Wintertime Ale - North Coast Brewing Co.

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.53/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Evading the notion that winter ales have got to be heavy, rich, malty; and then being beaten over the head with every spice in the cabinet- North Coast prefers a saner taste of softness and is smoothly palatable.

Copperish brown in color and with rosy purplish highlights, the beer reminds me of lavender as it pours from the tap. Nearly brilliantly clear, the beer streams those tiny creamy bubbles to the top where a magnificent whipped head forms. It's off white foam casts on the glass with light lacing and firm retention. It's a fine looking ale!

Fruity aromas pull from the rim with the distinct scent of grape candy. Softer notes of powdered sugar lean against mild cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg spices for a balanced scent of moderate intensity. It's inviting scent seems to carry low offense and makes diving right in very easy.

It's effortless taste carries over the grape hard candy character and borrows complementary notes of cherries, blackberries, and mild licorice. Although its culmination carries a taste of black jelly beans, the beer is much less polarizing than those often avoided morsels. Light cinnamon and fennel seem to be the balancing agents that seem to supplant hop bitterness for a smoother and spicier session.

Though medium bodied, the beer has a lighter attitude from the taste and texture of cotton candy- where the taste of sweetness exists but it evaporates well before the finish. Creamy carbonation seems to carry with it any malty weight and allows a mild peppery warmth to satisfy the palate, stomach, and mind.

The complexities of the beer may be few, but it's focus on sugarplum and grape gives it a standout quality that's both charming and welcomed, especially when pinned up against stronger and more hearty winter warmers this time of year.

Serving type: on-tap

12-13-2012 17:29:26 | More by BEERchitect

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours out a lovely ruby red colr, with a thick, creamy white head. Bold, outstanding aromatics: fresh, sweet, creamy, with dark, rustic notes, as well, slightly spicy, with cinnamon, fruitiness, touches of cheries, grapes, bright and lively.
On the palate, warm and tasty, and surprisingly smooth. Full malt, and dazzling hop play. Medium body, and it feels light in ABV, but is aflood with flavor. Quite delicious, but lacking some depth that would push it further.
As far as winter ales go, at the top of the middle, or near the bottom of the top!

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2003 03:18:48 | More by feloniousmonk

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.78/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a lighter shade of a typical ruby ale with some copper highlights in there and a creamy well-developed head sporting a creamy full head with nice patterns of lacing to boot. Aroma: I believe the Belgian malts and bready spiced yeast aroma are very satisfying, candied sugar thrown in there too. Taste: Is very mild but it ties together subtle flavors very well, with belgian slightly toasted malts and spices for the winter season this is from last winter so I am guessing it's not this tame fresh. Any way you slice it everything that comes from North Coast is solid, this has some subtle hops in the finish very nice beer that I am going to give another go in the colder months. Mouthfeel: Medium bodied fluffy nice texture and very smooth. Drinkability: Is decent have no idea what the alcohol content is but I'm guessing it's substantial as for pure craving this beer after having one it's pretty damn good and I wish I had another one.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2003 21:30:06 | More by WVbeergeek

Zorro

California

4/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy brown ale.

Smell is spicy with a bit of chocolate malt smell. There is also a herbal and apples smell here.

Taste is fruity and strong, and a bit sweet. There is a slight lemon tea flavor to this.

Mouthfeel is good.

Drinkable, all most tastes like a Belgian ale.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2004 01:55:25 | More by Zorro

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I believe this sample is a year old. And I believe it is a Belgian Dubbel in style.

Clear copper color. Thin beige head that recedes to a thin film quickly. The collar is thick however. Aroma is very caramelly. A little bit of dry bitterness apparant on the nose as well. The taste is subdued, but somewhat complex. A dry aspect is apparant as well as cedar tones. Fruitiness is present in small quantities. Musty herbalness also come through on the palate. Caramel sweetness blends with a minute cider-like quality. Drinkability is great. Body is about medium.

