Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale - Anderson Valley Brewing Company

PSUDREW

Pennsylvania

2.95/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Well, a good try here. Pours a dark copper color, and, had little head, and even less lace going down.

It had faint smells. really, and not much, IMO. That cap was a pain in my ass to get off. Sigh, but back to business. It had a nice mix of vanilla and spice to much, but nothing too potent, more of an after though. The dominant malt is a nice touch and it goes through and through, but the hop is there, as a subtle compilent to it all.

Nice brew they got here, and it is a nice thing to go the distance with, more of something to get and share tehn get and savor in your dark corner

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2004 04:05:15 | More by PSUDREW

markman

Connecticut

2.95/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Anderson Valley Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale (2003):

Very inviting pour and color. Deep opaque garnet pour sits under a tight head…very nice. The aroma is very inviting; an easy barleywineish vinous of mix of rum soaked dried fruit, caramel, and vanilla.. Uh oh, this is where the fun ends. I bring it to my lips and WTF? Large apple presence now…over carbonated, and a pit-like aluminum grog taste develops on the tongue as I quaff this strange brew…not at all what I’d expect from the brewers of Hop-Ottin’ IPA and Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout. Winter Warmer? It seems to me to be more of someone’s damn experiment gone awry. I’m not picking up any oxidation and their website suggests that it should age well. Not sure what to make of it. I’ll review this as is and revise if necessary…but, as is, there is a significant tannic quality to it that is quite disturbing. I like it in my robust red wines, but I’m not a fan of picking it up in my beer. And props to richdude for the sample.

Cheers…

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2004 01:44:09 | More by markman

kohoutek

Michigan

2.95/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

2005 bottling.

Appearance: a nice medium amber color, obviously filtered. The head started rich with texture but was almost gone after 30 seconds. Some slight lacing remained for half of the beer. The second half had none.

Aroma: a very slight noble hop presence. It quickly diminished with the head. Aroma of caramel, vanilla, some estery fruitiness.*

Flavor: graham cracker, vanilla, caramel, biscuity malt with banana ester laffy taffy.*

Mouthfeel: the filtering, club soda carbonation and addition of natural flavors (as stated on the bottle)* make this a dissapointing experience. I am curious how a 6.9% beer with high carbonation can have no head?

I used to return to this beer annually. I always craved its malty richness and unique, medium toast.

Boy has it changed! Almost a soda pop experience.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2006 20:55:04 | More by kohoutek

younger35

Minnesota

2.95/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Picked up a single of this a couple days ago at my local beer store. Drank from my Deschutes Black Butte Porter pint glass.

Appearance- Pours a dark brownish copper with a one finger soft white foamy head. Leaves a decent cap and collar and a bit of spotty lacing.
Smell- Bits of spicy fruit such as orange peel and cherries. Some caramel/chocolate in the background but the dominate scent here is the vanilla. It’s soft but distinct and noticeable.
Taste- Like the nose the vanilla is the dominating flavor here. It’s a different sort of vanilla than what I’m used too in a beer. It’s not the subtle woody vanilla, but a sweet, almost flavored vanilla. Has a bit of a malt spice as well with some cinnamon and maybe a bit of clove or nutmeg. A bit of bite from the alcohol along with a lingering cherry/vanilla finish.
Mouthfeel- Nice full body with medium carbonation.
Drinkability- Overall not a bad beer but it could use a bit of work. Not near as good as other winter warmers I’ve had. It seems to be a bit artificial (I’m sure it’s not but that’s the only description I can think of). Reading last years reviews it seems that people enjoyed it. Maybe it’s just an off year??

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2007 23:09:58 | More by younger35

4000qtrap

Missouri

2.95/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Source:/Serving: 20oz. Bottle. No expiration date and not aged.

Smell: Some dark fruit syrup and caramel with a slightly funky, horsey, oak note that leads into low lying black pepper, and clove spice that is muted but on the harsh side. A pinch of cider that adds a depth of flavor and anchors the nose a bit.

