Smuttynose Winter Ale - Smuttynose Brewing Company

jtierney89

New Jersey

1/5  rDev -73%
look: 1 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Hazy deep brown color with amber highlights. Well retaining grayish head. Earthy barnyard scents on the nose with a faint hop presence. Some burnt toast on the nose as well. Something off putting about the nose already. Doesn't smell good.

Mouthfeel is slick and watery and flat. Taste is barely there with some burnt biscuit malt and seasonal spice. Barely perctable though with a pale finish and a slightly sweet after taste. Bready at best.

What is this? And is that style, a "dubbel" marked properly? I might've accepted this as a crappy winter warmer but a dubbel? No, severely dissapointing

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 04:17:50 | More by jtierney89

BrownNut

Florida

2.03/5  rDev -45.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

Sometimes a beer has kind of a vomit taste. Not full on vomit, just kind of. This was one of those times. It was from an hours-old growler. I've had a couple of other beers with that prominent flavor note, and once it was with a beer that did not normally have a vomit taste. Is it me? Or is it some particular thing that has gone wrong with the batch? I don't know. But with so many yet to try, I don't want to try this one again to find out.

Serving type: growler

01-02-2012 23:44:20 | More by BrownNut

Higravity

Michigan

2.05/5  rDev -44.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

Oh hell no. This is a trainwreck of a beer. Looks ok translucent brown with a white head that dies too quick and little lacing. Smells of sweet spices a little raisin with a hint of green apple. The taste is not right I thought I might have got an off bottle but no after dumping the first bottle the second tasted the same. Slight burnt paper taste covered in sweet malt with a fruityness and cinnamon fake flavor. I guess it has a decent body and it is utterly near undrinkable.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2006 17:49:55 | More by Higravity

auxiliary

Rhode Island

2.08/5  rDev -43.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A - Mid dark amber color. Head was small. Rminded me of poring some flat soda. Fizzled like a soda. Not much lase on it.

S - Hoppy smell to it, not too crazy about it.

T - Malt and hop taste to it, kinda of an odd taste, not to crazy about it.

M - Odd feel to it, just like the taste.

D - This on the low point of a Winter Ale. Not to crazy about it. I won't be drinking this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2007 22:45:51 | More by auxiliary

loren01

Oregon

2.3/5  rDev -38%
look: 4 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

A: Apperance is great, pours a dark reddish brown color good sized head, nice lacing.
S: I'm really trying here but it doesn't smell like much of anything. Maybe caramel sweetness in there??
T: Slightly sweet fruity flavor up front, earthy toward the end.
M: Medium bodied, good amount of carbonation.
D: Nice apperance and mouthfeel but where is the smell/taste with this one....very bland beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2010 02:43:37 | More by loren01

LarryV

Massachusetts

2.38/5  rDev -35.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

I like Smuttynose brews, but this one was really disappointing to me. Supposedly a Dubbel, but seems very distantly related. Pours a very dark brown with a thin head. Spiciness dominates the nose. The spices don't seem to go with this beer, and there's an overwhelming bubble gum flavor that just cloys and annoys. Personally, I don't like the taste of bubble gum in my beer. There's also a cloying underlying sweetness, and the taste of the spices and bubble gum linger for an unpleasantly long time on the palate. A pretty poor offering for a winter ale from Smuttynose, and one that I find a chore to drink. There's many better choices to be made, and I'm surprised that Smuttynose chose this beer as their annual offering.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2005 20:51:15 | More by LarryV

lvbs

Pennsylvania

2.53/5  rDev -31.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

This beer was definitely the loser of our five tastings. Only one of our 11 drinkers gave it an overall rating over 3, and that was mostly because she enjoyed it more than any other winter ale. Most found it too sweet, with not enough bitterness to balance out. Some thought it was just undistinguished, with no clear flavor or identity.

Overall average: 2.6

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2008 19:41:20 | More by lvbs

whartontallboy

New York

2.73/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours out a slightly translucent brownish-red with a thin head of tan bubbles that disappears pretty quickly and with minimal lace. After that, the head is gone. For good. No bubbles at all.

Smell is bubblegum, banana, cotton candy, sugars, and a little bit medicinal.

