Secret Spot Winter Ale - Evolution Craft Brewing Company

larryi86

Delaware

4.05/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a snifter

A- A clear amber color with a two finger white head.

S- Floral hops, toasted malts, some toffee.

T- Follows the nose, hops give this beer a nice bitter finish, great toasted malts, some toffee.

M- Smooth, light to medium body.

O- A solid beer that I will be picking up again. Good beer for the colder months.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 01:02:25 | More by larryi86

bconsidine

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev +2.5%

06-12-2013 18:44:40 | More by bconsidine

utopiajane

New York

3.89/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

I loved this. It’s everything an IPA is without all the oil. I’m new to the style but here goes. Pours a cloudy copper amber with a decent head that fell fast to a thin film on top and a small ring. Good lace. Nose is heavenly with malt. It’s bread, it’s caramel, it’s deep and round with a sweetness that takes a backseat in the nicest way. The hops are herbal and pungent, earthy and offer just a hint of lemon. Dark fruits whisper from the nose as it warms but they never fully evince and it’s restrained. The taste is toast and breaddy malt with a nice fullness from the understated sweetness. The hops are bitter on the tip of the tongue but it’s like they hold it back until the finish and then they realize a full bitter without a lot of oil and without a lot of resin. Carbonation is medium and the body is deft and light.

I could compare this to an IPA or to a red ale. Positively enjoyable with plenty of toast but nothing burnt. The malt is outstanding and lasting throughout the drink. The balance is excellent and the hops hold their own without becoming fruity. It’s creamy but also strong and stately. What a treat.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 14:05:07 | More by utopiajane

DrBass

Maryland

4/5  rDev +9.3%

04-25-2013 17:47:35 | More by DrBass

thampel09

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -4.4%

04-23-2013 19:19:04 | More by thampel09

surfrogue1

Maryland

2/5  rDev -45.4%

03-25-2013 02:56:25 | More by surfrogue1

RyanC

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -4.4%

02-21-2013 11:15:48 | More by RyanC

acurtis

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -4.4%

02-18-2013 01:08:51 | More by acurtis

djrn2

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -4.4%

02-17-2013 20:28:22 | More by djrn2

Metatron6

Maryland

3.25/5  rDev -11.2%

02-15-2013 19:56:03 | More by Metatron6

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3/5  rDev -18%

02-08-2013 22:08:08 | More by yourefragile

NumberNone

Maryland

4/5  rDev +9.3%

01-27-2013 22:51:08 | More by NumberNone

siege06nd

Virginia

4/5  rDev +9.3%

01-26-2013 01:49:37 | More by siege06nd

BeerThursdays

Delaware

3.25/5  rDev -11.2%

01-25-2013 22:10:25 | More by BeerThursdays

bmur112

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev +2.5%

01-15-2013 15:39:25 | More by bmur112

MrBoh

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -4.4%

01-13-2013 05:51:31 | More by MrBoh

ChrisKayler

Virginia

2/5  rDev -45.4%

01-13-2013 00:19:47 | More by ChrisKayler

confer

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had it on tap and from a bottle, preferred the tap but reviewing the bottle.
Dark gold in color with red tints at the light. Off white head that never fully goes away.
Smell is all malt. Reminds my of a doppel bock.
Slightly bitter hops are dominant in the taste, not to many just enough for little flavor.
Good alt beer. Evo is getting better all of the time.
As a bonus the tour guide brought a growler of Secret Spot along on the tour of the brewery and refreshed our glasses as he talked.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 00:17:58 | More by confer

TrickkyGangsta

Florida

2.75/5  rDev -24.9%

01-03-2013 01:14:57 | More by TrickkyGangsta

Billolick

New York

3.88/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz brown bottle into an Ommegang tulip. Best by Mar 2013 notched onto the side of the label. Picked by a friend at Stateline on the MD/DE border

A: Pours lightly hazed medium amber. Darker khaki cap, slow to fade, thick collar and film. Leaves some low sheeting.

S: Malts dominate the nose. Caramel and toast abound

T: Malty brew, dark toast, maple and more caramel. Also some moderate winter spicing and then moderate drying hops late.

M: Smooth and pleasant on the tongue and coating the mouth. The body is medium and the carbonation is on the lower side but fine for the style.

O: Enjoyable enough brew. Malty beer lovers will enjoy this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 01:20:25 | More by Billolick

rydev24

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +2.5%

12-28-2012 04:33:26 | More by rydev24

argock

Virginia

3.9/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz brown bottle into a Duvel tulip. Best by Mar 2013 notched on side of label. Single received a a local beer exchange event.

A: Crystal clear dusky dark amber with a 1-finger foamy beige head with good retention which leaves a creamy but thin layer of lacing.

S: Dark malts with caramel and toffee met with strong earthy, herbal hopping.

T: The flavor is very on par with a strong red ale until the hops bitterness melts into an herbal noble flavor. The maltiness is very amber ale in content with a lot of toffee and smoky burnt caramel character. The hopping is "assertive" per the Evolution website, and that is putting it likely as the bitterness is very strong and carries all the way through the drink.

M: Very smooth and creamy although not as light as many alts, but I would consider this more of a red ale aggressively hopped with noble hops. Body is medium and carbonation is low-medium.

O: I enjoyed this beer, and Evolution Brewing has had several very good brews in their initial splash into VA (see Lot #3 IPA for the best of the bunch). Secret Spot is also a high quality brew that crosses style lines of WEst Coast style red ale with super-noble hopped altbier. Definitely this is a good one to check out.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 02:41:47 | More by argock

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I've some altbiers before, but still I really never know what to expect from them...one of the more mysterious styles for me still.

A-decent amber with a thin, barely noticeable cream colored head

S-altbier...? I'm thinking IPA!!! creamy nice hops and a sweet buttercream note to it. smells awesome! Altbier??? no. i'm excited for this one. decent strength.

T-okay well all the IPAness just left the building. it comes in with a creamy, grainy taste of sweet buttercream...only slightly. some sort of a taste of muted herbal hops...some what. it does have the slightest touch of bitterness to it. has a decent quality.

M-creamy medium carbonation with a semi-dry finish

O-once again the altbier is beyond me. At first I was like IPA? but then i was like nahhh. it certainly has the nose of an IPA, but the taste of a muted IPA that is somewhat more dignified and stable. It is what it is, and its proud, and it won't change. it is...worth a try I'll say. it's really just an easy drinker, much like an APA.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 02:19:54 | More by AdamBear

JM03

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -11.2%

12-11-2012 01:45:59 | More by JM03

2dogbrew

Virginia

4/5  rDev +9.3%

12-02-2012 00:37:59 | More by 2dogbrew