Taste: Moderately sweet caramel apple with a cidery edge. Quite caramelly in the middle with a slightly astringent fruit skin bitterness towards the finish. A faint hint of spice. Overall, the flavor isn't as nice as the nose and is pretty mild overall, though it is balanced. Its almost like a slightly sweet and spicier, fruitier amber. Finish is semisweet with toasted caramel notes, but has a earthy/medicinal flavor that tastes a little bit off.

Note: If you don't like your seasonal beers too intense or too spicy this beer would probably be a good option.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2010 03:43:23 | More by 4000qtrap

JamisonM

Arizona

2.95/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A: Ruby Red color with tan head quite thick looking head as well.

S: bready sweetness here also dough not the best smell in the world.

T: again bready sweetness here dough I just do not like that smell or taste in a beer.

M: med body med carbonation

Overall: this and fat tire are not my favorite style.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 01:15:37 | More by JamisonM

CWiggins

North Carolina

2.98/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I picked this one up at Sam's in Durham while looking for several things to try. Having been impressed with Anderson Valley's Summer Solstice this past season, I thought this would be worth a shot.

The color is a nice, deep amber/red. Poured rapidly into a pint glass, very little head formed, although some bubbles remained around the liquid's rim the entire session (about 40 minutes). I found the aroma to be quite nice; it was very clean, with hints of caramel, sweet fruits, and vanilla. The flavor was a little disappointing. It begins with a pleasant spicyness, but finishes with a bland malt/alcohol character that left me wondering what the intent was. I wanted the winter spices to last longer, perhaps throughout the aftertaste, but all I received was this medium-dark malt thing. The mouthfeel is fine: it's not too sticky and goes down just right.

It seems everything is great about this beer except the flavor! I doubt I'll seek this one out again, especially since there are so many other winter warmers to try.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2006 13:34:31 | More by CWiggins

jsprain1

Minnesota

2.98/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A- Reddish brown, just a touch too dark to be called copper. Head does not retain well. No lacing.
S- Malty, a touch of cocoa,ever so faintly spiced.
T- Starts malty, there's a bit of spice in there, but on the whole it's pretty static and nondescript. It's sweet and it finishes with a slightly sour tart flavor, kind of like a tart orange.
M- Underweighted. Carbonation is ok, but it lacks the smoothness I like in a winter warmer.
D- Just not that great of a beer. A bit disappointed. Lacks the body or the flavor profile I would like. Will retry at some point to see if I just caught it late in the season.

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2011 19:13:03 | More by jsprain1

NorCalYeti

California

3/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

taste- bready, sweet, spicy

color- copper-amber

clarity- clear

smell- yeasty

body- medium-light, smooth finish

appearance- off-white head, flat, curious

overall impression- not my style

notes- i want to like these beers so much but i just can't get into them. i've never been into this beer yet i come back every year in hope of it delivering. this review is for a 2008 vintage tasted in 2008

glassware: pint

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2009 03:18:04 | More by NorCalYeti

callmescraps

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Time for the winters, even tho it's been in the 70s every day.

Appearance - Deep amber with an inch of tan head. Laces nicely.

Smell - Malt and spice. A real mustiness that is off-putting. Hints of cherry. Dark fruits.

Taste - Sweet cherry maltiness. It's really quite sweet. That is followed by some spiciness. A little nutty. Plenty of toffee. Chocolate? A little bitter on the finish. Caramel or vanilla.

Mouthfeel - Not bad. A tad thin, but glad it's not sticking around.

Drinkability - Not very high.

This beer is just a little sweet for me. It's like a chocolate covered caramel in a bottle, but not in a good way.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2009 05:25:50 | More by callmescraps

Stigs

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

poured from a growler filled about a week ago...served in a Stone Levitation glass

A - about a finger of light tan head which quickly retreated to a very thin layer of film a little more dense around the inside of the glass. the beer is a strong amber color, quite clear.

S - tough to pikcup much here, faint biscuity and sweetened malt with very faint ginger and cinnamon notes.

T - strong punch of all kinds of sweetness: vanilla, graham cracker, malted milk balls, sweet milk chocolate. grainy biscuit malts underneath it all...complete lake of hops to balance.

M - super creamy but medium bodied and good subtle but active carbonation (might be a product of the growler sitting for a bit).

