Warmer Winter Winter Warmer - Cigar City Brewing

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.08/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

kfsv034 sent me this as an extra in our Hunahpu's trade. Thanks, man! I really enjoyed this, and it was quite well-received at the tasting this past weekend.

Ruby red with a dense off-white head with great retention and nice lacing, this is one good-looking beer, especially for an old ale. The nose is great! Caramel, brown sugar and plenty hoppy with earthy hops. Quite sweet, there's some spice too, with nutmeg and some alcohol. The palate opens big and sweet with honey, caramel, toffee and an earthy bitterness, leafy and petrichor-like. Full in body with low carbonation, this is solid. Finishing sweet with flavors of toffee and a leafy hop character, I find the sweetness very pleasant; it's far from cloying. Spice is present, lingering on the finish. Great body, I'd drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2010 13:52:18 | More by DefenCorps

nickfl

Florida

4.43/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - One and a half fingers of medium-tan foam on top of an opaque, dark brown body with some ruby highlights. The foam settles slowly and leaves nice lace.

S - Thick, rich brown malt aromas of toffee, caramel, and bittersweet chocolate. Strong pine and citrus hop aromas as well with notes of pineapple, grapefruit, and orange.

T - Lots of dark, toffee malt up front along with burnt caramel and some fruity notes of plum and black cherries. The sugary character increases in complexity towards the middle with notes of brown sugar, rum, and molasses that blend with citrus and pine hop flavors to create a velvety balance of dark malt and hops. Finishes with some nice orange hop notes and moderate bitterness balancing dark caramel malts, chocolate, some roast. Lingering flavors of burnt sugar and pine hops with light tobacco and smoke.

M - Thick, chewy body, moderate carbonation, and a sweet, but balanced finish.

D - This is a well made beer that thoroughly succeeds in its role as a winter warmer. The malt character is excellent, it compares well to the best English and American examples of the style with a complex blend of dark sugar and roasted/caramel malts. The hops balance well and the strong fruity character is an unusual twist on what I would normally expect in this sort of beer. The fruit character works, especially in the aroma, nevertheless I can't help but think that a more traditional pine or earthy hop character might have made for a more balanced and subtle flavor profile. I enjoyed this beer and I would be really interested to see how one would mellow and age for next year.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2009 05:37:52 | More by nickfl

tpd975

Florida

4.3/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: a nice brown hue with a creamy head. Nice retention and excellent lace.

S: Wonderful sweet malt aromas with notes of caramel and brown sugar. The hops are there as well, very piney with some sharp citric notes.

T: Wonderful mix of malt and hops. Very much toffee like up front. Sweet with a nice touch of roast. The back end is very hoppy. Nice blend of pine and citrus.

M: Rather full in body, smooth, tasty, damn drinkable. Nice hopped up Old Ale.

D: Rather good. This is one I will buy quite a few bottles of.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2009 12:50:50 | More by tpd975

AgentZero

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Sean6989 for bringing this to our tasting.

A - Carmel color, hazy, no light comes through. Big head on it that left alittle bit of lace.

S - A lot of dark fruit in this as well as some bitter/roasty malts and some brown sugar.

T - This tastes a lot like a wannabe barley wine to me, which made some people like it more, but me less. A slight sweet candy taste that ends up being kind of sour and rotten on the end.

M - Nice body and carbonation, it's fine.

D - This isn't horrible, but not great. I think it's decent as far as a winter warmer goes, but wouldn't seek this out.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2010 23:34:42 | More by AgentZero

tdm168

North Carolina

3.1/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to jtd1969 for bringing this back from Florida.

When I cracked the top on this foam came billowing out of the top of the bottle. It poured a dark brown with a quarter inch of loose, foamy brown head that had decent retention. The nose heavy dark fruit with some notes of barley and candy. The flavor is bready, heavy barley malt up front followed by caramel and dark fruit and finishes with an overwhelming candy sugar sweetness. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied and a little syrupy but smooth and lightly carbonated.