Last winter I didn't care for this beer. Thought it tasted like a wheat style beer. This year I had a knowledgeable friend tip me off that this beer is best at a year old and that it was a Dubbel in style. He told me of a store where they were discounted and I cashed in.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2003 21:17:13 | More by Bighuge

Gusler

Arizona

3.45/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The pour is a nice dark ruby red, the head quite small, the lace adequate. Nose is citrus, malts, sweet, nutmeg maybe. Start is slightly sweet, the top is light, the finish has a penetrating acidity, with a pleasing hop bite and a long lasting dry aftertaste A decent beer, drinkable, and a pleasant enough distraction from the "Strong Belgian Ales", that I love.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2002 07:03:28 | More by Gusler

tavernjef

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked up on sale for 5 bucks for a six, hell of a summer deal. To bad its not a hell of a good beer. Color is a nice dark glowing amber, one finger high head of creamy tight evennesswhich is dark ivory in hue. Settles slowly leaving a good skim and ring with stringy lace that drips morphing into spots. Smell is of musty fruits, orangish, grassy, earthy in tone, but is quite soft. Taste starts quickly with a sharp feel of very dulled sweet malts and stingey hops, then grabs into a dark orangy twang, somewhat earthy and musty. The flavors meld together well but aren't very strong, its pretty light and uneventful. Feel is a solid medium body, starts strong with a good thickness, thats a little tough to swallow and fades into a creamy smoothness with a very light lingering tang. Could make for a good session beer, but beyond that it may be a passable offering for the style.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2003 17:45:33 | More by tavernjef

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a clean orange-ish to amber color with a light tan head. In the aroma, spices, a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and all spice. In the taste, big spices, but primarily nutmeg. A spice like bite and a medium bodied mouthfeel, with a dry nutmeg, clove, and ginger in the aftertaste. Quite nice, but a bit too much spice for me.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 18:15:25 | More by OWSLEY069

TheLongBeachBum

California

2.33/5  rDev -34.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

Presentation: A rather timid ‘home-made’ looking blue label smattered with an icicle font ‘Wintertime Ale’. No strength or freshness listed.

Appearance: A nice brazen copper-orange body that is lucid and well presented with a smooth looking off-white creamy head resting atop. Occasionally swirled, the head is retained as a thick smooth collar. The best part of this beer, until you smell it at least.

Nose: Malts and Walnuts mixed with a strange disinfectant hospital odor.

Taste: Has a sort of ‘Medicinal Feel’ on the tongue, and long after the swallow. If I was feeling rude, I would say that this tastes infected! Otherwise, it certainly cleanses the palate of all know germs. Buy a 6-Pack now and get a special Bobble Head “Oxy Clean” Billy Mays!!! Do it in the next 5 minutes and we’ll super size your order.

Mouthfeel: Leaves a clean Petri-Dish feel. No cultured germs here.

Drinkability: Tough one this – took a while for me to finish the 12 ouncer, I have to say.

Overall: A bit of a ‘let-down’ for a North Coast beer, pretty average really. That’s kind; in fact I’m not impressed. A short Review for a beer I would rather forget. So glad I only got single rather than a 6-Pack!!.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2004 08:16:41 | More by TheLongBeachBum

ZAP

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Re-rate 7/15/03

Still think it hasa wheatbock flavor...this is better than I remember though....spicy nose....very inviting....malty flavor with good spiciness....pretty tasty...just not real thick..not bad at all bt many better...bumped up drinkability, mouthfeel and taste .5 and nose 1.0...


I agree with the first two opinions..I expect more out of a old ale...I might be nuts but this tastes like a wheat beer to me. Not a full-fledged dark wheat, but more of an amber wheat...I tried to find some info on this but came up empty. I'd be curious to know if this is a wheat beer. It's not bad, but not my idea of a winter ale. I was very excited to try this, and my grand expectations were not met...still not a bad beer, but I certainly would never buy it in the future.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2003 05:41:19 | More by ZAP

cokes

Wisconsin

3.2/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

ZAP has this one pegged. Seems like a wheat to be too. A pretty thin one at that.
Pours a bronze body with a solid looking head that runs away quickly, screaming something about being promised an Strong Ale.
Smells of clove and some whispers of smokiness. Not a good combination.
Taste consists of wheat-like clove and fruit esters, which is actually somewhat decent. Hops make a appearance, but nothing to brag about. Very little body. Thin and uninspired. Nothing about this says "winter" to me.
It is a brew that could be conceivably quaffed down, due to it's thinness, and not-horrible taste....but there are plenty of more appealing beers that can serve that role.
A let down from North Coast.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2002 22:07:59 | More by cokes

Brent

Kentucky

3.78/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The bottle gives no clue as to the style of the beer, and I spent most of my time trying to tag the character. Yeasty, spicy aroma wafts from the beer - Belgian? Dark Hefe? Very malty, at the start with the beer still quite chilly, caramel jumps up and takes charge of the flavor, but the finish lets in a bit of cereal for an end that that hints of Cracker Jacks popcorn and nuts. Once the beer warmed, a more phenolic aspect asserted itself and it seemed to switch nationality from Belgian to German with clove flavors from the yeast bubbling up. Not a great beer, but a good beer and a nice winter diversion.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2002 14:49:24 | More by Brent

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I guess this is being brewed again. New bottle with no sediment.