D - liquid version of a five year olds classroom gingerbread house. hard to finish, glad my girlfriend loves it.

Serving type: growler

01-03-2010 21:17:21 | More by Stigs

UCLABrewN84

California

3/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a slightly murky brown with a foamy khaki head that settles to a thick cap on top of the beer. Foamy patches of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, caramel, fruits, and some slight funky aromas. I think there may be an issue with this beer based on the smell. Taste is much the same with a mild spice finish and a slightly funky flavor that isn't as bad as the smell would indicate. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty average beer as it stands with what seems like a mild infection issue. Even though the funk doesn't come through as much in the taste vs. smell, there is definitely a problem with the can I picked up.

Serving type: can

10-20-2012 04:27:58 | More by UCLABrewN84

rarbring

Sweden

3.03/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

The beer is clouded brown, a warm off-white head with little lacing but good curtains.

A smell of roasted nuts, bread, buns and spices. "Assorted small candy".

Very sweet, intensely vanilla, muffin batter, caramel and toffee, ginger bread sponge.

Little carbonation, soft and sticky, rather light body, no dryness.

Very christmassy, but owz too sweet.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 17:53:55 | More by rarbring

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

3.05/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Anderson Valley- Winter Solstice

Appearance- Dark brown with a 2 finger thick sticky head.
Smell- Vanilla, Brown sugar, Caramel, Malt.
Taste- Big vanilla caramel flavor with hints of brown sugar and cke batter. Like a cream soda (other reviewers said this too)
Mouthfeel- Sweet with a mild flavor.

Overall- A decent tasting beer but I was expecting more. I could, if I had no choice, drink this all night but I'd prefer something stronger and with more flavor.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2006 22:51:02 | More by NJpadreFan

largadeer

California

3.05/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Dark amber, slightly hazy, with a moderate head.

Smell: Sweet, cotton candy-like aroma; notes of vanilla, brown sugar and cinnamon.

Taste: Just as sweet as the aroma implies, but with balancing bitterness. Vanilla, caramel and butterscotch flavors are prevalent. Very little hop character; it tastes like spices are used as a substitute for hops rather than an accent. Sweetness continues throughout the aftertaste, with the slightest of hop bitterness coming out at the end.

Mouthfeel: Thick and heavy on the palate with moderate carbonation.

Notes: I can understand why this has mixed reviews - it's extremely sweet and spicy. Not bad, but not really to my liking.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2007 04:53:05 | More by largadeer

McNealc31

Ohio

3.05/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Most of the flavors here are familiar with cinnamon and clove, but I'm also picking up some cedar, which is rather interesting. It's more subdued than other winter warmers. Starts off with a bit of fruit before the spices kick in. Almost like a spiced apple cider.

This is good, but I wouldn't put it on the top of my winter warmer list.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 01:25:10 | More by McNealc31

VoodooBrew

South Carolina

3.08/5  rDev -21%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Golden-copper to amber

S: Sweetness. Pretty much just sweetness.

T: I get alot of sweet vanilla extract. Also, is that a hint of diacetyl?

M: Mostly easy and round, with a bitterness that chases through on the finish.

D: Not my cup of tea. A mostly average beer, easily lost among the smattering of holiday seasonal beers out there.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2006 22:48:15 | More by VoodooBrew

naterock

Missouri

3.08/5  rDev -21%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

pours a deep brownish red, thin head but sticky and has patchy lacing.

smell is thin, not much to speak of. malt and some spice. slightly sour.

taste is thin as well. really unremarkable, not even a good style representation in my mind. after a half of a glass, I don't even taste anything in my mouth.

mouth is medium with a bit too much carbonation, drinks easy but I think it drinks too easy for this style. Just ok, but I'd never think of buying this again.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2008 23:47:48 | More by naterock

mactrail

California

3.08/5  rDev -21%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pretty serious vanilla takes over most of the flavor. Quite aromatic with more of the same. Amber color, decent lacing in the glass. Malty but very spicy. Strong cinnamon adds to the excess of flavorings. Rather cloying sweetness conflicts with the bitterness in the aftertaste. Seems to be a taste like butter, along with candied nuts. I have to admit that as off-putting as this at first, your taste buds get used to it. But not enough to drink the whole can.

