Smuttynose Winter Ale - Smuttynose Brewing Company

bnes09

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Deep mahogany and mostly transparent. Weak head on the pour which disappears quickly and leaves no lacing.

Lots of sweets and spices in the aroma. Nutmeg and just a hint of Belgian yeast.

Wheat bread malt backbone. Burnt brown sugar. Mild roasted character. Dark fruits, mostly raisins. Lots of nutmeg. Descent balance.

Medium bodied, well carbonated with a grainy texture. Dry finish with lingering spices.

Descent winter ale. Complex and balanced.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 04:25:39 | More by bnes09

alexgash

Connecticut

3.68/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle.

Darkish, murky, garnet-amber. Small, yet persistent, light rose-tinted khaki head. Nice lacing. Nose is a mix of fruit, caramel, and spicy yeast. Light banana and tropical fruit. Raisins. Caramel roll. Definite Belgian-y yeast.

Lightly toasted malt up front. Tangy, sweetish fruit fills in. Tropical-y and banana-y. Caramelly, biscuity malt underneath. Yeasty finish is spicy with a hint of bitterish banana aftertaste. Medium bodied with a lively feel. Not bad, overall, but could use a little oomph to help bring a little more complexity and bring everything together better.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 01:56:19 | More by alexgash

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Auburn ale holds a tight bone-white head of maybe 3/4". Medium lace.

Has a Madagascar vanilla aroma with some light cinnamon and coriander and orange peel notes. Smells sweet and mild with a bit of toasty bitterness.

Gooey toffee, caramel, and vanilla are upfront with a backing of citrus peel and wintry spices. Cinnamon and grape and maple and cream soda. Actually, quite the vibe of vanilla cream soda. Toastiness is a secondary element and the hops are very quiet. Just a glass of Christmas-y malty goodness.

Has a spiking carbonation that reaches above the limits of medium. The body is rustled, but allows for some milkiness as it goes down. Pit-of-stomach warmth is very much welcomed as the booze sneaks right past the palate.

What!? This is a Belgian dubbel!? Hey, a good winter warmer this would make, but a dubbel? No dice, grandma.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2012 00:35:05 | More by thecheapies

silverking

Florida

4.15/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

It pours a slightly hazy, dark, brownish-red with a light tan head. the head fades slowly leaving a thin ring of foam with beautiful lacing that cascades down the side of the glass after holding for a few seconds. The smell is remeniscent of a glass of red wine. Grape with some plum, cocoa, vanilla, spices, roasty malts and finally hops. The aroma is terrifically complex. It has a rich, thick mouthfeel with medium carbonation. The taste starts off light and fruity, but turns into a hoppy, spicy, earthy brew for the finish. The malt comes through a lot more in the taste. It finishes semi-dry with some dark cocao and coffee notes, along with a sweet yeastiness to round it all out. Definately a home-run from the Smuttynose brewery.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 01:27:37 | More by silverking

babaracas

Florida

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a murky reddish brown with two fingers thick tan colored foam, settles slowly to a thin ring leaving a sheet of delicate lace for the first couple of inches. Smell: toasted wheat bread, red grape, caramel, floral and mildly earthy with a little black pepper. Taste: toast, caramel, peppery and midly earthy, plum skin, pear, unfiltered apple juice. Light bodied initially but very creamy feel, finishing dry and slightly sweet with some lingering tannic bitterness (peanut skin). Maybe not a standout, but I thought this was pretty solid. Best before 5/12/13.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 06:50:55 | More by babaracas

mnrider

Connecticut

3.28/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 Oz. Brown Bottle. Has Freshness Date.

A: Pours a dark brown color with hints of red around edges. An off-white
head starts one finger high and quickly turns to a thin layer. Foamy lacing
slides down glass.

S: Light creamy caramel. Other light spices and fruits are mixed in.

T/M: Smooth and full bodied. Dark fruits are mixed with yeast and just
a hint of hops. Roasted malts are also present and somewhat create a
balance in the beer.

O: This Winter Ale is easy to drink and a good choice for the winter months.
However overall the beer is on the plain side and leaves me wanting a little
more on the taste side of things. Still worth a look.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 23:55:04 | More by mnrider

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

the color of this one is deep copper redish, pretty clear, with a few inches of finely laced tan foam. the nose is richly malty, complex, ranging from american amber to english caramel and beyond. there is a toffee sort of sweetness too, and more alcohol hanging around than the abv gives away. the flavor confirms that this is definitely a malt heavy beer, which is nice in this context without all the usual spice that typifies the style. like a christmas cookie or loaf of bread, rummy, tasty. the sweetness does not linger on in the finish, and it actually ends on a dry note. the flavors a good, but they all seem a little muted to me. not the depth of flavor i am used to in these often very robust beers. lots of body and an appropriate level of carbonation. not my favorite of the winter releases, but an easy drinking brew nevertheless.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 21:51:51 | More by StonedTrippin

KTCamm

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a twelve ounce bottle into a pint glass.