I really wanted to like this beer. It seemed like all the right elements were there but they didn't all mesh. This one loses a lot of points because of how sweet it was. I had a hard time finishing a glass of it let alone the entire bottle. I'm glad I shared it. This is just way too sweet and candy-like for me to want again.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 16:17:37 | More by tdm168

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle on 1/10/10. Thanks to FooFaa for sharing.

A - Poured a cloudy reddish brown, almost plum-colored body with a creamy beige/light tan cap that held on pretty well and deposited some thick lace around the snifter.

S - Initial aroma is quite spicy and peppery with light cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Malt character is quite caramely with toffee notes and a light cocoa/chocolate presence. A brown sugar sweetness permeates. The aroma is rounded out by slight alcohol notes and a hint of pine.

T - Warm and spicy with chocolates and thick caramel and toffee attributes with a subtle brown sugar sweetness. Sweetness gives way to a more spicy character in the middle, with mild peppery notes and some piney hops paired with a moderate alcohol warmth. Finishes with a healthy dose of earthy, herbal hop bitterness.

M - Full bodied with a very creamy texture and subtle carbonation. Finishes with quite a bit of bitterness on the back of the tongue.

D - This is definitely a sipper of a winter warmer. The alcohol is pretty potent here, but there is plenty of other flavors and aromas happening to keep it from becoming too heavy-handed. I found this to be a bit on the spicy side, although it was still enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2010 14:13:08 | More by ffejherb

merlin48

Kentucky

4.18/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to mntlover for sharing this big bottle at our recent tasting. Pours a deep brown mahogany body, just about opaque. Medium sized light brown head is incredibly creamy and sheets the snifter with delicate lacing.

Smells like a classic English barleywine, with waves of malty caramel and toffee. A solid dark fruit presence is also apparent, mostly figs and dates.

Mouthfeel is thick and creamy, just about full bodied. Moderate carbonation.

Taste is definitely malt driven, with chewy toffee and caramel up front. A faint hint of chocolate adds to the profile. Dates and figs add a pleasant dark fruit dimension. Black pepper and rye notes are underneath. Alcohol is well hidden for the most part save for a peppery warming effect.

Very nicely done. Nice to know that some folks in the Sunshine State know how to brew this style.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 14:36:22 | More by merlin48

Gmann

New York

3.9/5  rDev +1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Out of a 750ml capped bottle. Pours a chestnut brown color with a huge pillowy tan head that left crazy sick lacing on the glass, big and chunky. The aroma is sweet; fermented raisins and fig, prunes, molasses and honey. Some piney and tropical fruit hops as well. The taste is of a big rich malt. Light roasted malt with hints of chocolate and coffee followed by the piney and tropical fruit hop characteristics. The rest of the flavor is rounded out with candied oranges, fig, and booze soaked prunes. The feel is big, heavy and chewy. Very sweet overall and sticky. A touch of bitterness pops through in the finish. Not a spicy winter warmer, but a sweet one. The Old Ale label seems to be spot on. Great body and nice boozy sweetness that you typically see in old ales. The brew could use an offset like some smokey/woody flavor or more of a roasted malt. Still very good.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2010 03:44:14 | More by Gmann

Durge

Connecticut

4.58/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A thick, cloudy dark mahogany brew with a goodly, stubborn oatmeal colored head and solid lacing. The aroma says brown bread and sweet pine hop and medicinal malt. Oatmeal chocolate nuances, thick and chewy and real high on the olfactory scale. Wow. Immediately followed by another, wow! The flavor just overwhelms the mouth with thick herbal hops and deep dark cereal grain, almost a barleywine deal. Just a lush mix of heavy malt and evergreen with a delicious tart hop bite. The body is full but not gagging, and tiny carbonation makes for a silky feel that caps off a near perfect winter brew. Cigar City maintains its incredible record of awesome brewing!

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 03:36:09 | More by Durge

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.7/5  rDev +21.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle poured into a Cigar City snifter.
The color of Coca Cola. Small tan head with a tiny bit of lace.
Wonderful aroma. Caramel, chocolate. Floral hops. A bit of peppery spice.
The taste began as caramel and quickly deepened to toffee. A little bit of chocolate. Dark fruit/raisins. Late piney hops.
Incredibly complex. I enjoyed just rolling this around in my mouth.
Eminently drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2011 13:59:00 | More by lordofthewiens

GbVDave

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750ml bottle into two St. Bernardus goblets. Special thanks to HeatherAnn for the assist! Extra special thanks to corby112 for this from our recent trade!