A - A nice clear dark ruby brown. Head is just a 1/4 inch but pulls back to an attractive lace ring with great lacing. Tons of bubbles throughout this brew.

S - Candied sugars and fruity yeasts with some caramel malt. I guess I get some sweet vanilla and oak if I concentrate.

T - Getting some smoky peat and chocolate which is nice. Hops are kind of acidic giving a drying character next to the peat. Almost taste like an oak barrel with caramel malts. Not bad.

M - Pretty on par for a winter warmer. Medium and chewy.

Overall it kind of reminds me of "New Holland Charkoota Rye" but with not so much drying peat and rye. Not really sessionable and too drying for my taste. Not worth a revisit.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 20:13:56 | More by DrDemento456

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

4.72/5  rDev +33.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Well, it's spring, no time to be reviewing winter beers and yet this one remains to be tried. It has a honey amber color and pours to a light head. The tiny bubbles cannot sustain any of the head whatsoever and it is quickly lost.

The aroma is spicy, cinnamon and cloves or allspice.

I am a big fan of spiced beers and really enjoyed this one. It has a great flavor - moderate malty feel mixed with the aforementioned spices. A touch of a hop bite there, just a brief bit of bitterness mixed, I think, with allspice or clove, I can't nail it down. It's a clean beer, just slightly heavy feeling going down, and would have been great by the fire or the Christmas tree while wrapping presents. Oh well, there's always next year, next time I'll buy a few 6-packs instead of just one bottle.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2003 07:00:13 | More by brewdlyhooked13

beerguy101

California

3.95/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2002 version Medium brown color, small head. Aroma is malty, sweet and spicy (nutmeg?). A lighter bodied winter beer. Mild malts are spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon and coriander and ??. Starts out sweet and mellows to a spicy, slightly hoppy bitterness. Flavor is a little light for a winter beer, and its a little thin tasting, but there is something I like about this beer. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2003 02:40:20 | More by beerguy101

ADR

Pennsylvania

2.98/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Clear umber brown color with a really fugitive head in the pint glass. Some spiciness to the aroma, a sense of nutmeg and estery clove. So far, so good...Flavor was woefully subdued and somewhat off for style. Watery malts, vague approach to a spicy cinnamon/caramel impression and some strange esters as well. Hops are apparent and peppery, more than I would expect. This does not qualify as an excellent Strong Ale to me.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2002 10:43:10 | More by ADR

RBorsato

Virginia

4.53/5  rDev +28%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Copper color with nice tan head that had some staying power. Sediment evident. Raisiney and light Belgian yeasty aroma. Light raisiney Belgian double malt character. Medium bodied, smooth, creamy (like velvet)...

Going out on a limb here but I think this beer was a really light Belgian double meaning you can drink more than one since the strength is not noticable.... very nice!

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2002 09:00:52 | More by RBorsato

garymuchow

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This really grew on me as I drank it and as it warmed.
Malty, slightly sweet aroma with a slight roast quality. Little caramel and some phenol. Nice complexity. Pretty amber color (like an Marzen), clear large full head with good lacing.
Flavor not over powering with a slight hard water quality. Mostly malt, with good balancing with hops. Taste become richer and more satisfying as drink warmed. Pretty good ale smoothness with richness noted.
As this sat it became more flavorful, almost like it needed to breath (like a red wine). Seems like an ale version of a Marzen with similar malt make-up, but with nice ale smoothness.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2003 16:58:55 | More by garymuchow

