Winter Ale - Rivertown Brewing Co.

BigPauly

4.38/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I loved this beer, perfect for a winter evening. The molasses comes through along with a hint of spice, cinnamon before the first sip. Not much of a head, small lacing, but that's alright with me. This is a rich amber/ruby colored ale, I used my vintage Falstaff lager glass. At first you have a taste of cinnamon which fades into a spicy sweet flavor. Light mouth feel, with no alcohol bite despite a 7.5%. Like it for the colder nights!

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 02:55:21 | More by BigPauly

Dubious13

4.45/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A; Poured from a bottle into a snifter glass. Minimal head with little retention and no lacing. Copper colored and very clear. Almost luminous qualities.

S: Cinnamon is the dominant smell with earthy undertones

T: Cinnamon and caramel. For being brewed with molasses, it is suprisingly light. Hops are evident but not overpowering. Very complementary to the maltiness. Extremely balanced flavor, excepting that it may be too sweet for some palettes.

M: Medium body, not too dry for an 8% beer, little carbonation.

O: One of the better winter brews I've tried. Extremely balanced and very drinkable. As far as food pairings, I recommend venison or other "gamey" red meat.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 21:21:54 | More by Dubious13

Brent

Kentucky

4.35/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

In what has been a pretty lackluster season for winter seasonals, this beer shines above the rest. Bright, almost luminous, copper. Aroma was warmly spicy. Moderate, clean bodied mouthfeel. Spicing is prominent but not overpowering. Natural cinnamon, a touch woody, with some other cookie-like background spice. ETOH is well integrated - a little warming and perhaps lending some pepper to the cinnamon. Overall very well done.

Serving type: on-tap

12-04-2012 14:36:09 | More by Brent

patpbr

Ohio

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

The first Winter Warmer I have ever Tried.
A brownish color without lacing. Lots of Cinnamon, it really takes over. The taste is Cinnamon, spice, apple, gingerbread. Lots of flavor, just a hint of malt, some syrup . Its more of a flavored beer then I care for. High ABV, Not one I would buy a six of.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 23:56:16 | More by patpbr

edfish

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Tried at the tap room, poured in a plastic cup.
A-Even in a cup had a nice dark orange brown look to it.
S-Man smelled like a Christmas cookie ...very sweet smell
T-Just like it smells, sweet and christmas spice, it is an 8% brew but you don't taste the alcohol until it warms up.
MF- Rich and sweet all the way
O-was a little to overpowering with the sweetness and Christmas spice I think it is a good dessert beer

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2012 23:27:35 | More by edfish

tgorgz

Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

P: Into a pint glass from a 12 oz. bottle.

A: Not a whole lot going on here, but the colour's a nice looking one- dark amber honey is what I'd call it.

S: Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice. The cinnamon hits you first, and then you'll get a hint of what can only be the molasses.

T: Good spice going on here. The Cinnamon and clove (slightly) hits you well, and then finish is longer with the molasses undertones.

M: Surprisingly light on the palate. Not as much carbonation as I would have liked or expected. The finish is a little syrupy, but passable.

O: Nothing that makes me go "wow", but certainly a decent beverage. I'd kind of have to be in the mood for something along those lines to go for it again. I may, instead, reach for the Winter Warmer from Long Trail.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2012 02:27:01 | More by tgorgz

bigbluebeerguy

Kentucky

3.18/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into a mug. Deep amber in color, with more ruby highlights around the edges. 1 & 1/2 finger off white head that recedes quickly to a spotty layer and no lacing.

Nose is almost predominantly cinnamon, with touches of cooked apple and molasses.

Taste is very much following the nose, with the sugar & spice hitting the tongue first, along with some toasted bread. Unfortunately, there is a very off-putting tartness in the middle that seems out of place. Mildly drying on the finish.

Medium body and carbonation, finishing dry and a little sticky on the tongue.

Overall I'm not impressed. This is the 3rd or 4th offering I've had from this brewery and I've been underwhelmed by each of them. All seem to come out a little thin and bland. Too many good breweries out there for me to keep giving this one another shot. Sorry Rivertown.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 20:54:14 | More by bigbluebeerguy

nukem5

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a dark rich amber, around a 18 SRM. Sadly not a huge foamy cap but a thin layer of foam.

S: The smell of cinnamon and molasses is very powerful and intense with great malt balance with a light hops.