A: Pours a dark melty/muddled caramel brown. Two fingers of creamy dark khaki colored foam sits on top and leaves a lot of lacey sheets in its' wake.

S: Delicious aromas of caramel apples, pine, lemon, toffee, molassas, spruce/juniper, rye, and of course, bitter dark chocolate.

T: Pan seared molassas, roasted nuts, freshly squeezed pine bough, dark chocolate, lemon, grapefruit, and brown sugar. Friggin' delicious!

M: Silky smooth and quite sweet, but with a hint of hoppy dryness at the finish. Balanced!

D: This is a dangerous beer! The alcohol is extremely well hidden, to the point that Heather asked me three times what the abv was, and shook her head each time after I told her.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2010 18:58:42 | More by GbVDave

oline73

Maryland

3.7/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a Chimay goblet.

Appearance: The beer pours a very murky mahogany color with a finger of creamy off white head. The head sticks around nicely and coats the glass.

Smell: Sweet and malty up front with a lot of dark fruit. Definitely some hops here as well, I'm getting some citrus peel.

Taste: There is a lot of malt sweetness here too, but the hops show up more than they did in the nose. Dark fruit and a hint of molasses join the citrus peel bitterness. The favors don't integrate seamlessly, but I'm enjoying everything. The finish is bitter with a lingering malt sweetness.

Mouthfeel: The body is syrupy with thick, creamy carbonation and a finish that's just a touch dry.

Overall: I'm not sure I loved the combination of favors, but I enjoyed the beer enough. The bitter and sweet clashed a bit in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 05:36:49 | More by oline73

billab914

Virginia

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle poured into my Dogfish snifter. It poured a murky, dark caramel color with a frothy tan head covering the top of the beer and sticking to the edges of the glass.

The aroma has a big malty presence to it with caramel, toffee and some sweeter dark fruits leading the way. A good amount of hoppiness is noticeable in it as well with some resiny, citrus rind like qualities. Pretty appealing aroma overall.

The taste also shows a very nice balance of malty and hoppy. I get more of the caramel, toffee and dark fruit sweetness to it at first while the bitter, citrus rind like hoppiness lingers more into the finish.

The mouthfeel is on the heavier side with carbonation being moderate. Overall it was a very good beer all around. They really brought all the flavors together very well in it. Very flavorful and enjoyable to sip on this afternoon.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 21:33:38 | More by billab914

emmasdad

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very deep, dark, mahogany color, with a big, rocky ecru colored head. Aromas of cocoa, caramel and spicy, earthy hops. On the palate, malt dominates, in a very good way, with brown sugar, raisins and caramel, accented nicely by zesty, citrusy hops. An excellent old ale, and something to look forward to for those forced to endure Florida's winters.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2010 04:52:40 | More by emmasdad

maximum12

Minnesota

3.53/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

After a snifter of this on tap at the Tasting Room, we retired to split a bomber of this old ale back at the beach. A very young old ale indeed.

This is either a dark, deep muddy red, or a deep, dark reddish brown. Either way it's opaque & quite thick-looking. Smell is piney hops, sweet candy, & a twig of alcohol.

Warmer Winter Winter Warmer has the pedal pushed down on the sweet malts & caramel that come shooting out of the gate. These slide into a boozy aftertaste that gets it on nicely with the hops to create a hot, weirdly bitter & floral aftertaste.

A very good beer, & a tummy warmer, so definitely hit the spot on the this one. When the temp has been stuck in the 40s for days in Florida, this is something to pick up & enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2010 01:59:50 | More by maximum12

Hojaminbag

Colorado

4.28/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Mikesgroove sent me this bottle. Thanks Mike.

