Peak Organic Winter Session Ale - Peak Organic Brewing Company

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

"The throat of winter is upon me and the cold will linger in me." - Opeth

Clear hazelnut color with an egg shell white cap. Quickly fades to a thin skim with ample lacey smatterings. Nice color.

Suprise! Aroma is tangerine and pineapple (citra) with some bread crust background. I wasn't expecting so much hop aroma from a winter wheat. Me likey.

Taste is tangerine hops up front with a friendly nuttyness in back. Not much of a malt character beyond that nutty blip and I feel that the hops are trying to cover up that fact - but hey, it's an American wheat.

Peak impresses in a usually unimpressive style. With the light feel and citrus hops this could do as a spring beer as well.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2010 01:15:07 | More by donkeyrunner

chinchill

South Carolina

3.7/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12 oz bottle dated best by June 2013. Pours a deep brown color with a tan head that had good retention an left plenty of attractive lacing.
Smells more like a lager than a dark wheat, with more spicy hops than expected. The hops also out weigh the malts in tasting, although there is a solid malt base and enough malts to keep the beer just mildly bitter even in the finish.
Nice mouthfeel, with somewhat crisp carbonation and a medium body.

Enjoyable session beer, but not particularly a "winter" ale.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 22:12:39 | More by chinchill

CampusCrew

Florida

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Peak Organic, like Diamond Knot, hop forward dark ale, nothing winter about it other than being dark, would drink year round

We did a large christmas and winter beer tasting panel and this was one of the many that we tried. Most of the beers we tried we solid including this one that the panel liked.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 06:35:08 | More by CampusCrew

rtepiak

Poland

3.43/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

a dark end of 10 percent wheat and mostly earthy citrus hops. a tad darker than amber with a nose of pear and raspberry. the beer is simply that with a bitter finish. not something that you can have more than one of in my sense of drinking. one dimensional and simple but there consistent. so it could be a beer to love but is all based on personal

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2011 07:20:38 | More by rtepiak

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.79/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Looks like a dark cream soda, except the thin head remains.

Toasted wheat, woodiness, light cola, extra toast, strange fruitiness, clove-y spice, and very light maple. Interesting enough to win me over.

Bitter and sweet. Wheat tangy with some roastiness. Earthy/herbal hops, toffee, light mulling spice, and a splinter of soft overripe fruit (pineapple).

Light-medium body with a semi-spicy carbonation. It feels prickly, but I think it works. Thank goodness, there's some noticeable alcohol.

American Dark Wheat, eh? I don't mind this. I'll seek out more. This one here... is good. Good? Yes.

Serving type: on-tap

01-25-2013 04:18:33 | More by thecheapies

shand

Florida

4.08/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Sam Adams perfect pint.

Pours a clear brown color with a fingers of head. The aroma is very nice, it's got a very rich banquet of some strong citrus and floral hops, along with sweet toffee. The taste is also quite good, it's got a little something here for everyone. Piney, citrus hops come through first, followed by some wheat, with the finish providing some nice toffee and coffee flavors. The mouthfeel is well-carbonated and light, but the finish provides just a slight drying effect that, together with the ending roast, is quite satisfying. The drinkability is very good. Overall, this one took me by surprise. It's a fairly unique winter seasonal brew that hits a ton of different flavors without seeming disjointed.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 03:11:12 | More by shand

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

3.01/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Into a pint glass:

A: amber colored body with a big frothy head, clingy lacing

S: pine, chocolate underneath but extremely subdued

T: bitter through the pine

M: medium, sticky all around and in the aftertaste and finish

O: uh, just average, probably won't seek it out again

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2011 19:28:54 | More by kangarooAdam59

Bendurgin

Maine

4.03/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass. This one pours a dark chestnut color with about an inch of pillowy beige head. Nice retention here with some cobweb lace.

Dark nutty aromas with a little bit of piney citrus hop aroma. Really pleasant on the aroma. Brown sugar and dark toasty malts on the pallet with some nice bitter citrus hops in the finish.

The body is light with good carbonation. Overall this one is solid. Always a treat in the variety pack.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2011 22:00:34 | More by Bendurgin

Amalak

New York

3.55/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

The strongest thing about this brew is it's intense, spicey, dry-malt, car-freshner scent. Very nice lacing out of this deep brown beer, good foamy white head. Very bubbly.

The taste is interesting. The scent carries over and it's a strong, malty ale. Spciey to an extent, but dry so there isn't most of a carryover of aftertaste. Unique, but not a good high-quantity beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 01:28:35 | More by Amalak

papat444

Quebec (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz. bottle (best before April 2012).

Appearance: Pours a pale amber body with a good sized head that lingers and leaves some lacing.

Smell: First thing i smell is hops which i wasn't expecting but is nice. Leans toward a non bitter grapefruit (if that makes sense) with a hint of sweetness.

Taste: Hops are more restrained with some orange and grapefruit mingling together. Some caramel in there but not much wheat presence.

Mouthfeel: Malt wins this one but the bitterness gives a decent fight. Nice feel.

