock Bier in particular.

Now being honest and up front with you, I've tried several of Penn Brewing's other "craft beers" with not always the best impressions being left on my palate. Nothing against the brewery, just not my cup of tea I guess. But St. Nickolaus Bock Bier is a far cry from any other microbrew I've laid my lips to from this brewery.

First off, the bottle is a completely glorious example of what a Christmas beer label should look like with Jolly Old St. Nick right there smiling on the bottle, and I'm not talking about some chintzy, commercial rendition, but what seems like a Victorian era depiction of the "real Santa Claus". It really put me in the mood that I was about to embark on a true Christmas treat.

The beer was poured into my trusty unchilled pint glass with a dark, dark ruby appearance but only when held up to very bright light. The head only displayed only about 1/2 finger of a very light tan colored froth that didn't spend a whole lot of time lingering. It was completely gone in about 5 minutes. Gone! Aroma gave me a combined impression of sweetness, malt, chocolate and even just a hint of caramel (great description, I know!).

Now that it'd had a chance the breath, the first sip of this microbrew was impressive. I think just the drastic improved difference in the saturation of pleasing flavor, compared to the other Pennsylvania Brewing Company beers, really hit me with a better than average standing than normally would be rated. I enjoyed the flavor that seemed to match what was hinted in the aroma to a "T". There was a strong roasted maltiness, there was chocolate bouncing around, a little bit of caramel and twinges of something reminiscent of dates. Unlike some other "Christmas Beers" I've tried, this style being a bock didn't bring in the spices that alot of holiday craft beers or "winter warmers" seem to implement fairly consistently. There was a bit, just a bit of alcohol tinge to the beverage as it warmed toward the end of the glass, but not enough to be a turn off. The beer itself is listed at about 7.5 abv so it is around that range you'd expect to taste it a little.

In all, a well-crafted microbrew from Pennsylvania Brewing Company. I wouldn't classify it as the alltime perfect Christmas beer, but it really impressed me well beyond what I had maybe initially expected (judging from past experiences and not being a huge Dunkel Bock style fan). Packaging, labeling, appearance, aroma, taste and level of drinkability were all well above average marks and truly put me in the mood for the holidays (and another St. Nikolaus Bock!) I may just have to purchase a case of this for the upcoming festivities, if I can still even find it around anywhere here. I give it a thumbs up and recommend it for the holiday/winter season.

I'll vouch for a 7.50 rating out of 10.00 for Penn Brewery's St. Nikolaus Bock Bier. Ho, ho, ho!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can check out more reviews of new microbrews and fun microbrew and craft beer related info at Microbrew Review or My Squidoo Lens. Check out Summer Microbrew too!

All I want for Christmas is Great Lakes Christmas Ale!

Alright, it is just a hair too early for Christmas beers (just one week until Thanksgiving). But, so what!

I was down at the local beer "distributor" this past Sunday (yes, they sell beer at distibutors in Pennsylvania on Sundays now) and had to pick up a case from their "New Arrivals" Christmas Beers skid (yes, literally a skid).

There were several selections of varying interest, but the one that caught my eye most was one from Great Lakes Brewing, their annual "Christmas Ale" offering. I'd seen this around the area a few times last season and passed on the chance to sample it. By the time I'd changed my mind, it was gone! I didn't want to miss out this time around because I'd heard some really good things about this microbrew and, plus, the label on this one is pretty cool (model train car full of shiny red christmas ornaments).

Other than the fact that this case cost me a fairly steep $39.99, and the fact I pumped a little financial support to our lifetime rival Cleveland economy, I am ultimately glad I made the investment.

I'm currently sipping on my second 12 ounce serving and wondering how I'm going to stretch the remaining 22 bottles out over the next month and a half or come up with the moolah pretty quick to go back and purchase the one remaining case on the "skid".

Anyway, this one is going to be a favorite for me for many holiday seasons to come (I hope!). This microbrew pours a clear orangish amber with just a slight twinge of dark copper. The head was surprisingly nice and billowy in my 16 ounce pint glass coming in at just under two fingers which lasted well over 5 minutes even after the first few quaffs. Very poofy and cumulus cloud-like.

The aroma is very sweet, almost sugary but in a good way. Something in this brew calls to mind mental pictures of sugar cookies to me. The overall flavor includes very little in the way of hoppy bitterness, but then again this is a "Christmas Ale". If you are very much into microbrews but really like the hoppy IPA styles, this one just may not be your cup of tea so maybe just buy a single bottle if you can to try it if you want before plunking down a couple 20's on a case. In addition to the sugar cookie impression this microbrew gives off in flavor, I noted some mild hints of honey and even fainter, but still present, cherry notes.

The bottom line for me on the Great Lakes "Christmas Ale" is that I would highly recommend it to anyone who is open to trying something seasonal. This is not a beer I would sit and drink many of at one time, nor do I see myself on the back porch on a 90 degree summer evening downing a Christmas Ale after mowing the lawn. But I do see this beer as being perfect for me for the upcoming holiday season, to enjoy responsibly while celebrating with family and friends at a Christmas party, family gathering, or just in front of the fireplace on a cold night with the wife. There's a window of time to enjoy microbrews like this and for Great Lakes "Christmas Ale" the short time is now. If you have the chance where you live, pick up a few to enjoy during the upcoming holidays.

I'll rate this an 8.25 out of 10.00 for the style (seasonal/spiced/winter warmer)

You can check out more reviews of new microbrews and fun microbrew and craft beer related info at Microbrew Review or My Squidoo Lens. Check out Summer Microbrew too!