Pegasus

Texas

3.63/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Flawlessly clear dark copper color with a large off-white cloud top head and lots of sticky broken lace and good retention. Cloves are quite prominent in the aroma, as well as nutmeg, dark fruits, and toasted malt. Taste begins with strong toasted malt flavor, alcohol, and some spiciness, although less than the aroma would suggest. Late in the taste spicy, mildly bitter but quite lingering hops make their presence known. The finish is dry; mouthfeel seems a bit watery for this style.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2002 19:20:00 | More by Pegasus

marc77

California

3/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Dark bronze / light ruby hue topped by a quickly receding ivory - white head that leaves a loose pattern. The aroma is an odd but enjoyable melange of tart fruity esters, buttersctoch, medium caramel malt and gints of raspberry. Subdued floral hop nose. The taste doesn't follow up on the aroma, unfortunately. A combination of hop bitterness and non - descript spice hits the palette upfront, and is followed by generic caramel malt sweetness and nutmeg spice. THe flavors fade abruptly & the finish is left a bit of the bland side. Perhaps I'm accustomed to more robust winter seasonals, but I found this this brew to be far too conservative and perhaps a bit weak in flavor. Decent, but lackluster.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2002 11:55:50 | More by marc77

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

3.55/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

1997 Vintage,similar label as displayed but biege in color.
Vigorous pour revealed minimal head, leaving behind scattered irregular bubbles. Dark amber in the body of the glass with ruby hips.
After a few good swirls, this baby woke up after a 8 year nap.
Complex nose filled with subdued malt,cherries,cocoa,almonds.
Belgian character shining through,hints of coriander,orange peel,cloves. Lingering wine-like aroma.
Flavors fell short of the promising aromatics.
Vineous,fruity and light spice.
Very Grand Cru-ish.
Dried up cherries and dusty malt blended with red wine.
Minimal oxidation, not a detraction.
Thin/medium bodied,barely carbonated at this point.
Too bad it wasn't in a 750 ml, it would have held up a little better, but overall not too bad for a vintage brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2005 12:04:48 | More by brewandbbq

SkeeterHawk

Texas

3.03/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Pours a bit hazy reddish chestnut color with an inch head of off white bubbles at first pour. The head was made up of relatively large bubbles, and looked like it wasn’t going to hang around too long. There are a few floaties in here too.

Aroma: Malt and spicy notes are the first things you notice. There is a bit of a plum aroma here also, as well as what I believe to be a hint of oxidation. As the head falls, and the beer warms a bit, there are some more fruity notes coming out to take over the spiciness that I got earlier.

Flavor: The flavor is dry and nutty. I still get a bit of spiciness, but the oxidative flavors are definitely present in the flavor profile also. I don’t really get any hops in here anywhere...but maybe a tad in the bittering, and maybe a bit of British varieties for flavoring that is taking a beating by the oxidation.

Opinion: I am pretty bummed out. I had high hopes for this beer, but it appears to be stale. There was carbonation, but the malts don’t taste fresh. I am a big fan of North Coast beers...especially their Old Stock, and Old Rasputin. If either of those beers had Oxygen intorduced, it would be obvious right away. This one suffers from it unfortunately.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2005 03:47:37 | More by SkeeterHawk

CRJMellor

Arkansas

3.18/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a thick copper color with some orange tint. Very small white head with very little lace.
Aroma is sweet malt, light hex nut and some peat.
Flavor is sweet malt, some citrus and a mild roasted taste
Mouthfeel has no real distinguishing characteristic except for a strange sort sort of sour and diacetyl aftertaste.
Drinkability is moderate at best. Compared to some of the other North Coast beer this one is a pass.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2004 03:30:58 | More by CRJMellor

hosehead83

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from"stubby" 12oz. bottle into a standard pint glass.
Clear copper in color, with a nice-looking cap of tan foam.
Aroma-toasted malt note
Taste-Toasted malt,caramel, subtle cinnamon. Smooth and nicely balanced. Quaffable and tasty. A pleasant, easy drinking offering from North Coast.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 18:33:06 | More by hosehead83

beer2day

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Do not see this listed on the North Coast web page anymore.

Pours a dark orange with a good bit of red there too. 1/2 finger of tan head. Very faint retention and thin lace strands.

Nose is spice and dark fruit. Fruitcake comes to mind, but without the sweetness. Nutmeg and allspice, with figs, prunes, and a touch of raisin. Understated, though.

Flavor is thinner than expected. The same fruit and spice is there as in the nose. Fig/raisin combo with more allspice than nutmeg. A hint of cinnamon. Very mild finish. Nice, but not memorable.

Feel is a bit on the thin side as well. Some thickness from the fruit, but not as much as expected.

Overall, nice enough for the style but not one I'd get again.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 02:04:38 | More by beer2day