Peak Organic Winter Session Ale - Peak Organic Brewing Company

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.15/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

#78. Available as the last pack of a variety pack found at a common grocery supermarket.

(Appearance) Beer pours a two finger depth foamy head that recedes gradually. Retention isn't great but the head appearance is decent, very smooth. Lacing is nicer, however with some stringy thin coating left behind in some spots. Color is a nice shade of medium brown with nice deep amber accents. Beer is crystal clear, surprising for it's style. Carbonation is quite abundant and busy. The appearance is nice but the head retention could use some work. 4

(Smell) A nice floral and earthy hop-laden beer with lesser emphasis on the wheat malt, but some evident caramel malt tones are in here plus a nice arrangement of low acid sweet fruits, like grapefruit. Smells very clean. Hop presence is inviting and flavorful, almost like in an IPA but the appearance hints that there could be more malty character in here than the nose gives off. It smells quite nice and flavorful. 4

(Taste) Not as action-packed as the nose gives off. The malty character is more intense with toasted bread-like yeasty tones and a mild but disappointingly dull earthy hop finish. Comes through as very clean. Malt heavy, as the style should be, but differs radically from the nose. Balance is close, but not close enough and I'm left desiring more flavor diversity from the taste of this beer. 3

(Mouthfeel) Medium body. Slightly smooth, slightly crisp. Kind of muddled and confused but the mouthfeel isn't bad. There's nothing overwhelming about the mouthfeel. Decent balance, I suppose. No notable alcohol presence. Average. 3

(Drinkability) Drinking is slow for this brew but it's not bad. The good news is that the character is bold enough to maintain my focus and interest but the malty character is draining over time. It's just not my ideal flavor choice. The appearance and smell were very different from what I experienced. I'd probably be able to consume far more than this one bottle without trouble, but I wouldn't be ecstatic about the experience. It's just an alright beer. 2.5

Verdict: Ok beer on being more malty with bread tastes, but I felt deceived by the taste after high hopes with the smell and appearance of it. If you've tried a beer that is toasty or bready, you'll like this beer. If not, there are probably better choices out there. Either way, get it soon or wait 'til next year. B- (3.35)

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2011 02:33:53 | More by Jadjunk

bishopdc0

Maine

3.25/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Shared a bottle with my wife.

Poured into my Allagash Tulip

The beer is an amber color with a very frothy head. The head stays thick with medium bubbles and laces well.

The aroma is pleasant, especially for a winter brew, refreshing floral and citrus hops. The hops almost create a spiciness.

The beer starts with a mouth full of carbonation. The carbonation subsides and leaves a stickiness on the tongue. The flavor starts sweet and quickly becomes a mix of tart and almost acid flavor. At the very end I get some roasted flavors mixed with the hop bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2011 21:51:36 | More by bishopdc0

suspect

New York

3.78/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Real Ale snifter.

A: Clear brown color with amber hues. Aggressive center pour leads to a 1 finger off white head that fades slowly into a tiny ring. Lacing is spotty but sticky.

S: Hops hit first which is quite a present surprise. Hits almost like a black IPA. Malts and spices come in second but are quite subdued compared to the hoppy overtones.

T: Follows the nose with the hops being a touch more subdued and the malts standing out a bit more. Spices are present but subdued as well.

M: Thin and a touch undercarbonated. Lowlight of the beer.

O: A good winter session beer. Could definitely drink a few of these.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 04:40:22 | More by suspect

scottbrew4u

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Dark amber color and clear with a one finger fluffy white head that settles quick to a layer of bubbles.

S: Molasses, roasted malt, brown bread, toffee, currants, a hint of ginger. Hops are herbal and spicy.

T: Roasted malt is clean with molasses, toffee and currants that dominate the flavor. Bite of bitter coffee, with a herbal and spicy hop character and touch of ginger and cardamom.

M: Light to medium body with prickly carbonation.

D: Balanced beer with an easy going flavor profile. Nice for introduction of winter ales for newcomers to craft beer. Not too assertive and easy going.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2011 20:03:25 | More by scottbrew4u

zoolzoo

Connecticut

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

A: Pours deep mahogany, frothy white head.

S: Hint of juicy hops, herbal/grassy characteristics, nutty malt. Nose is pretty bright, some different fruits popping in and out.

T/M/D: Hops up front. Pears and oranges rolling into dark roasty malts. A pleasant contrast between some simple flavors. Each aspect is subtle, and the mouthfeel is light, bordering on watery. Finish is squeaky clean, drinkability is excellent.

Another solid Peak Organic offering.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2011 19:55:07 | More by zoolzoo

JMD

Connecticut

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

A: Deep copper ale with frothy off white head that fades slowly. light lacing on the glass.

S: Balanced aroma of citrusy hops, toasted wheat and some carmel sweetness.

T: Bready malt upfront with blasts of tangy wheat. Light carmel sweetness any nutty notes leads to nice hoppy finishes with hints of lemon zest.

M: Light to medium body, crisply carbonated.

D: This beer was a pleasant suprise. I'm not sure if its fully representative of the style, but still an interesting and tasty brew. I will definitely grab this one again.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2011 23:41:01 | More by JMD

WhiteOak

Connecticut

3.4/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A- Bright amber color with a white moderate head.