T: Big sweet malty taste with a super blast of sweet caramel and molasses is very powerful and a great balance of cinnamon and some light hops.

M: Surprising this offering from RTB is light in feel from such a huge taste.

O: Overall a great beer from this to me a first from this Brewery from Ohio, good job guys!!

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 06:17:50 | More by nukem5

Clowerweb

Ohio

4.47/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served from a 12oz. brown bottle with no visible date, poured aggressively into a pint glass.

A: Pours an amber dark orange/brown color that resembles the color of iced tea with about a finger of head. Not a lot of retention or lacing, so I docked a point, but it's a very nice color regardless, very nice clarity and well filtered.

S: I smell more cinnamon than anything, although this beer isn't very strongly aromatic, but I do catch notes of sweet molasses and earthy malts, perhaps a bit of floral in there as well. Smells really nice, I just wish the aroma were amplified a bit.

T: Cinnamon comes through right away on the front of the palate, mid palate is very sweet with bready malts and molasses and it finishes clean with sweet cinnamon and a light hop bitterness. This is a fairly high ABV beer, coming in at 7.5%, and there is almost no alcohol coming through in the flavor at all, so they get huge kudos from me on that one. Very high drinkability and goes down smooth as silk. I'm really enjoying this.

M: Creamy and full bodied, moderately carbonated, carbonation will stick to the gums and tongue after the finish which I find delightful, leaves a slightly sweet and tingly mouthfeel behind, no astringency despite the higher ABV is a very respectable accomplishment.

O: This is my first Rivertown brew, and I must say, it has so far been a positive experience. The only way this beer could really be improved would be in head retention and lacing, although I I don't really give too much weight to how a beer looks anyway (taste and mouthfeel are the most important aspects of the experience IMO, and this brew comes away solid in both of these areas).

This is a fantastic winter ale, especially for cinnamon lovers, although it's definitely a niche beer, so if you don't like cinnamon or sweeter brews, you probably wouldn't find much enjoyment in this beer.

Overall highly recommended!

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2012 00:21:14 | More by Clowerweb

ColdPoncho

Ohio

3.73/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Having been rather unimpressed by the majority of these beers, I wasn't planning on buying more of them, but I was told this is pretty good.

A - A deep red body with a nice frothy tan head. Looks pretty good.

S - Caramel and spice (clove, cinnamon, nutmeg?), molasses, a spiced dark fruit cake. Not bad here either.

T - Tastes pretty well in line with the nose. Like a Molasses/cinnamon cake. A touch of funny sweetness, but this is otherwise quite enjoyable.

M - Smooth and light. Doesn't linger too much.

O - Probably the best regular type beer I've had from RT. Looks like they're getting their stuff figured out over there. Let's hope this is a sign of things to come.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 21:16:02 | More by ColdPoncho

secondtooth

Indiana

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

Clean amber in appearance with moderate carbonation and only light lacing.

Nose is curious -- caramel, molasses, cinnamon, candy sugar. Unusual and unique, and certainly not bad!

Taste is another revelation. I get molasses again, taking me back to my youth, enjoying molasses cookies from the local bake shop. Body is heavy here, with a heavy malt presence and an almost coffee cake vibe.

Overall, this is a very enjoyable experience, like no other beer I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 22:59:08 | More by secondtooth

BB1313

Ohio

3.13/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Pours a transparent copper; not much head and lacing, but nice color and retention. The aromas are very faint and only start to develop as the beer warms up. It's not that the aromas are bad, they're just too subtle. It doesn't really smell like it tastes. The flavors are pretty good though. Cinnamon is the main ingredient, and I think they did a great job with the spices. I've had alot of beers brewed with cinnamon, but none have tasted like this. The spices taste very raw and grainy. There's some ginger in nutmeg in the mix as well. There's a spicy bitterness. Mouthfeel is ok, pretty spritzy and on the lighter side. Reguardless, it still drinks pretty smooth. Alcohol goes unnoticed.

I wasn't sure what to expect, this was my first time having something from Rivertown. I do like this, although it has flaws. But at the end of the day it does taste good.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 23:21:01 | More by BB1313

wingman14

Ohio

4.71/5  rDev +27%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Pours a nice dark orange with an off white head that didn't stick around too long. Smell is dominated by the cinnamon, with some sweet and malty notes as well. A very inviting smell, was hoping the flavor wouldn't overpower and it didn't. The malt and cinnamon work well together for a great taste. A medium mouthfeel, a nice smooth beer, an easy drinker, could easily have a few and the flavor is not going to overwhelm. Overall a good winter warmer, definitely a beer I would get again.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2012 03:37:35 | More by wingman14

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter.