In the swell new red, blue, and black 12 oz can.

Serving type: can

12-15-2011 02:54:04 | More by mactrail

tpd975

Florida

3.1/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This is one of the brews I had at the Brickskeller on my trip to DC.

A: Dark garnet red color with a medium foamy tan head. Moderate lacing.

S: A real mix of aromas both sweet and spicy. Nice honey brown sugar sweetness with hints of vanilla. Clove, Nutmeg and Cinnamon hide beneath. Fruit notes can also be detected with touches of cherry and peach.

T: This one has a real creamy buttery taste right up front. Then the spices come at you. Nutmeg and Cinnamon are there but the clove kind of dominates. A touch of cherry juice can be detected in the finish.

M: Medium bodied and creamy.

D: Not really.

Overall: I did not enjoy this one at all. It's a malty brew with just too much going on with nothing really complimenting one another. The medicine type qualites of the clove just did not match up with the buttery taste of the brew. The sweet cherry mixed with the other spices is just tooo much. They had good intentions but went a bit over the top with this one. It actually made my stomache ache, and caused me to cut my trip to the Brickskeller a bit short.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2007 14:45:19 | More by tpd975

Truh

New Hampshire

3.13/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Couldn’t have been any further away from the sun with this one on 11/26/2004. 16-oz. shaker pour at ACPH.

Filmy, cawl of initial chromosomal head. Dark amber to light mahogany hue and fairly clear. Somewhat muted Christmas earthy, floral bouquet of gargled malt, allspice, and hints of clover. Soapy malt taste with some kind of berry involved, maybe the nosey cranberry. Overall, seemingly lacking on the taste front for the style – almost too light for a winter, in my estimation.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2004 22:05:24 | More by Truh

aaronh

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This deep amber beer with orange-red highlights pours with an attractive white head the displays decent retention. The aromas are a little of spice and a little of hops, pleasant but not assertive enough to pick out individual traits. The taste was like a normal pale ale that had some spice added to it somewhere along the line. The beer displayed a normal light ale feel on the tongue, but left an unpleasant bitterness clinging to my mouth on the finish. The poor finishing characteristics and the high ABV result in a beer I'm glad I tried, but of which I didn't buy a sixer. My third offering from Anderson Valley was definitely not a "charm".

Serving type: on-tap

11-23-2002 19:30:42 | More by aaronh

Beaver13

Colorado

3.15/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle. Pours a hazy reddish orange with a creamy off-white head that retains pretty well.

The aroma is sweet grainy malts and some spices (vanilla, gingerbread) and a little honey.

The flavor is more gingerbread and vanilla and caramel. It has a sweet alcoholic finish. The mouthfeel is is medium and a little watery.

Overall, it's too sweet for me. I don't really care for the blend of spices too much either (especially the vanilla - not a big fan). Very reminiscent of cream soda. Give me an Anchor OSA over this anytime!

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2006 06:46:13 | More by Beaver13

oberon

North Carolina

3.15/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I have waited quite awhile to try this beer but I was pretty let down flavor-wise anyways.Poured a deep rich aber with a tight well formed almond one finger head that settled nicely into a creamy mass.Xmas aromas going on I picked up some vanilla and caramel with lighter notes of cinnamon and brown sugar,I honestly thought I was drinking a sharp cream soda just way to much vanilla-like flavors it overpowered any other flavor really from coming thru.It got to be cloying half way thru and my wife finished it.wow this beer has everything going for it except flavor in my opinion and is way to pricey,I will not seek this out again.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2006 15:58:17 | More by oberon

MetalHopHead6

Virginia

3.15/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Anderson Valley Winter Solstice poured deep copper with a thick creamy head.

The smell and taste were dominated by something artificial and sugary, like white chocolate or vanilla extract. The feel was too thick, creamy, and smooth. It had no bitterness.

If I drank this blindfolded I would have thought it was vanilla eggnogg, and much like eggnog, I could only take a small dose of Anderson Valley Winter Solstice.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2009 14:11:39 | More by MetalHopHead6