Flavor is sweet, slightly phenolic, with bubblegum flavors and lots of banana coming through. Not the typical complex-dark-fruit-sweetness that I've come to expect from a dubbel. There's a decidedly toasty/bready malt flavor that sneaks through on the back end, but as I drink it, the lack of carbonation and complexity start to remind me of drinking a really flat cola. It was something of a struggle to finish it.

Overall: A disappointing offering, and I have loved a lot of Smutty's stuff. The phenolics, dead mouthfeel, and cloying sweetness of this one are just kind of off-putting. Not epically terrible, but I wouldn't give it to a good friend.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2005 04:01:41 | More by whartontallboy

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

2.73/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Smuttynose Winter Ale

Appearance- dark blood red with a thick head that quickly disappears.
Smell- cherries and cinnimon.
Taste- smooth cherry with a sh!tload of cinnimon maybe a dash of clove dumped in. Alcohol is present in the flavor.
Mouthfeel- smooth and warm. Very bland.

Overall- A incredibly bland ale! What little flavor is so watered down. This would be a decent Winter Ale if they kicked the flavor up a notch or two. Very disappointing from such a good brewery!

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2005 18:29:57 | More by NJpadreFan

Budlum

Maryland

2.73/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Pouring this ale produces one inch of foamy, light tan head. The head is retained nicely before leaving a thin layer behind. The body is a very rich mahogany color displaying quite a bit of carbonation.

The nose is quite weak but it presents a rich, malty sweetness mixed with rich spices. Hops a very light but noticeable. Overall, this smells a bit like a holiday cookie but it lacks punch.

A maple syrup sweetness is briefly presented before a rich, bready taste. Nutmeg and hops mix for a little excitement but these flavors quickly fall flat. The finish is quite watery with lingering hops and spice. Some cocoa notes appear in the finish as it warms.

The moutheel is quite thin, oily and lacking carbonation.

Drinkability is okay but nothing too spectacular. A somewhat disappointing effort from a good brewery.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2006 00:10:03 | More by Budlum

Citadel82

New Jersey

2.75/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Not impressed with this one. I generally love the Smuttynose products but this one is not that great.

Pours a slightly hazy redddish brown with little head that fades to zilch and leaves no lacing. Carbonation is faint and does not support any vestige of a head.

Smells nice a fruity treat with apples and some spices. Perhaps a touch of cinnamon.

Taste is musty with apples and some spices, some bittering hops in the middle perhaps some cocoa and a dryish finish. Not a pleasure to drink at all. There are some better dubbels out there for sure. I will give this a another try. If it stil is wanting I may mull it or poach some sausage in it.

Mouth feel is medium light.

I am not finding this brew to be very drinkable...at least tonight.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2006 03:12:03 | More by Citadel82

billybob

Massachusetts

2.75/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

pours a chestnut color with a half inch light tan head that quickly fades to the beer, some lace to start with that also quickly fades away. some aromas of caramel and roasted malt and a sharp scent of alcohol. taste is of roasted malt, slight caramel with some brown sugar.slightly oily slick mouthfeel, light to medium body with a carbonation that sort went flat. i don't think i'll be buying this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2007 17:05:15 | More by billybob

Risser09

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle poured into a mexican tulip - Fridge temp - 2008

Appearance: Pours a dark brown with ruby red highlights. The head rises 3" and is khaki in color. Retention is great and there is some decent lace.

Smell: Small malt aroma. Cereal, yeast, but overall very light.

Taste: Robust, deep flavor of barley malt. Slight cereal grain flavor, toasted walnut nuttiness. Not very sweet. Some alcohol. Mediocre.

Mouthfeel: Medium body. Some carbonation.

Drinkability: Probably my least favorite style of beer. Not complex at all and very little aroma. I don't see a reason why you would reach for this beer over another.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2009 14:55:21 | More by Risser09

atlason

New York

2.75/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from 33cl bottle into plastic party glass, unfortunately.

A: Dark brown, some head and lacing.

S: Caramel, toffee. Basic but pretty true to style.

T: Mostly caramel with a lot of hop bitterness. Feels pretty odd for the style, way too americanized. Beautiful Belgian yeast character.

M: Velvety but not sufficiently carbonated considering the low apparent carbonation.

