Never Summer Ale - Boulder Beer / Wilderness Pub

bsp77

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Nonic Imperial Pint.

Appearance: Clear brownish-red with thin off-white head and some light lacing.

Smell: Cherry, caramel and spicy, floral English hops.

Taste: Caramel and cherry malt backbone, with some nice English hops providing a light spicy bitterness on the finish. Fairly nice balance but leans a little to the sweet side. Thankfully does not have a medicinal, metallic aftertaste, as the smell had me concerned about that.

Feel: Moderate carbonation, slightly too thin body with a semi-dry finish.

Drinkability: Pretty good English Strong Ale that could use a titch more body, as well as a little more hops to balance the sweetness. Still, quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2011 05:39:34 | More by bsp77

MrMcGibblets

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle dated 1.26.11
A: deep reddish copper, perfectly clear. Nice tan head and lacing.
S: dark caramel and toffee, dark fruit, and spice-not sure if it's actual spices or from the hops, but definitely present. Some darkish breadiness.
T: light to medium sweet caramel malts are washed out by a smooth bitterness. Lingering dessert spice finish is nice.
M: nicely carbonated, which in my case means not too little. Just under medium in body. Nice and frothy with a bit of chewiness.
D: one of the best winter warmers I've had, and would definitely consider getting again. Also I like the low abv for the style. I could have more than one of these.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2011 04:05:57 | More by MrMcGibblets

lbaker

Indiana

3.95/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

For starters, its reviews like the one below that make me wish we could report crappy reviews. It's called "Never Summer Ale". Put the emphasis on never. It wasn't intended to be a fruity summer beer you want to sip on the lawn while watching your boyfriend play tetherball in those cute denim shorts of his. It's even got a picture of snow covered mountains on the friggin bottle!? Moving on...
No. Nitro tap? Shut up.
Now moving on.

Tried this beer for the first time at Indy's Winterfest this past Saturday. Was one of my favorite new pours and decided to grab a 6 pack and hide from the ice!

(a) Pours a very dark ruby red, reminiscent of a bright barley wine. Little head. Little carbonation. Good appearance by winter warmer standards. (4/5)

(s) Poured a little too cold but as it warms up it comes alive. Sweet smell, maybe because of the carmel malts. (3.5/5)

(t) Sweet, smooth and warm. Everything I want in a winter warmer. First few drinks were metallic. Like sam adams octoberfest metallic. Still, great sweet winter comfort flavors. (4/5)

(m) Not as much bite in traditional winter warmers. ABV% is a little low, but its still very smooth on the palete with a little kick at the end. (3.5/5)

(d) Other winter warmers, 2-3 max. I feel like I could stand on the porch Christmas Eve with friends and polish off 6 of em before the cigar runs out. Great drinkability. (4.5/5)

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2011 23:28:08 | More by lbaker

scubasteve04

Kansas

3.68/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

In light of the 8 feet of snow covering half of North America, I thought it appropriate to pop open this Winter Warmer from Boulder, CO and pour in into a nice and hearty goblet.

A: Nice looking brew, a lovely clear copper liquid blanketed by a thin but durable off white head. Very few bubbles.

S: The roasted and caramel malts seem to be dominating the nose, with subtle hop aroma, but not a lot. Loosely reminds me of a Twix bar, or a Roll-o, with maybe a bit more chocolate aroma. Strange, but inviting.

T: Let the brew warm for about 10 minutes before the first sip to about 45* F (estimation. Not nearly as much caramel and chocolate as the nose lead you to believe. After a relatively docile malt presence, the brew finished with an unexpectedly high level of bitterness and herbal hop flavor for the style. I'm missing some of the usual suspects in the spice category of a WW (clove, nutmeg, etc.).

M: Medium body, and lightly carbonated. Not quite as rich as you might expect for a WW, but still enough viscosity to coat your stomach and warm you up with its detectable 6% abv.

D: I don't know if I've ever had a WW that was truly "drinkable", but this one was pretty good, but I don't know if I'd do more than one or two.

O: A very good brew, but doesn't quite hit the mark as a true WW in my opinion. I think the assertive hop bitterness may have masked a lot of other flavors that were probably in there.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2011 19:40:43 | More by scubasteve04

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

3.95/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a clear deep red amber with an off white that retains very well

S - Biscuity malt with a dose of green citrus hops mixed in. Water chestnuts, faint hints of spice reside in the background.

T - Caramel malt with a tinge of metal. Citrus and pine hops back the malt and provide good levels of flavor well as some peppery spice. Some maple floral sweetness combined with a nutmeg sort of spice. Hard to pin down. Has some strawberry rhubarb tang on the finish. Aftertaste is a balance of malt and clean hops.

M - Full bodied, lush type of carbonation.