Pours dark reddish brown, thick retained head of white foam. Sticky. Strong dark fruity nose, some spices. Strong fruity taste. Somewhat of a masked hop at the close. Mellow malty flavor. Almost a red wine flavor too. Really flavorful. Nice spin on winter.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 12:20:26 | More by KTCamm

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.78/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a tumbler pint, the beer is a vibrant, clear, hazelnut coloring with a sparse, filmy white coating on the surface. Aromas of roasty nut and biscuit in the backbone, with a solid spicing of nutmeg and cinnamon rounding out the sweet, rich flavors. Some fruity highlights in the back of the nose, also. Flavors of deep, dark, old world fruit, including prune and date, with an earthy undertone that keeps the richness in check. Spicing takes a backseat, but is present enough to perk the taste buds out of the sweetness shock by the end of the palate. Sweet and spicy blend on the aftertaste, which is fairly shortlived despite the robust initial flavors. The beer is smooth and round, but the spicing and carbonation does well to keep it light in mouth. Frothy, slightly sweet lingering finish. Very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 23:47:53 | More by GarthDanielson

ColdWaffles

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Served from a 12 oz bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Dark, dark amber with a tannish/off-white head.

Smell: Could be the bottle, but I'm not picking up much. Maybe some vanilla.

Taste: Reminds me a lot of Harpoon Dark. Definitely vanilla, but not much else in terms of spice. It is sweet, but not too sweet. Really makes me want some nice cheddar cheese. This is a relaxer, and something I would definitely enjoy Christmas day if I had cases available in my market.

Mouthfeel: Smooth! Yet still pretty carbonated. Very nice drink. Easily the best quality of this beer.

Like I said, I'd probably have this for the family if it was more widely available in my market. I can imagine this being a good holiday beer for "average" drinkers. I like it well enough either way.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 02:05:32 | More by ColdWaffles

Chadpaq

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Purchased recently at Lighthouse Beer and Wine in Wrightsville Beach, NC. Must plug this place every time, regardless of how deaf the ears to which said plug falls upon are. Great store.

Dark Amber; translucent; a shiny Tootsie Roll. The creamiest head--a single finger--that receded quickly, but which left a milky, frothy film on the surface like a cup of hot chocolate. O yea, this is a Winter beer.

Chocolatey, in spite of everything. I think I even smell a Tootsie Roll. Subtle; no alcohol. Guess it isn't the highest gravity brew out there, but any minutiae of booze is completely masked. I don't know too much about Dubbels, but I have to believe this is on the more subtle end of their spectrum. In that regard, it's a preference thing. In my opinion, the subtle chocolatey scent works well for this beer.

It really tastes like--and I know I'm dwelling on this, but it really tastes like Tootsie Rolls! Delicious. I've been sipping for ten minutes, and only now am I beginning to feel a little warmth in my chest. This is welcomed, pleasant, and--yes!--subtle. This is no bourbon. There's no alcohol on the palate, but the near-six percent emerges a little after ten minutes' worth of drinking, not on the tongue but in the heart. It's getting colder out there, even in North Carolina. This is the right beer for tonight.

As creamy as the previously-mentioned hot chocolatey film atop the beer would imply. Smooth, subtle carbonation. Thick, pushing viscous. Satisfying. Full, yet somehow, not heavy.

This beer's worth drinking several times over the holidays.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 23:13:55 | More by Chadpaq

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a Gulden Draak tulip glass

Appearance- A cloudy dark brown with a finger and a half of tan head that dissipates into a thin layer on the walls of the glass. Very small amount of spotty spotty lacing.

Smell- A bubblegum scent is what 1st hits me then is followed by a fruity(banana)ester and some carmel and chocolate undertones.

Tatse- Just like the nose Im getting this fruity bubblegum flavor. Im not really getting to much malt flavors, and different in flavor then anything Ive ever had.

Mouthfeel- Medium body with a good amount of carbonation and a semi dry finish. Very drinkable!

Overall- Doesnt seem really winter like, but I enjoy the unique flavors. The flavor and smell on this beer might have been the most difficult for me to ID, but it is very tasty!