Overall, an interesting beer but not really a traditional Dubbel. It is an American Dubbel, if there is such a style.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 07:10:49 | More by atlason

markgugs

New Jersey

2.78/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

poured from a 12oz. bottle into a pint glass

A: Aggressive pour resulted in a glowing ruby red/mahogany brew, with a nice frothy 1-finger head, mostly beige or cream-colored, starts to dissipate after only a short while, leaving nice wisps of lacing on the glass and clusters of bubbles on the beer's surface.

S: Not offensive, but not overly inviting either. Mildly bready, toffee-ish notes are obvious, not much in the way of spicing or hops.

T/M: Very drying, almost astringent on the palate. Not at all what I was expecting. Short burst of sweet malts up front, followed by a much boozier-than-expected body, a bit thin, and then a very dry finish. Reminds me of what bread would taste like if it was soaked in whiskey. Nothing wrong with the mouthfeel, it's rather velvety actually. Gets better with warming, but overall just not a very well balanced beer.

D: I didn't particularly care for this beer, so I really wouldn't seek it out again. As I mentioned above, it seems too boozy for an under-7% ABV beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2008 01:21:19 | More by markgugs

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

2.88/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A-nice cloudy brown with a thin cream colored head

S-not much going on except a faint scent of belgian sugars and caramel. maybe a hint of vanilla somehow. not much here.

T-comes in with an oddly aged flavor of peppery grains. it is not a flavor i love. it just tastes off. to me, this tastes like an american dubbel way past its prime. i'm really not a big fan of this.

M-medium creamy carbonation with a fairly dry finish

O-I don't like this. it doesn't taste like a good dubbel. it's an odd dubbel, even for an American brewery. I expect more from Smutty. it almost tastes adjunct to me.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 23:17:28 | More by AdamBear

outdoorbrewer

New Jersey

2.9/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I bought this sixpack thinking in line with a winter ale of deep roasted ale flavors and discovered a Belgium instead.
I'm not a fan of this style and was equally reduced to the taste of sour esters on a Fri. nite
The aroma carried a nice scent of cut lawn that hit the hops plants while mowing
Tasted crystal malts in a doughy blend of alcohol and toffee
Has some bitterness that remarkably doesn't offend and fades lightly sweet
Body is a weakling that takes one step up the water ladder
Each bottle tasted similar with some that were oxidized
All my experiences with Smuttynose were greatly appreciated
This one wouldn't be repeated
nuff said

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2006 03:01:27 | More by outdoorbrewer

Manosbeeroffate

Maine

2.9/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Picked this up at Keag Market in So. Thomaston, they had a few six packs of this sitting in the fridge so why not try one. Pours a beautiful dark brown. though the smell is a bit odd, not sure how to nail it until I tasted it. This is different, a bit like dried fruit, sweet malt and licorice. mouthfeel is allright. Overall drinkability? Well very different, not appealing at first although it seems like something I could like as I have five more of these. If so and edit of this will be on hand, but right now, this is just way different.

After drinking the rest I'm not too keen on the licorice flavor. This may be just a weird batch. I am willing to try this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2006 00:07:51 | More by Manosbeeroffate

BeerBelcher

Ohio

2.9/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

This beer was pretty good...reminiscent to me of a rather spiced version of Dead Guy Ale. I wouldn’t call it very "dubbel-ish," but still, I would recommend this beer.

This beer is cherry-wood colored with a lot of fine head. The beer has a hoppy smell. Taste is very spicy, like Lakefront’s holiday beer (but not like a dubbel). Mouthfeel is a bit watery.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2007 03:45:01 | More by BeerBelcher

BWH3

Pennsylvania

2.9/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A: A walnut brown with red rose shades at its margins. Head is tan and single finger depth that vanishes rapidly with only a thin ring left to remind you of its existence. Still and clear.

S: A malt sweetness unique to dark munich with its melanoidins and a slight sherry aroma. Toasted nut combined with nutmeg and cinnamon spices. Hops and yeast give a fruity and floral scent. The aroma profile sounds magnificent, however most of these flavors are faint.

T: A toasted nut and bread dough sweetness briefly greets the palate. Then hello hops bitterness arriving way to early with a mineral flavor that clears the sweetness but does not last long either. A slightly salty taste in the pharynx and a spicy heat in the stomach finishes the tasting.

M: To be brief, too thin, too still, and too little head retention.

