SudsPundit

Thursday, December 02, 2004

Winter Ales (Part 1 2 of several)

Rather than wallow in jealousy of my friends in Portland who will be attending the Holiday Ale Festival this weekend, I decided to take the initiative, head to my local purveyor of fine ales, and pick up a good sampling of this season's offerings.

And if I can stay on task, I'll pass on this information to you.

Tonight I'm beginning with Flying Dog K9 Cruiser Winter Ale. The color is deep, slightly reddish brown, with a dark cream-colored head. Rich, slightly roasty aroma. Spicy attack, immediately followed by a mellow maltiness. Finishes somewhat grainy. Hop presence is very much limited to the background. It goes down very smooth--which could be deadly (6.8% ABV). Overall, it's a smooth, well-balanced ale, perfect for a cold night. However, it doesn't leave much of an impression if you are looking for something truly unique or bold. Still, very tasty.

It would go extremely well with a basic, steak-and-potatoes kind of meal...as should any good winter ale.

(Note: this is technically part 2, since Chris' review of Sweetwater Festive Ale also fits nicely in this theme.)

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