Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale

Anderson Valley is, all-in-all, a solid brewery where they know how to make some pretty good beers. This example of a malty ale I found quite enjoyable. Not so dark as many winter warmers, and definitely sweeter than some without being grossly so (I'm looking at you Spoetzle), this is a beer I can easily see people celebrating with.

Bifrost Winter Ale

What better way to get through a winter night alone than with a bomber of a seasonal ale, right? If you're looking for consolation, you'd probably best look elsewhere. I wasn't particularly enthused with this concoction, which seemed pretty bland. Malt and hops kind of jumbled together without great definition, and I felt both got lost in the crossfire.

Home Brew #3

For this batch, Graham was trying to imitate Avery's Old Jubilation Ale. This experiment didn't work out as well as the black ale, but still a very good selection.

Old Fezziwig

I'm putting this in out of sequence b/c I'd forgotten it. I actually drank this beer at David's Halloween party, which I think was on the 30th. Not bad, but not the best winter warmer I've ever had.

Nutcracker Ale

This is a tasty winter warmer from Boulevard. Is it sweet? Yes, it is. Is it a little weaker than you'd like for a winter warmer. Maybe (ABV less than 6%). But it is still a pretty good beer and recommended for a little bit of holiday cheer.

Isolation Ale

This beer was an excellent start to a) my company casino night and b) my exploration of local seasonal beers. A really solid, tasty winter warmer that isn't too strong either in flavor or in alcohol to diminish its drinkability for a long night.

Brrr

This entry into the winter warmer category by Widmer was a little disappointing. It didn't seem like a winter warmer to me at all, just a repackaged IPA with a little bit of extra color from slightly darker malts. But if the malts also added additional flavor, that didn't stand out to me at all.

Jubelale

My second winter warmer. Nothing quite so memorable as the last one.

Old Jubilation

A beer with a lot of complex flavor that never ends up completely coming together. An okay beer.