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 21:58:52 | More by BrownAleMale

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

SerialHiker

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a dark, deep mahogany…very dense…some head did form, but only a light layering remained…(4/5)

Smell: Sweet fig, brown sugar…think more sweet brown sugar smell than normal sweet cherry rock candy…apparent alcohol heat…mild malt, caramel, yeast and cream also…overall, a nice aroma…(3.5/5)

Taste: Fantastic taste! Very similar to the nose, candy sweetness, dark fruit, brown sugar, sweet malts and alcohol heat…there is subtle citrus flavor…smooth, rich, dark malt base…a hint of creaminess…warming spices come late, but finish brew nicely…(4/5)

Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium to full carbonation…really, great feel on my tongue…smooth with very little residual taste…(3.5/5)

Overall: This is definitely one of my favorite Christmas winter warmer seasonals I’ve had to date…outstanding flavor, mixed it just right and I have to say, I like the darker malts used here…nothing is overdone and everyone seems to know their roles…the nose could awaken a bit more and if it were a little heavier, this would be an unbeatable brew…as it is, it’s highly recommended for your next Christmas party and with it’s relatively low ABV, I certainly could drink this all night and be merry (and competent)…(4/5)

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 07:52:03 | More by SerialHiker

TimmyL

3.3/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into a tulip
A- Nut brown in color, tan head, average lacing.
S- A little light, nothing spectacular.
T- Sweet malt taste. Honey, some brown sugar, caramel. Slight bitter finish.
M- Lighter than I would expect.
O- Decent. Would have again but wouldn't seek out.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 23:50:15 | More by TimmyL

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

3.55/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle served in a chalice.

L - deep chestnut brown color with a off-white head that thinned to a ring leaving minimal lacing.

S - tootsie roll and earthiness.

T - sweet dark fruit with a hint of chocolate finishing dry and prickly.

F - medium bodied with lively carbonation, it goes down easy.

O - a pleasant brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 01:00:20 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

BEERMILER12

Maine

3.78/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Best Before 04/11/13

A: Pours a ruby red color with a fingers worth of off-white head

S: Get the Trappsit yeast with plenty of dark fruits and maltiness. Has some sweetness from the candi syrup

T: Follows the nose, starts off with the fruitiness and the malts and goes into a light roasty character. Finishes dry

M: Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth

O: A nice American-style dubbel with a nice Belgian flair. Nothing outstanding about this, but it is a nice winter beer. It is also readily available through the colder months, so that helps as well

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 01:04:50 | More by BEERMILER12

HarryPotHead

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My first go round with this brewery and it wasn't a bad one....this is a decent but not great winter ale.

A - Pours dark brown / red around the edges into a traditional pint glass. A "not so soft" pour yielded a two finger off-white head that hung around for a few minutes...long enough for me to snap a photo with my phone and send it to a friend who was working late...you know, just to rub it in cause that's what friends do right?

S - Expected more of one. LOL! Nothing real pronounced with this one. Very subtle hints of caramel with an earthy scent. Not overpowering or in your face...nice, but lacking complexity.

T - Again not the most complex. Very "safe" for a winter seasonal. I expected more of a robust character...something that would "put hair on your chest"!

M - Smooth with just the right amount of carbonation....kind of thin though. Could stand to be a little heavier.

Overall - Not a bad beer AT ALL! I enjoyed this beer....as I do most (it is beer...duh!) and I'm ready for another. Very easy to drink albeit one dimensional, but I won't hold that against it. I did expect more for a winter brew but was not disappointed. Nice ABV for the price ($9.99 for six here in Maryland). BEER!!

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 23:12:53 | More by HarryPotHead

BenjaminBlondbeard

New York

3.68/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Smuttynose Winter Ale poured a dark brown from a bottle into my pint glass. A half inch ivory head shrank quickly. In the light the ale is a clean deep ruby brown with sparse but steady bubbles rising to the top.

It doesn't have a strong smell. Some sweet malty notes, caramel, and dark fruit.

Surprisingly it is on the light side of medium bodied beer. There is a nice even carbonation that livens up the intake. It coats the mouth, but is not syrupy. It leaves light lacing on the glass that doesn't stay around for too long.

First tastes are subtle plumb and fig like fruit flavors, and then some sweet roasted malts, with a light hop spice that wraps it all up. The hop spice cuts the sweet malt like a sly bitter ninja; not overpowering, but exacting. It fades away quickly, but lingers in the shadows to enjoy the well balanced finish. The hop and malt flavors linger with now toffee notes, along with the fruit, sweet malt, and very stealthy hop spice.

Not a typical "Winter" ale. I suppose it is more a "Dubbel," as noted in the description on this page. It is very nice for a cold winter night, but not one I would consider for the winter beer hall of fame.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 01:52:48 | More by BenjaminBlondbeard

danronian

Virginia

3.38/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance -Dark beer with a small head that quickly goes away, some lingering foam, but little carbonation rising from the top.