Overall: Really surprised by this one. Almost drinks like a pale ale as i found the wheat character didn't show through much. But you should still try it.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 12:25:58 | More by papat444

u2carew

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +21.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle
A) Pours with a two finger head. Crystal clear amber colored body. Sticky lacing on the drink down.
S) Floral hop notes. Caramel. Hints of spruce.
T) Sweet and grainy. Caramel. Toffee. Subtle spruce. A lingering sweet caramel and tobacco.
M) Creamy. Smooth. Light to medium body.
O) A great beer. I will be having another.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 03:05:34 | More by u2carew

babaracas

Florida

2.9/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a reddish clear medium brown with fast fading off-white head that settles to a thin ring and leaves a few wisps of lace on the glass. Smell: buttery (ugh), toasty, unripe plum. That pineapple-heavy hopping would have been nice if it wasn’t overwhelmed with diacetyl. Taste: hopping is lemon and pineapple and somewhat raw; buttered toast, tannin heavy backend. Feel starts out fluffy with active carbonation that tries to hide the overattenuated body, but ultimately fails. I like the idea, but it doesn’t come together. Marked best by June 2012, so must be a recent bottling.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2011 03:13:11 | More by babaracas

riversider76

New York

3.9/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a golden orange with a thin head. Not much retention, but very nice lacing. Aroma is of roasted caramel malts and dark fruit. Body is light and crisp with some carbonation. Taste is of dark fruits and malts up front,roasted nutty finish. It's June, but I liked it anyway.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2011 18:22:08 | More by riversider76

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

4.01/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

12 oz.

Pours a clear nut brown, off-white lacing.

Smells of grapefruit and pine.

Tastes of piney fruity hops and maple malts. Mild roasted elements.

Medium bodied with a mild carbonation.

A highly drinkable hoppy ale, great flavor. Highly sessionable and fresh. Definitely will have this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 03:35:07 | More by Cylinsier

MoreThanWine

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a 2" beige head with decent life. I've seen the body described a variety of colors but to me this is just a clear amber.

The smell is a powerful smack in the face with pine. Then the taste actually tones down the pine a little and comes forward with tart grapefruity hoppiness.

One thing I've come to expect from Peak is intense fresh hops and here's yet another example. It's like walking through a Christmas tree lot. I realize others had milder experiences with it, but perhaps my regional proximity and luck of timing got me an extremely fresh sample.

This isn't one of those holiday spiced Winter beers, it's a warm your chest from the inside type of beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 13:07:26 | More by MoreThanWine

JizackFH

New York

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - This beer pours a nice dark copper color with good clarity. There is about a finger of off-white head resting on top. The head has okay retention, and it leaves behind some scattered lace on the glass.

S - The nose is of toasted malts and wheat. There is a really nice citrus hop presence, as well as other aromas of caramel, nuts, toffee, and some fruit.

T - The taste start off with some toasted malt and wheat flavor. There is a nice roastiness to it. There is a nice citrusy hop flavor, as well as some caramel and toffee. Some fruitiness and nuttiness is present as well. The finish leaves some lingering toasted malt and hop bitterness behind in the mouth.

M - This has a medium body and good carbonation. It goes down easy and has a nice smooth feel to it. There is some initial sweetness and a nice amount of hop bitterness. It has a nice balance to it.

O - This has good drinkability. It is smooth and the flavor is nice. I could drink a few pints of this. Overall, I think it is a nice and interesting beer. This is my first dark wheat ale, but I would like to find some more. I really liked the balance between the toasted malts and the citrus hop flavor. It just worked for me. It is worth trying out.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 07:00:51 | More by JizackFH

BEERMILER12

Maine

4.03/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a light brown with red hues. Decent head fades quickly

S: Nice and malty with some hops in the background. Kind of reminds me of a maltier DFH 60 (in the nose at least)

T: The malts and hops are nicely balanced, with some nice citrus hops reminiscent of pineapple. Wheat is definitely mixed in there, and gives it a nice finish along with some nuttiness

M: Medium body and medium, prickly carbonation

D: This is definitely a sessionable beer, it's not too heavy by any stretch. The abv allows for a sixer to be gone with no problem at all

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2011 21:17:08 | More by BEERMILER12

scootny

New York

3.73/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I missed most of the seasonals this winter as I was busy hustling and spending my meager finances on the wife and kids. This is a pleasant find at the end of the winter. A clear light brown fluid with a smallish off white head. It recedes after a moment and there is a good amount of lacing on the glass. Smell is buttery with a roasted graininess and a mild hop blend of earth and light citrus. Taste is quite nice with a malty front of lightly sweet bread and maybe a touch of dark roasted wheat with butter. Finish is dry with a firm hop bitterness both earthy and citrus. Nice weight. Enough heft for the winter while not being heavy and with a lovely light, smooth carbonation. I went through my bottle quickly and since this is a session ale that would be appropriate. Nice winter session ale indeed.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 00:18:58 | More by scootny