A different take on the style for sure. Low on the spice level. Nice malt and nice hops. It actually makes me think of summer rather than winter. A great beer on any occasion.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2011 01:02:57 | More by StaveHooks

CuriousMonk

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 12 oz bottle into a dimpled mug. A sleeper of the winter/christmas beer bunch I evaluated. Pours a deep orange-red with a frothy, beige head that leaves behind creamy lace. Dark caramel malt, light nuttiness and piny/earthy hops all merge to create a pleasant aroma. Light to medium-bodied and creamy with a slightly dry and moderately bitter finish. The flavor is a solid, dark caramel front with notes of spicy, earthy hops and light nuts.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2011 21:35:03 | More by CuriousMonk

spaceclothes

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This was from my second shipment of the Beer of the Month Club, a birthday gift from my girlfriend. Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass.

Two-finger pour with a good amount leftover in the form of white cobwebs. Maple coloration and clear body give this one a healthy, inviting appearance.

Initial hit of berries subsides into smells of cinnamon, light molasses, and caramel, with a strong impression of booze. An impressionable smell that distinguishes itself by its unity rather than a stand-out flavor.

Butterscotch, hops, and spices seem only to half mask the booziness, which is surprising considering the low ABV of this brew. An appreciated, slightly bready flavor that usually accompanies darker ales is present. The scotch-y beginning mellows into a caramel flavor and then ends with a sharp berry accent. The sharp fruitiness at the end is reminiscent of coffees brewed with huckleberry.

Low carbonation, a balanced palette and a lower than expected ABV make this a drinkable brew, especially for the Winter Warmer style. Not sure if I'd get this anytime other than "snowed-in" periods of a Northeast Winter, but it seems that the brewmasters at Boulder Beer Club thought the same thing when naming this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2011 00:57:43 | More by spaceclothes

samie85

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-Pours a deep, copper color with two and a half fingers
of off white/very light tan head.

S-Smells of fruity yeast esters with a bit of caramel and a bit of chocolate.

T-Chocolate and caramel malt with more of the fruity esters from the nose.

M-Medium bodied with a smooth and slick feel and an appropriate level of carbonation.

D-Very easy drinking and balanced beer. One of the more user friendly winter warmers/spiced beer out there.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2011 04:11:23 | More by samie85

Natural510

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle, best-by 3-28-11.

Pours a darker amber-bronze with quality head and lacing.
Fairly spicy and sweet to the nose, offering a prelude of what's to come.
Spicy, astringent with a sweet, full malt and dry hop, with notes of caramel, clove, pine and hibiscus. Spice notes are fairly heavy.
Medium body is light enough to go down easy but full enough to display the flavor elements.
Drinkability depends on one's tolerance for a dry, spicy beer. For me, it was the right flavor combination and would be a good choice after a day on the slopes.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2011 13:35:12 | More by Natural510

JBIII

Georgia

2.03/5  rDev -44.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

with a name like summer ale, this beer should be a lot lighter. Not a summer session beer, not even any type of sessional beer! Very sharp after taste. Harsh, metallic and does not go down smoothly! Don't even waste your time ordering this beer. You'd waste your money and time! I'd only drink this beer if it was free.

Serving type: nitro-tap

01-16-2011 23:53:44 | More by JBIII

NittanyBeerFan

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From the first shipment of my craft beer subscription, a Christmas present from my fiancees parents. If this is a sign of things to come, this has a lot of potential. Poured this into my Duvel tulip...

The pour produces a two-finger head that sits briefly atop a crisp and completely clear garnet body. Gobs of irregular and intermittent lace adorn the sides of the glass.

Cinnamon, allspice, some clove, and some white peppercorn aromas atop a backbone of biscuit and caramel malts. A touch of booziness shows up later on, which is surprising, given the relatively low ABV for a winter warmer. Overall, the nose has a solid complexity, and while it could improve in some areas, it is very solid.

The palate is similar, with the spices toned down just a bit. The caramel comes out accompanied by a light breadiness that is a welcome flavor in a winter warmer. There isn't a whole lot of spice, but the warmth from the alcohol comes through, but not in an adverse way. There are some notes of sherry/grapes and darker fruits as well.