CCB Warmer Winter Winter Warmer has a deep brown body and a very tall, light brown head. The head is quite substantial also, with the consistency of sea foam. It doesn't seem to back down at all, with great retention. The few strands of lacing that stay behind are quite thick. Another thing I noticed was that pouring this beer felt more like pouring some kind of oil and not beer. It kind of sounded like it too. I'm guessing this is going to a full bodied one.

The aroma is mostly toffee, with hints of spice and hints of dark fruits. Maybe a bit of chocolate also. Smells a little bit like some sort of holiday cake.

Loads of caramel and toffee take off right in the beginning. Thick, rich, sweet, this is a malt bomb. It's a good malt bomb. Layers upon layers of malt, with the aforementioned caramel and toffee, along with chocolate. The spiciness that I noticed in the aroma is not due to added spices, but mostly malted rye, that adds a seedy, rye bread quality to the flavor. Toffee is probably the most pronounced flavor, followed by the other malts in about equal doses. The hops are noticeable, but they definitely play a supporting role. Hints of pine and light citrus that bring a low bitterness. There might be a touch of dark fruit lurking in the background, but it is minimal. A little bit of warmth from alcohol comes through also; I can feel it in the back of my throat. Warmer Winter Winter Warmer's huge malt profile definitely makes it a very sweet beer; open it expecting lots of malt and sweetness.

I can't remember the last time I poured a beer and though to myself, “this beer is going to be thick.” Maybe it never happened before, but it did happen tonight. The body is huge and chewy, viscous, full, about what I expect from a bottle of motor oil. The carbonation is surprisingly high for how big the body is, although still not high relative to other beers, that have normal viscosity. Overall, I love this type of feel for a malt bomb.

Winter warmers seldom excite me, but huge malt bombs that aren't too boozy are quite a treat. The more I think about it, however, this beer is probably more of an English Barleywine than a Winter Warmer, because its ABV is so high. Whatever it is, I might get my hands on it again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2011 23:07:23 | More by Hojaminbag

cjgator3

Florida

3.93/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

A- Served in a CCB snifter. Pours a dark brown color with a tan head that has nice retention and lacing. Looks beautiful in the glass.

S- The aroma is a lot of malt sweetness, caramel, toffee, a touch of chocolate, spices and some hops as well. There's a lot going on in the nose, very nice aroma!

T- The taste is a lot of sweetness up front from the malt, caramel, toffee and some bitterness in the finish from the hops along with some warmth from the alcohol. If I could change one thing I would lower the sweetness a bit and up the bitterness from the hops to help balance out the sweetness. Still, a very tasty brew.

M- The mouthfeel is perfect in this brew. It is medium bodied with a perfect amount of carbonation.

D- Overall, another awesome brew from CCB that is great to enjoy on the few cold nights we get in Florida. Highly recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2011 04:09:42 | More by cjgator3

nickd717

California

3.93/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle via trade thanks to ben4321.

Pours slightly cloudy chestnut brown with a one-finger light beige head.

Aroma is pretty nice, lots of spices and caramel, chocolate, and citrus hops.

Flavor is really good and complex. Sweet caramel malt and toffee, chocolate, rye, and lots of spices. Piney and citrusy hops, along with orange peel. Even some wood, although this is not -bal aged.

Medium-full bodied and smooth with soft carbonation.

Decent drinkability. Overall a very unique and interesting winter warmer. Once again, Cigar City impresses.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2010 05:23:36 | More by nickd717

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thin ¼ inch light tan head forms. Quickly settles to a thin cap of foam. Slightly hazy, dull brown colored beer.

Aroma is deep and all malt...Caramel, dark fruits and a slight alcohol aroma. It's really a nice aroma and quite aggressive. This is going to sounds nuts, but the aroma reminds me of Aventinus Eisbock.

Figs, caramel, figs, caramel. A bit of a more hoppy finish than I had imagined. I think it comes in at the perfect moment to off set the abv and alcohol flavors. They are there but mellowed quite nicely. For 80% of the flavor experience this is very consistent, then it gets a bit hoppy towards the end. As it warms further, more fruity esters come to the forefront.

Medium bodied and smooth as silk. Slight warming effect from the elevated ABV.