ericj551

British Columbia (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Peak organic winter session ale pours a bright deep copper with a nice fluffy off white head. The aroma is pleasantly hoppy with some nice grapefruit and pine. There is a nice toasted malt aroma in the background. A bit of caramel malt pops up first in the flavor showcasing a nice solid malt backbone. The piney, herbal and citrusy hops pop up quickly with a really nice tangy bitterness that borders on resins. The moderate bitterness lingers in the finish, but is never overpowering. This is an excellent and balance beer that does a nice job of showcasing both malt and hops.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 03:56:01 | More by ericj551

timtim

District of Columbia

4.05/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

mahogany with an almost tan, off-white head that holds for a bit, shrinks to a collar and leaves a bit of lace. nose is piney, fruity hops with caramel, a touch of toast and and ever-so-subtle wheatiness. taste is a nice balance of caramel and hop on a medium body that has plenty of substance and a nice, zippy feel. almost gingerbread-like to me with the spice of the hop and wheat combined with the caramel. could just be the season. anyways, lots of layers of flavor for a relatively low abv beer. very nice. i am really liking this one, and LOVE the fact that someone made a Christmas/winter brew that isn't going to kick my ass and wreck my palate. good one peak!

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 00:01:53 | More by timtim

fitzy84

Massachusetts

3.6/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bought a six pack at Table and Vine. The beer has a clear, light amber brown color with patchy lacing on the sides. Great aromas of pine, cloves, citrus, and malts. Light bread flavor with a sweet, malt aftertaste. Really clean finish and crisp mouthfeel. This is a very refreshing beer for me at least.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2010 05:28:37 | More by fitzy84

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: Clear red/brown in color. The head is white and comprised of tiny bubbles. It settles a bit but never fully departs. Thin slip of finely bubbled lacing coats the glass.

S: Wheat, bread, caramel, steely metallic smell, toasted crust. Nutty with a very slight undertone of cocoa powder. Faint lemon peel and black tea. Black pepper.

T: Lemony citric hops up front. Slight hints of pine. Pepper and black tea are closely followed by crusty, toasted brown bread. Vague fruitiness teases the tongue for an instant. Caramel comes to the forefront briefly. Butterscotch. Cocoa and some woody and roasty tastes come out in the drying finish.

M: Medium bodied. Full and fluffy, as expected from a wheat ale. Moderate seltzery carbonation scrubs the palate and adds a refreshing quality.

O: I didn't know what to expect out of this one, but it turned out to be pretty solid. Not your average winter seasonal, no cliché nutmeg and cinnamon and winter spices. Just a good beer that can stand on its own two feet.

Notes: I like what they did with the hopping here. The lemony citrus notes perfectly accentuate the other flavors without stealing the show. I do detect some butterscotch here too, as I have in some of Peak's other beers. Product of ringwood yeast? At any rate, I don't find it offensive here.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 02:09:01 | More by ryan1788a5

magine

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a becker glass.

Pours a clear slight hazed dark amber with some orange on the edges. Has a creamy light tan head. Head settles to a small wisp island. Some patchy lace remains behind. Decent looks.

Brew smells of citrus hops, caramel malts, dark fruits and some light yeasts. Good smelling brew.

Brew is clean and smooth, nice hops in here. Good hop resins, nice fruit hops as well; citrus and something else. The website says pineapple; it must be what I am picking up. It has some nice toasty notes as well. Toasted malts adds a nice smooth finish and ties it together nicely. The brew finishes nice clean, just a tad bit dry. The overall mouthfeel is balanced. Different from what I expected per Beer Advocates listed style for this one. Kind of its own thing not a dark wheat brew. More like an APA meets Scotch Ale. Good stuff.

This is a nice sessionable brew for sure. Goes down real easy and has a real nice hop presence. My first experience with Peak Organic and I like this one.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2011 01:16:03 | More by magine

CloudStrife

New York

3.35/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Best by June 2013.

A: Pours a clear ruby with a 1.5 finger mostly white head.

S: Can get the wheat background with a spicy hop. Pretty funky aroma going on here almost like a moldy wet old sock.

T: Fairly balanced taste here, good wheat malts and I like the spice from the hop. Certainly sessionable and fitting for the winter.

M: Light bodied with average carbonation. Good clean body, smooth drinking.

Overall not a bad seasonal beer, interesting just wish the aroma wasnt so off. Maybe blending in some more hops would help.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 22:42:04 | More by CloudStrife

Kinsman

New Hampshire

3.95/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into my mug, Winter Session Ale reveals a dark copper colored body with a frothy and sticky cream colored head.

Aroma was a pleasant and slightly pungent hoppiness, characterized by the citrus notes and paired with a biscuity malt aroma.

First taste matches well with the aroma, with the malt being slightly stronger than it was in the aroma, giving this a more balance profile. Plenty of citrusy and even some pineapple notes as the carton suggests but also plenty of toasted bread and biscuity malt flavors.

Mouthfeel is a bit thin, but at 5% abv, this is understandable. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this brew, as I quite enjoy hoppy wheat beers. I enjoy Peak Organic for their simply but solid representations of various styles and beers like this might make me consider them more often.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2011 01:55:19 | More by Kinsman