Winter Ale (5th Anniversary Ale)
Kern River Brewing Company

Winter Ale (5th Anniversary Ale)Winter Ale (5th Anniversary Ale)
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From:
Kern River Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
Imperial IPA
ABV:
8%
Score:
98
Avg:
4.44 | pDev: 8.11%
Reviews:
104
Ratings:
379
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 12, 2022
Added:
May 15, 2011
Wants:
  199
Gots:
  25
Brewed with Nugget, Falconer's flight, Simcoe, and Citra.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by dogfishandi:
Photo of dogfishandi
Reviewed by dogfishandi from New York

4.49/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Thanks to APreacher for the bottle!

22 oz bottle pulled from the fridge and poured into a snifter. No freshness info. I too think there was some sort of labeling error as I at first thought this was the Winter (rye) Ale, but this is definatly an IPA.

Pours out a slightly hazy deep golden orange color with a very nice white head that shows some great retention and leaves quite a bit of sticky lace stuck to the glass.

Very nice aroma. Dank, pungent hops, smells like maybe some Nelson was used. Vegetal, juicy tropical fruits, candied citrus.

Loving this beer. Reminds me a little bit of Nelson from alpine and a little bit of nugget nectar. Juicy, dank, resinous. Juicy tropical fruits, a bit vegetal and onion, but totally in a good way, sweet citrus, a little pine needle, maybe some fresh sticky weed. Again, tastes just like Nelson hops were used with maybe a bit of citra? Malt isn't too noticeable, maybe just enough for the hops to play off of.

Finishes really clean and drink rather smoothly with a lot of bitterness that lingers. A bit sticky in the mouthfrom all the hops, medium bodied, almost feels a bit light and airy from a slightly higher than normal carbonation.

Im very impressed with this beer. Smells and tastes like a handful of fresh hop cones. If this was available to me, I'd come back to it again and again. Trade for this now!
Feb 02, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by mpenske from California

Feb 12, 2022
Photo of RaulMondesi
Reviewed by RaulMondesi from California

4.44/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
The idea of life vs the life that is… I know, and I feel you. It’s being caught in a place where maybe we should try a little harder, but also be realistic with what is. And when I drink Kern Winter, I am in a perfect medium. No high is too high, and no low is too low.

Be well, my minions.
Dec 17, 2021
 
Rated: 3.75 by TallGuyCM from California

Jun 12, 2020
 
Rated: 4.5 by XmnwildX12 from Minnesota

Feb 23, 2020
 
Rated: 4.1 by Keananmichael5 from California

Jan 11, 2020
 
Rated: 4.26 by Nunya from Ohio

Feb 07, 2019
 
Rated: 4.69 by grapeshops from California

Mar 31, 2018
 
Rated: 4.31 by Spaceman_Jer from Colorado

Jan 18, 2018
Photo of mdlb44
Reviewed by mdlb44 from California

4.82/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
MAgic. Kern River strikes again. Dry, crisp, hoppy and not too boozy. As someone who has lost a bit of taste for DIPAs, I enjoyed this very very much.
Jan 14, 2018
 
Rated: 4.16 by Bubbawilly88 from California

Jan 12, 2018
 
Rated: 4.18 by Vlaminck from California

Jan 06, 2018
 
Rated: 3.79 by dpgoblejr from New Hampshire

Dec 22, 2017
 
Rated: 4.09 by brentusaurus from California

Dec 22, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by jschott75 from Illinois

Dec 19, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by Booner818 from California

Dec 16, 2017
Photo of Brolo75
Reviewed by Brolo75 from California

4.62/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
22 ounce bottle poured into a tulip

A: Pours a slightly hazy golden amber color with a bright white creamy full head, lots of lacing, very little head retention, and a good amount of carbonation.

A: Big punch of grapefruit zest rising out of my glass, zest oil, earthy, herbal, piney, resin, needles, aroma is full and thick, dank, black pepper spice, smells really amazing.

T: Huge flavors of grapefruit zest, citrus peel, resin, freshly crushed pine needles, dankness, earthy, herbal, and freshly ground black pepper, big hit of grapefruit zest like bitterness, finish is super dry with lingering notes of grapefruit peel, resin, and spice, huge flavors.

M: Full bodied with a good amount of carbonation, and a very dry finish, wrecks the palate, feels like my palate has been raked with a landscape rake.

O: This beer doesn't drink like it's 8%, feels and tastes like a triple IPA, this beer will wreck your palate unless double IPAs are a part of your regular beer consumption. Winter Double IPA has lots of aroma, flavor, complexity, depth, bitterness, and palate effect, its a big beer.
Dec 02, 2017
 
Rated: 4.45 by spark3148857 from Ohio

Nov 27, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by Roger85 from Illinois

Apr 20, 2017
 
Rated: 4.5 by brewjoel from California

Apr 14, 2017
Winter Ale (5th Anniversary Ale) from Kern River Brewing Company
Beer rating: 98 out of 100 with 379 ratings