S- Citric hops dominate the aromatics.

T- Mostly hop flavors here: Fir bud resin, pineapple. Way back behind the hops bitterness is some maltiness.

M, D- Straightforward, medium-light. Not quite enough substance to inspire drinking.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2010 13:18:58 | More by WhiteOak

Arborescence

Finland

4.23/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Brown, with a hint of ruby red, pours a thin head.

Aroma: Interesting! Rather strong toffee/caramel, with some fresh fruitiness — presumably due to the wheat and Citra hops — and a hint of hops. Delicious aroma!

Taste: Not as sweet or candy-like as you might expect from the aroma, but the toffee/caramel characteristics are certainly there. Initially the taste is almost disappointing, because it doesn’t compare with the aroma, but it’s the aftertaste that counts here, and the sweet notes linger at the back of the tongue. The wheat and fruity notes are quite masked, but the beer has a certain freshness to it, which is peculiar when combined with the toasty sweetness. Good stuff, but it could use a bit more depth.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, nice and round.

Overall: I’ve had one or two brews by Peak Organic at pubs in the US, but I haven’t formed a clear impression of them yet. They have some very interesting sounding beers, and I do hope to get my hands on more; this one is promising.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 21:37:51 | More by Arborescence

negroobserver

New York

3.55/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Twist Off Bottle - Expiration Date: JUNE 2011

APPEARANCE: Filtered crystal clear with a dark amber color, similar to a brown ale.
SMELL: Hops at the front. Malty sweetness. Woody/Oak notes with nutty qualities.
TASTE: malty with light sweet flavor.
MOUTHFEEL: Nice, rich with good body.
DRINKABILITY: a little heavy, but enjoyable.

This is my second attempt at trying the Peak Organic Winter Session Ale. My first beer turned out skunky, so I decided that it may not be the best one to review. I was reluctant to have another as my first experience wasn't too pleasant.

Overall, I found that the beer was pretty good. It's drinkable, but a little on the heavy side, so I felt that drinking more than one consecutively would not be enjoyable. I'm also not keen on the malty/nutty flavor that these brown ales tend to have. The mouthfeel is pretty nice. It's rich texture is nice and the carbonation is pretty light.

GRADE: B-

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2011 00:26:23 | More by negroobserver

dciBA

Maine

2.55/5  rDev -31.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Pours a dark amber almost brown. Some off white head. Smell has a noticible amount of hops with some biscuity malt. Taste has a nice hopiness initially followed by an off putting buttery, diacityl flavor. Finish leaves you with that butteriness clinging to your palate. Not pleasant at all. This was my second peak organic beer and both have been quite disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2011 01:02:57 | More by dciBA

templar316

Pennsylvania

2.9/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A nice bright amber with an off white head that doesn't hang around. It's got a nice hop nose; piney, citrusy. The taste falls short a quick hop blast falls into a garlicky middle and then fades into cloying wheaty finish. It goes down smooth and would be easy to drink a couple.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 01:29:37 | More by templar316

shangwang

Pennsylvania

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

I picked up a 6 pack of Winter Session on a whim; I'd never heard of the brewery before but the description on the packaging intrigued me and I decided to give it a shot. Glad I did.
This beer pours with very little head. It's a deep reddish brown color, and very clear- a deceiving appearance for the smells I detect. The first scent that comes to mind is that of peaches, followed by floral hops and traces of wood. It's a wonderful combination that immediately brings to mind the smells of winter thawing and giving way to spring.
Winter Session has a curious mouthfeel- light and watery initially, but it finishes feeling slightly creamy. The taste is just as complex; initially sweet and smokey, but quickly the qualities of a pale ale take over- hoppy bitterness, while the smokiness remains throughout. The beer leaves a pleasant aftertaste- coffee, malt, and chocolate all come to mind.
Overall I really enjoyed this beer. Definitely lives up to the "Session" part of its name as you can enjoy several of these without feeling a major buzz, and I highly recommend this one on a cold winter night if you'd like to remember that warmer weather is just around the corner.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2011 02:13:18 | More by shangwang

exonthebottle

Minnesota

2.5/5  rDev -32.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Not very exciting beer style to begin with but this just dull and rusty.

Red amber no head some carbonation

faint spice not much going on

dull light maltiness but not enough for a winter warmer

feel overcarbonated bit rough afterward

boring beer don't waste your time

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 18:21:04 | More by exonthebottle

tkelley

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into my brand new Peak Organic shaker pint glass (I was told it's a true 16 oz glass, but I havent checked yet).

A -- nice clear dark caramel color with a small white head.

N -- big piny, resiny nose with some orange peel and nice caramelly, toasty background.

T -- again, nice hoppy, piny taste from citra hops. this also adds a good spicy character, but its a hop spice not a spice spice, if that makes sense. I get a toasted marshmallow taste on the back, which makes this a great winter flavor to me. really think the taste stands out on this one.

M -- average mouthfeel, nothing special to report. no problems with it.