D: I got really excited about this beer when I picked it up. I got even more excited when I learned it was similar to a Dubbel. Unfortunately, this beer does not approach the level of richness, complexity, and class of a dubbel. Big deductions for mislabeling this one. In all, I have enjoyed many Smuttynose beers, but this is certainly one exception.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2008 19:38:11 | More by BWH3

DirtyPenny

Massachusetts

2.9/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Best by July 2011. Quick, into my pint glass before it's too late!

A: Short, dishwater/off-white head that melted in under a minute. A cloudy mahogany with red wine highlights.

S: Malt and spices. Getting a mulled wine vibe from this.

T: Yep, a bit of sweet mulled wine, spices and... raisin? Plum? Something definitely dark and fruity. Faint hops and warming alcohol finish each sip. The combination just doesn't quite work. Flavors aren't really complimenting one another, just sort of lining up and taking their turns on the way down. Finish is a little harsh. Moreso after you've had a few sips.

M: Medium and a little like wine-like.

O: Eh. Maybe a fresher bottle would be better? Maybe not. The flavors were richer than they needed to be, and you'd think that time would actually mellow this.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2011 00:06:33 | More by DirtyPenny

weeare138

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks to Woody_Obeer for this...
Appears a light orange/amber with small white lacing.
Smell is of light flowers mixed into a red ale that's been brewed with a Belgian yeast strain. Light amounts of banana are detected as well.
Taste is about the same as the aromas.
Mouthfeel is sweet and lightly malty.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2006 04:20:16 | More by weeare138

viverlee

Ohio

3/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

The big boys want to lump – at the bottom mind you – this brew with the Abbey Dubbels. I’m going to make my own call here. It’s a seasonal brew with the marketing to match. Plus the spice bite, delicate sweetness, and semi-robust ABV just aren’t there.

STYLE: Winter Warmer

ABV: 5.8%

LOOK: The body really isn’t there either. A rich, oaky brown carries the load. Soft head, softer lacing and retention.

NOSE: Whoppers, raisins, cherries.

MOUTH: Fizz deep in the back of my throat – that’s my first impression. Not the staid malt, not the toffee dash. Odd because I remember liking it more on Xmas Eve and even thinking it better than what it replaced, my local Xmas Ale, Christkindl. Jammy toast and small purple fruits let you know what could be. But overall a little too balanced for this style.

Beeradvocate Rating: 84

ratebeer Rating: 81

Hayward Abbey Rating: 77

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 04:52:43 | More by viverlee

JohnQVegas

Tennessee

3.03/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle into Sam Adams Lager glass.

Pours a dark copper, clear, with a one finger creamy off-white head.

Nose is oddly a little hot, very estery, sweet, fruity, a bit hard to pin down. Not impressive.

Flavor starts out with an odd, fruity dark malt note. Slightly yeasty, a bit of anise, lightly roasty. As it progresses, the slightly hot fruity notes come out more, with notes of cherry and currant hiding out alongside a weird almost buttery flavor - diacetyl in a dubbel? Really?

Mouthfeel is a bit undercarbonated, kind of light and slick. Odd beer, from a brewery that I normally put way up on a pedestal. Felt like it never really grabbed an identity. The oddly buttery diacetyl note killed it for me, without that, add another letter grade at least.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2009 00:55:07 | More by JohnQVegas

warmstorage

Georgia

3.05/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce botle, $1.40 as a single, from Paradise Market, Warren, VT. Bottle states "best before" date of April 2007.

Pours a deep ruby, almost reddish brown, with light, limited dense beige head that fades quickly.

Aroma is earthy and slightly sour, perhaps hints of cherries.

Taste is earthy, soil, some burnt sugar, and a tingly carbonation. Earthy hops noticeable. Fruit is definitely there, but hard to place. Yeasty notes are present, but I can't find the pround esters and phenols I might expect in a Trappist yeast. As it warms to room temp (poured a little cold, around 45), it gets slightly tangy and sour, with a more pronounced metallic taste.

A little thin for the style (which I thought might be a winter warmer... Seeing it classified as a dubbel makes sense for taste, for the fruit and burnt sugar, but is definitely a little thin for that style as well.)

Overall, a drinkable beer with some very interesting merits, and something I'd probably buy again to test out, but not something I'm crazy about. Drinkable, for sure, just not great.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2007 21:59:28 | More by warmstorage