Smell - Roasted smell and somewhat sweet. Not a lot of smell coming off of this beer.

Taste - Smooth, somewhat sweet, but strong. The burnt, malty taste is prominent and fruitiness is secondary. Sweet finish that is pleasant tasting.

Mouthfeel - Smooth, with a lot of taste, and little carbonation. The after-taste is burnt and lingering.

This is a good beer that is warming, tasty, but not something I could drink more than one of a night. Good winter beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 00:32:40 | More by danronian

claspada

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light brown color with a thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves some thin lacing on the glass.

Aromas begin with ligh caramel, brown sugar, and chocolate malt base with some Belgian yeast, a little spice and a touch of hops that emerge as it warms.

The tastes begin with malty flavors of caramel and a little chocolate. The yeast adds some spicy and some fruity ester notes. The after-taste is bready and slightly sweet.

The mouthfeel is medium to light bodied for the style with medium carbonation. There could be a bump in that for sure. Finish is fairly crisp, clean and dry.

Overall this is a decent representation of style but really is fairly one noted. It is definitely not your prototypical winter seasonal or Dubbel for that matter but I have definitely had worse. Kind of tastes like an American Amber fermented with a Belgian yeast. Decent but I'll stick to something else during the winter months.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 20:50:57 | More by claspada

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

3.85/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a tulip at cellar temperature.

L - Ruby brown with a 3-finger bubbly light tan head. Decent retention, but fades without much lacing.

S - A little bit of sweet caramel malt but mostly brown sugar and dark fruit aromas that give just a tiny bit of tartness to the smell. Possibly the tiniest hint of earthy or floral hops.

T - Sugar, cherry, and plum sweetness that just scratches the surface of sour. Finishes with a nice and smooth bitter taste with cocoa and floral hop notes. There’s a little bit of spice at the finish, as well.

F - Medium-bodied, pretty good carbonation, and a really nice dry finish. Sweetness and tartness from the fruits hangs around for a little while along with a pleasant mouth-drying sensation.

O - For the price, the convenience, and the ABV, this is a great Dubbel. It doesn’t look as good as real Trappist Dubbels or have the great aroma and taste nuances of Belgian yeast, but you really can’t go wrong with this one. Very tasty and drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 04:16:47 | More by BlackBelt5112203

pvsob

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Dark brown color with ruby highlights. Large fluffy head (light tan) that has great retention and leaves nice lacing.

S- Figs, caramel, damp earth, bready malt, some clove, black pepper, and Belgian yeast.

T- Toasted malt, faint coffee/chocolate, cherries, hint of ripe banana, raisins, and a slight spiciness in the finish.

M- Medium feel with medium-high carbonation.

O- A rather tasty American version of a Dubbel. Worth a try if you haven't had it before. Recommended. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 20:29:18 | More by pvsob

mscudder

Georgia

3.93/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I recently picked up a case of this beer and after downing a few I decided to sit down and give this Dubbel a proper review. Best before May 2012, poured into a Newcastle Schooner.

A - Hazy light brown poured with a large light tan head. Fair retention, leaving behind some lacing. Has a ruby like hue that really helps its cause.

S - Nothing strong going on in this department. Some malts showing through and some dark fruit, although less than I would like to see. I feel there is a a few spices lingering in the background, but they are far from prominent.

T - Shows up strong with some nice roasted malts up front followed by some sweetness dominated by cherries. The conclusion of the brew is ever so slightly bitter, which adds a bit of complexity. I must say for a Dubbel I purchased on sale for under $5 a sixer, I do not hesitate in saying this is the best taste per my dollar I have ever had.

M - My personal favorite part of the brew. The body is pretty thick for Dubbel, probably on the high medium end. The malts form a fine backbone for the tastes to permeate. Rich and smooth, with a nice little light kick near the end. Superb.

O - Overall this is a fine brew that I relish for the price I got them at. Not the best Dubbel by a long stretch, but I do not think I would be disappointed if a friend offered me one, particularly on a nice winter afternoon.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 07:41:08 | More by mscudder

greenmonstah

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into Belgian flute

A - Pours a ruby-brown with a finger of tan head. Decent retention.

S - Sweet dark fruit -- raisin, brown sugar. Not much else. Cherry cola.

T - Cocoa is introduced to the mix. A bit of nutmeg, brown sugar, and raisin. Not bad. Very pleasant on a cold winter day.

M - Medium body, a bit sticky sweet. Average carbonation. A bit drying in the finish.

O - Overall a good, drinkable beer. Nice for winter. A drinkable, available, and flavorful beer that would satisfy anyone on a cold night.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 23:12:49 | More by greenmonstah