Smooth and medium textured, the carbonation is low, and the feel is enjoyable. The palate is solid, and as a result, the beer lends itself perfectly to drinking. While not my favorite winter warmer, I am excited to drink the next 2 bottles.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2011 02:36:11 | More by NittanyBeerFan

SHODriver

California

4.28/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: pours a reddish brown with a dense tan head that slowly recedes into a small pool. It looks the part
S: A touch on the hoppy side with some caramel sweetness. This may not be your typical malt bomb winter warmer
T: Starts off a little toasty and then the first wave of hop goodness washes over the taste buds. It gets thrown back with a vast amount of caramel sweetness with a slight toasted biscuit flavor. The aftertaste is a slightly oily hoppiness with some residual sweetness. I like the balance this beer has
M: Good carbonation and a delicate mouthfeel. Definitely not watery.
D: pretty good. this is a solid beer and I'd drink a few more given the chance

Overall: One of my favorite winter beers. It's well balanced and possibly a little heavy handed on the hops for the style, but I love me some hoppy goodness.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2011 03:30:52 | More by SHODriver

beergod1

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Plastic cup at UPick6 in Erie PA. Poured a clear amber with nice off-white head. I originally thought this was a Summer Ale, I didn't realize the play on words. Beer Nose is hoppy with citrus, spices and some light Malt sweetness. Flavor is light caramel malt, hops, citrus, and spices. Mouth feel is a touch watery but is crisp and clean. Not your usual "Winter Warmer". Boulder Beer Says:
"bold new look at winter beers". Well....I like my Winter Brew the way it was. This was a good tasting Ale, But I like more Body and Flavor.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2011 03:19:29 | More by beergod1

jdflyer06

Ohio

3.8/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz. into a snifter.

A: Reddish orange. Clear in a appearance with no visible head or lacing. Pretty, but nothing special.

S: Apples and various spices; nutmeg, cinnamon and some peppery notes. Wild yeast come through and some caramel malt.

M: The carbonation is a bit sharp. Very dry and somewhat bitter on the palate.

T: Bitter hops and plenty of spice. I can't get over the bitternes of this beer. It overpowers the well done subtleness of the spice. Hops are prevelant but again, the malt balanc is overpowered.

O: It's pretty drinkable, but overall not all that impressive. Not saying that it's bad, it just doesn't stand out. As a winter warmer, it doesn't hit its mark.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 04:16:15 | More by jdflyer06

philbertk

Washington

3.9/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Rockies Brewing Company--Boulder Beer Company--never summer ale--Looking Glass Series--2007 22 oz. Bottle. 5.94% ABV--45 IBU's. (4.5 / 5.0) Winter Ale--ESB. Rich tight lacy ocher head. Clear deep amber red color. Malty toasted mild earthy fruit hop front. Creamy rich malty crisp toffee biscuit black cherry fruit ester body. Smooth mellow hop spice end. Nice. Sampled 5/8/2007.

Rockies Brewing Company--Boulder Beer Company never summer ale--Looking Glass Series 3rd Release--Boulder Beer Cap--2010 12 oz. Bottle. 5.94% ABV. 45 IBU's. (4.0 / 5.0) Winter Ale--ESB? Tan off white medium lace light head. Clear bright rich ruby red color. Malty floral dark fruit aromatic toasted hop front. Dry sweet mildly creamy black cherry caramel malty dark fruitbread tangy body. Rich hop spice dry mild nutritious dark ale citrus end. Sampled 6/16/2010. 6-Pack $9.00.

Rockies Brewing Company--Boulder Beer Company never summer ale--Looking Glass Series--2010 12 oz. Bottle. 6.50% ABV. 40 IBU's. (4.25 / 5.) Orange-tan lasting dense lacy head. Thick pour. Clear bright rich amber color. Floral malt hop mild toasted fruit biscuit front. Creamy cloying mellow sweet light toasted caramel cocoa hint doughy body. Mellow hop spice satisfying smooth malty end. Tasty! Sampled 12/23/2010. Malt of the Earth Beer of the Month Club Selection December 2010.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2010 20:37:09 | More by philbertk

Kinsman

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A toast to the Winter Solstice with the aptly named Never Summer. A blend of ruby red with a copper orange color and a light ecru colored head that built up quickly to just over a finger thick but faded all too quickly.

As with most winter warmers, the aroma suggest plenty of malts and some spice which I'm finding hard to pinpoint. Malts suggest toasted bread and some nutty and sweet flavors. Hops linger in the background with some floralness.

Taste is certainly malt-forward with some sweetness but comes across rather soft followed by a bit of a hop bite. The secret "Brewers Spice" certainly contributes to the flavor but it's hard to pinpoint what exactly it is that I'm tasting.

Mouthfeel is lighter than expected but has clean and crisp feel. Overall, an enjoyable winter beer but nothing spectacular going on here.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2010 23:55:26 | More by Kinsman

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A - Pours a dark amber with medium carbonation and an inch of head that quickly turns to a nice solid foam ring

S - Slight hops but mostly hops and spice. I can pick up some very mild I want to say all spice but maybe cinnamon, damn my nose sucks when I am a few deep.

T - Very interesting I get a mild spice, a good hop presence which is welcoming and a caramel finish. Nothing bitter or off putting. In other words... smooth.

M - Light to medium body.

D - Well I really don't love it in a sense that its an in your face spice fest like I love in warmers but after it warms a bit the bitterness of the hops (English?) makes itself know and it gives it a bitter and unforgiving tone to the beer. I like it but would not love it to try again.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2010 03:43:42 | More by DrDemento456

rrski198

Georgia

3.48/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Deep redish amber color. Big time lacing and average off white head that disappeared quickly.

