Peak Organic Winter Session Ale - Peak Organic Brewing Company

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

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

oberon

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a standard pint glass a clear amber/brown with a frothy one finger white head atop,I expected some haze with this being a wheat ale.The citra hops come thru nicely giving some piney and citric notes mixed with molasses,a nice mix.A little thin in the feel it seems to take a little away from some flavor depth.The cita hops play arole on the palate giving off some grapefruit qualities and there is some raw nuttiness as well but again that thinner feel stops the complexities in their tracks.This is close to being good but the malt bill needs to be bumped up a little.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 21:38:43 | More by oberon

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

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

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

Pours a clean orange-ish color with an off white head. In the aroma, gingerbread like and a note of peppermint. In the taste, orange citrus and just a touch minty. A smooth and medium bodied mouthfeel, with a small dry orange citrus hop like aftertaste. Tastes of orange citrus with the hops, but fresh hop like brings the mint like note.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2012 15:07:17 | More by OWSLEY069

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

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

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

lordofthewiens

Maine

3.18/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Best enjoyed by June 2012.
Mahogany color, small tan head. A small amount of lace.

Caramel malt aroma. Herbal and citrus.

More of a butterscotch taste. Piney hops with a bit of grapefruit. Taste rather tepid.

Pleasant enough, but kind of a "meh" beer. Definitely a sessionable beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 14:36:39 | More by lordofthewiens

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

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

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

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

12oz bottle served in a standard pint glass.

L - clear amber color with a off-white head that thinned to a light layer leaving some trails of lacing.

S - butterscotch with some citrus in the background.

T - citrus bite upfront with the butterscotch flavor coming in midway before citrus bitterness finishes things off.

F - light/medium bodied with a refreshing feel.

O - a pretty good beer at a reasonable price.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 00:33:57 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

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

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

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

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

kangarooAdam59

Wyoming

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

metter98

New York

3.58/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is crystal clear dark amber in color and has a moderate to high amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high off white head that died down very slowly, leaving lacy patterns of bubbles down the sides of the glass and on the surface as well as a thick ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: There are aromas of dark malts in the nose along with notes of citrus and pineapple from the hops.
T: The taste seems to be a bit maltier compared to the smell and has notes of toasted malts and brown bread with subtle hints of malty sweetness. The notes of citrus flavors from the hops and a slight amount of bitterness are present towards the finish.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied on the palate and has a very high amount of carbonation.
O: The beer goes down smoothly and isn’t that difficult to drink once you get used to the unusual combination of bread and citrus.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 02:48:39 | More by metter98

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.93/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up at the Whole Foods in West Hollywood. Pours lookin' a little bit dark orange, decent head formed. Lace was worthy.

Aroma was even better, cascade and chinook hop feel to it, big hop nose up in here. Taste came across as a great idea in the winter, sometimes you just want a refreshing, hoppy, sessionable pale ale. Didn't really pick up much on the wheat aspect of it, definitely not 'dark' wheat or like any dunkels I've ever had. Really came across like a pale ale.

Good mouthfeel of caramel and cascade through and through. Nice on the wallet, Whole Foods found a nice exclusive contract on this one methinks.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2011 20:48:06 | More by Beerandraiderfan