O -- I was pleasantly surprised by this. I had no idea what to expect, and I usually don't think of hoppy wheat ales when I think of winter brews. I could definitely drink these throughout the course of a holiday party or a winter camping trip for several hours. Really good quality.

Cheers (and have a safe winter!)!

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 00:20:05 | More by tkelley

Mounty4Life

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into 5oz taster glass til gone..really nice white head with dark brownish color and with a little lacing. Smell is lacking and tastes better than smells . I never had dark wheat before but tastes and looks are great just lacks smell that would balance everything! Tastes malts and light toastyness that is pleasant and a hint of wheat. Mild Carb and easy to drink so I'll have another. I'm sure its old being June but still enjoyed and like organic beer for flavor!

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 02:54:37 | More by Mounty4Life

MaineBrewing

Maine

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

Picked up six pack at Hannafords 11.99 in south Portland.

A - Poured two into my 27 ounce beer mug, resulting in a one finger tan almost coffee ish fluffy head dissapated in a few minutes to a nice cap with some early signs of lacing. color is a translucent brown with amber hue.

S - Nose is toasted malt and cereal with a bright fresh citrus hop aroma. slight woody notes with a hint of smoke.

T - very tasty and balanced. Nice malt taste up front, the character carries over from the smell with a nice slightly toasty malt and cereal with a woody nuttiness, nicely hopped with ample citrus flavor to balance out the malts, the bittering hops provide a delightfully dry finish.

M - very nice light mouthfeel the lends to the drinkability, as I would expect from a wheat ale. Ample carbonation and dry finish, truly a sessionable winter ale.

O - overall I am very impressed. Very refreshing winter ale, not heavy by any means, not filled with a bunch of spices, doesn't let me down. Sure I do like the heavy winter warmers but i think the winter session ale is a good concept, and this example is well executed.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 03:31:28 | More by MaineBrewing

obireidkenobi

Georgia

4.43/5  rDev +19.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer is inspired by Peak's Summer Session beer. Winter Session has a lot in common. The flavor profiles are mildly similar.

Pours dark amber, very clear & clarifyed. The smell is most definitely citra hops, with a whiff of dark malts. The flavor follows along with notes of pineapple, citrus. Turns a bit tropical as it warms.

The mouthfeel is soft, most definitely from the wheat. Winter Session is dark without being roasty, flavorful, & easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2010 15:59:51 | More by obireidkenobi

viaingo

Maine

4.33/5  rDev +17%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Type: Dark Wheat Ale
Color: Dark amber red hue.
Body: Light carbonation, but very clean for how dark the color is.
Head: Small white head that did not last very long. Added to the taste however.
Taste: Smooth start with the malt taste. It continues with a hoppy taste and a slight bite at the end.
Aroma: Citrus smell with fruit finish. Slightly hoppy with malty smell as well.

Overall this beer was perfect. I loved it slightly hoppy body with smooth finish. I loved the heavy amounts of malty citric flavors. You can find this beer in your local beer stores or and organic section of your grocery stores. I highly suggest hunting this winter beer down and trying it, you will definitely not regret it!

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 02:10:24 | More by viaingo

LittleOtts

Delaware

3.93/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Dark Amber color, with a quickly dissipating head. Very Clear for how dark the beer is and clean looking.

S- Grapefruit and other Citrus from hops, with a warm cereal backbone.

T- Very clean hoppy start. It's got citra hop notes through out. Not very malty however.

M- Medium bodied. High carbonation gives it that crispness to it.

D- Medium. For a hop lover who's looking for more than a pale but less than an IPA

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2011 20:24:55 | More by LittleOtts

openmind

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

a- Lovely darkish color with small off white head.

s - Out of this world citrusy/resiny nose.

t- I was ready for an "added spice" bomb, like many winters. But, this one got its spiciness from the citra hop. A nice round caramel malt character fills in too. I like it a lot. Drinkable. This is a winter beer you can enjoy more that one of.

I'll be matching my tastings of other winters to this one.

m - Moderately nice mouthfeel.

o - This is a delicious session beer. I'll buy a case, if it is on sale.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 17:43:29 | More by openmind

Samashley

New York

3.15/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I have mixed emotions about this beer. I tend to enjoy most winter style beers but this one just tastes a little "off" to me. A lot of the organic style beers (this one included) have more of an earthy taste to them in my opinion, although conversely, this beer seems to lack in the spiciness that I desire with a winter ale. It has a nice subtle caramel and roasted flavor, but it just seems kind of plain to me and lacks a complex flavor dynamic. Average carbonation with a decent head when first poured. Not the best winter beer I've had, but not the worst either.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2011 05:24:53 | More by Samashley

JStans12

New York

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

A - Pours a clear dark red/brown with a single finger head that dissipates quickly.

S - Nose is pleasant. Dominated by citrus hops with undertones of wheat and toasted malt.

T - Wheat and toasted malt flavors appear first, followed by a caramel malt sweetness and a slight hop bitterness in the finish.

M - Feels light and crisp. Goes down real easy.

O - I was surprised at how much this beer impressed me. It turned me on to the style. I'll be trying any dark wheats that I can get my hands on.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 16:01:00 | More by JStans12