S: Toasted malt, spicy, mild pine hopiness. Not over whelming but the spice (whatever) it is, is quite pleasent.

T: Great biscuit like maltiness and the spice carries right through to the mouth. Great lingering bitterness. It sticks around and balances the beer quite well.

M: Average body and mouthfeel. Nothing out of the ordinary. The spice and bitterness are still kicking. Average carbonation.

D: I like this beer, however, I couldn't have more than one or two. Similar to many "winter" beers, the spice is good but I can't have to many. Unlike other winter warmers, this beer falls a little short in terms of having a defining quality or standing out in a major way.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2010 23:26:39 | More by rrski198

BretSikkink

Mexico

3.63/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Red-copper color with some orange notes. Head is offwhite and pretty creamy - a nice look for a winter ale. Nose is reasonably strong, with evergreen tree hopping and buttery caramel.

Never Summer is balanced, attenuated a bit too much, and over-spiced. With that out of the way, I enjoyed it. Good flavor, with some woody hops, brown sugar, and a nice stickiness. Medium body, finishes pretty thin but alright. Nothing new under this sun, but a decent drinking brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2010 05:47:23 | More by BretSikkink

beerphan

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle -> american pint
dated: JAN 13 2011 (screened on bottle)

Pours a clear copper with a slightly tanned half inch tight head. The head settles to a film of dish suds, but shows staying power and remains down to the last sip. Some thin rings of lace along with some walls of lace. Carbonation appears big and full.

Nose: Sweet, with a little funk. Flat caramel, some light spice, maybe allspice?

Medium full body. Sweet brown sugar caramel approaching syrupy status, before getting knocked back by a combination of light spice and bold bitterness. Some herbal hops enter at the end, giving a slight tobacco flavor to the finish.

Easily quaffable and something I have every year, but not in big numbers.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2010 19:28:28 | More by beerphan

zhanson88

California

3.7/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Deep ruby with copper highlights. Head is a little under a finger, retention is okay and lacing is a thin film.

Smell: Very malty, with caramel, a bit of piney hops and some fruity esters.

Taste: Malty, with some caramel, a few esters and some resinous hops on the back end. Pretty balanced overall.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability: Body is a bit thin for a winter warmer, but is overall easy to drink and a beer I'd probably have again.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2010 03:08:36 | More by zhanson88

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clean orange-ish to amber color with an off white head. In the aroma, dark fruits and dry malts. In the taste, roasty malt with dry dark fruit and alcohol. A small bite and medium bodied mouthfeel, with a dry small dark fruit in the aftertaste. A nice winter warmer, easy to drink, just above average.

Serving type: on-tap

12-16-2010 15:40:25 | More by OWSLEY069

mklinger

North Carolina

2.8/5  rDev -22.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Appearance -- pale brown color. Bit less depth of color than I might want. Crystal clear with a creamy tan head that dissipated fairly quickly but left very nice lacing behind.

Smell -- I get mostly crystal malt sweetness with a touch of bready malt. Not much else going on here.

Taste -- There's caramel sweetness up front with some lingering bitterness on the end. A hint of spice -- mostly cinnamon? -- in thew middle & end. Largely this tastes like a fairly ordinary amber (e.g., Redhook ESB) with a small spice addition.

Mouthfeel -- fairly thin but the carbonation does help some as it foams up in the mouth making it both a bit sharper & creamier.

Drinkability -- Well, it's easy enough to drink. Wouldn't be hard to drop back a few pints, but I wouldn't be excited or all that interested in doing so. Not a beer I'll be seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2010 04:42:45 | More by mklinger

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

2.88/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

First had: on tap at Pinocchio's, Media, PA

A: Clear, amber-brown, light off-white head.

S: Bready, nutty, roasted malts.

T: Lightly roasty malts, kind of unspectacular for a beer labeled as a winter warmer.

M: Medium body. Some carbonation.

D: Smooth, and easily drinkable, but disappointing if you were expecting flavor and/or spiciness of a winter warmer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-13-2010 21:07:32 | More by Rifugium

tapman

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Clear and ruby/brown in color, head is almost 1 finger. Carbonation appears low.

Sweet caramel, a slight grape aroma and a little dark toast. Signature clean, slightly mineral, yeast aroma and, I hope, flavor.

The label was right, dark caramel occupies the bulk of this brew plus some bitter, fruity hops. Very clean in the finish with no lingering bitterness or cloying characteristics of any kind. A hint of alcohol, small, but noticeable.

Very smooth in the mouth. Highly quaffable.

Another great selection from a brewery that never ceases to produce quality brews that are both unique and balanced.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2010 05:43:21 | More by tapman