2.5 A: Clear deep amber color. I could only muster 1/4 of a finger of beige head that fell almost instantly.

3.5 S: Lots of cinnamon (but not too much) that meshes well with the caramel maltiness. Molasses adds another well integrated layer of depth. Simple, but certainly pleasant.

3.5 T: Like the nose. Cinnamon, caramel, molasses. Malts are slightly grainy and this is very clean overall.

4.0 M: Light to lighter medium body. Good moderate carbonation. Good creaminess for how light the body is. Smooth.

3.5 D: Not a bad winter brew. Very simple, but tasty.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 04:57:27 | More by DavoleBomb

shanblur

Indiana

3.43/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

No date markings on bottle. Poured from 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

A - Deep mahogany colored beer with red highlights. Minimal white head on the pour and sparse lacing.

S - Cinnamon comes through on the smell. Also a malt aroma.

T - Cinnamon again is the major player, with a gentle sweet malt and minor hops combination.

M - Medium bodied with a light carbonation.

A nice beer. Would probably not get again but glad I tried it. Nice integration of the cinnamon.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2012 21:41:20 | More by shanblur

TheGordianKnot

Tennessee

3.2/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into large pilsener glass...

A- Pours a copper ruby color with a cm of light colored head that turns to nothing very quickly. Nothing great for the eyes here, just a bland looking beer...

S- A bit soapy with a warm spice from the cinnamon and even hints of pumpkin? There are some cherries and plums hanging around also. Sweet malt, maybe slightly nutty.

T/M- Again the cinnamon is very prominent, but it is smooth and subtle, unlike most spiced beers. The spices are actually very pleasing to me, as I normally find them to be the least desirable aspect of a winter beer. This is actually similar to the nose. The body is medium, almost light, with conservative carbonation.

O- Almost a lager like profile that I also got in the hop bomber from Rivertown. So far nothing great from them, but palatable and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 14:05:43 | More by TheGordianKnot

BEERchitect

Kentucky

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

Cinnamon Toast Crunch dry cereal- There! Review over. But to add, it's remarkable in how the malty flavors of light toast, pale caramel, and hearty barley malt frame the backdrop for added spice of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in such a way to evoke an uncanny resemblance to the cereal that I loved as a kid. Where the medium bodied beer carries a caramel-heavy start, the copper colored ale develops into a semi-dry mid palate before utimately falling a bit weak. But the cinnamon and caramel flavor are inviting, if not one-dimensional.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2011 19:50:00 | More by BEERchitect

schoolboy

Ohio

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

Alright Rivertown! This one works. I know I haven't liked all of their stuff, but this one is very OK. I would definitely buy it again.

As you want in a winter warmer, this has a nice bunch of spice taste. A nice mix of spices, actually, and somewhat unique. The malt and hops characteristics do not seem as complex or interesting, but the are inoffcensive and it is very drinkable. It doesn't taste boozy in the least.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 22:25:13 | More by schoolboy

Jesse13713

Ohio

3.13/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Appearance - A transparent cherry-hued ale. Light red and a slight brown. No head or lacing in the glass.

Smell - Light malt and spice. Faint hints of light fruit.

Taste - Tastes very heavily like maraschino cherries. A bit medicinal in a way. This is a very dessert-like beer that actually tastes like I'm eating strawberry shortcake. It becomes a bit repetitive, but not bad overall. Lightly spiced.

Mouthfeel and Drinkability - Medium to heavy-bodied. Makes your mouth water. Well balanced, though it can taste a bit artificial and medicinal at times.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 01:33:32 | More by Jesse13713

BeerBuckeye

Ohio

2.95/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A - Pours a very clear deep amber/light mahogany. Not much of a head here and dissipates quickly.

S - A bit of a nutty smell, some notes of caramel, apple, and molasses.

T - Quite a bit of cinnamon actually, definitely some molasses in there as well, some bite from the alcohol. Cloves and nutmeg also present here. Balance is a little spice-heavy though.

M - The cinnamon seems to dry the mouth quite a bit, as if you were eating some cinnamon. It's pretty thin actually for having been brewed with molasses.