Well this is certainly a slow sipper and one to be enjoyed over a long period of time. While I am enjoying this in Fort Lauderdale. It's cold and rainy out adding to the winter warmer experience. I remain shocked how deep and enjoyable the aroma is here.

Nice effort!!!

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2010 22:38:01 | More by Reagan1984

illidurit

California

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle shared at a September Santa Cruz tasting. Pours a light brown amberish color with a fluffy tan head. Fruity with rich caramel and brown sugar, plenty of sweet raisins and toffee. Also some vanilla and hoppy notes. Pretty full-bodied and satisfying.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2011 10:10:28 | More by illidurit

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-pours a slightly hazy copper brown color with a fluffy tan head.

S-boozy acetone up front, notes of cinnamon, peppery spice, notes of twangy spice, brown malt, touch of caramel and toffee, light herbal hop finish.

T-caramel and toffee up front, burnt brown sugar, notes of spices, touch of pepper, citrus and herbal hop presence light in the back. a little boozy and hot in the finish.

M-very smooth and creamy on the palate, syrupy texture with a good full body and a nice carbonation.

D-a little hot but a nice complexity to it, well balanced and big bold flavors. Lose the booze and it would have been pretty solid.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2010 00:13:25 | More by cpetrone84

claspada

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2010 Vintage, around a year of age on this beer.

The aromas of sweet dark caramel malts is overwhelming. Lots of dark fruitiness; mainly figs and plums. Great malt character, coupled with some nice spice. Extremely light subtle hop aroma as well as well as some bready yeast. Wowzers...

The taste is equally as amazing. Dark caramel malt flavors with hints of brown sugar, some toastiness is joined quickly by indistinct spiciness (possibly hop or yeast created). Midway through the sip hints of ripe figs, dates and dried plum flavors.
Mouthfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with smooth carbonation. Finishes dry despite the thickness which is perfect because it prevents it from becoming cloying, which it teeters on.

Overall this is a great beer; it's full bodied, lush and smooth. Tremendous. It's full and robust with a silky smooth finish of sweet fruits and toffee. The 10% is barely noticeable, extremely well-hidden. Shout-out to Lueken's Liquors online beer store for having all these high quality Cigar City beers available to ship to the Northeast!

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2011 23:40:31 | More by claspada

ClockworkOrange

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A capped 750ml bottle purchased at Abe's in Bethlehem for $10. Poured into my tumbler. The ale appears a dark chestnut color with about a finger or so of ecru foam. Nose and flavors consist of caramel, semisweet chocolate, raisins, mild pine, citrus, figs, dates. Medium to full bodied and amply carbonated. Surprisingly, not much alcohol heat here. Quite drinkable, kept me wanting another pour. Wish I had one to age.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2010 04:58:33 | More by ClockworkOrange

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.72/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Quite simply, if you see it, buy two or three, at least.

A - Perfect deep mahogany with a small, foamy head and, dare I say, sexy lacing.

S - Old musty wood, caramelly and biscuity maltiness, spicy hop and a buttery cognac smoothness.

T - This is the most delicious Old Ale. A real malt-bomb. I can't wait to taste it after a decent cellaring period. The alcohol is warming but well hidden, the hops are very pungent and exquisitely dry, like a fine champagne, the finish is rich and dark and suggests dried fruits, brown sugar, molasses, and slight oak mustiness.

M - Nice creamy carbonation that totally enhances the flavor of this exceptionally delicious and refined beverage.

D - Exceptional. A most exquisite, delicious sipper. To drink this is an honor, and a privilege.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2010 04:18:55 | More by ktrillionaire

mcallister

Ohio

3.55/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Must say this is a great looking old ale. Deep mahagony with a 2 finger fluffy thick tan head, beautiful.

Brown sugar, molasses, date, pecan, alcohol, burnt toast, red berry, and more. Good depth.

Date currant, alcohol, fig, caramel, citric hops, offsetting rye? Very slight oxidation, which more would be better very elaborate hops, drying and a somewhat cloying sweetness. Look forward to trying this again in a year.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2010 21:38:12 | More by mcallister