Overall - It was only average. The balance seemed way off and heavy on cinnamon. I

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 16:28:21 | More by BeerBuckeye

stercomm

Ohio

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

Poured from a 12 oz bottle

A - Very hazy straw color, little to no head, no glass lacing at all.

S - Some citrus, a gingerebread like flavor, some earthiness.

T - Very refreshing, lemon zest, bready some spice. Clean finish.

M - Medium bodied, medium carbonation

D - Not a bad summer brew, very refreshing, good flavors

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2011 21:45:32 | More by stercomm

PDXHops

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle courtesy of Ryan011235, poured into a Duvel tulip (back in February). Hazy amber with a short lived bubbly head and nada in the way of lacing.

The advertised cinammon and molasses are certainly present in the nose, along with a generous helping of bready malt and a citrusy undertone of citrus. Hints of toast and chocolate, too. Tastes more or less like I expected. I'm not a huge fan of huge spicing in winter warmers, but a decent sting of bitterness and ample carbonation seem to keep the cinammon in check here. Pretty nice depth of flavor; I especially dig the earthy hops in contrast with the tangy molasses. The bready and toasty malts don't take the molasses overboard. Better than your average spiced beer for sure.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2011 23:50:23 | More by PDXHops

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into an E&J Cask & Cream glass (poured the second half of the bottle into a snifter at the suggestion of the label)

Dull amber color that has enough depth to look a bit like a jar of honey. The puffy, two finger head didn't last long, thinning to an slight, lasting layer after a few minutes. No lace.

This smells like a big old gingerbread cookie. Hints of cinnamon bread underneath. Earthy hops & nutty undertones. Smells good as far as spices go; maybe too much for a beer. Imagine incense sticks prior to being burnt, only good.

Spices are similarly strong to taste; lots of cinnamon & ginger. Eh, they don't seem quite as strong as the nose; perhaps this is due to a more prominent bread notion that envelops said spices. Toasty & dry. Some earthy hops without much bitterness.

The feel is an appropriate medium body yet retains a nimble quality (at least before multiple swigs begin adding layer of lingering spices). The spices impart a sharp dryness which makes for a granular feel, as if over saturated with cinnamon & such. Carbonation is reasonably low & doesn't over-assert the spices. The finish is, no big surprise, dry & wrought with spices.

In the past I haven't been one to gravitate toward overly-spiced beers such as this. However, as far as spiced winter ales go this is easily drinkable & pretty enjoyable. Easily the best I've had from Rivertown.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2011 06:20:49 | More by Ryan011235

movingtrain

Ohio

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

12 ounce bottle sampled from a small snifter. Rivertown is a relatively new brewery in Cincinnati, and they are making some decent stuff. Not much information out there about them, though--no ABV listed on the bottle or on their website.

Pours an amber/brown color. The head is about one and a half fingers with an aggressive pour, but quickly dwindles to almost nothing. Carbonation looks steady.

The aroma is quite sweet. Actually smells lager-like. Strong malt presence backed by some mild hop bittering, cinnamon, hard candy, vanilla, light chocolate tones, clove, a bit of banana, and brown sugar.

The flavor here is interesting...the molasses hits you right off the bat, lending a syrupy sweet flavor across the tongue. Not sure what the ABV is here, but the beer is rather warming. Warm bread, cinnamon hard candy, plum, raisin, and brown sugar all come to mind. I think the addition of molasses here gives the flavor just enough complexity to make this an oddly balanced, but drinkable beer.

Overall, Rivertown's Winter Ale is, well, good for Winter. It works for the style, and even has a few surprises in the flavor. It is drinkable the night through.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2011 23:08:07 | More by movingtrain

Beejay

Virginia

3.73/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Slightly Hazy, the color is a dark amber with red hues when held to the light. The head is thick and tan.

S: You can definitely pick up the cinnamon. Not as sharp as some cinnamon can get. Sweet with a nice spice back.

T: Sweet at first with a nice strong hit from the cinnamon. There is a nice bready quality to this as well. The finish has a bit of a bitter hit from the hops. Nice overall.

M: Medium in body, fairly high carbonation, and a bit slick on the feel.

D: Good, but a bit of a holiday/ cinnamon lovers beer. I enjoy it, but it is not something I am going to do a night of. Bet it would be wicked to cook with too!

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2011 02:16:46 | More by Beejay