First Frost
Fullsteam Brewery

First FrostFirst Frost
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From:
Fullsteam Brewery
 
North Carolina, United States
Style:
Winter Warmer
ABV:
8.8%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.9 | pDev: 11.54%
Reviews:
30
Ratings:
83
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 22, 2018
Added:
Feb 06, 2011
Wants:
  23
Gots:
  21
Persimmon (Diospyros Virginiana) — literally, “fruit of the gods.” Sweet and savory, with natural notes of cinnamon and apricot, the orange-globed persimmon fruit truly is heavenly. But it’s not until after the first frost that persimmon turns from astringent and bitter to a luscious fruit worthy of the gods.

This bountiful yield produced a complex, fruit- forward winter ale. The beer’s notes of holiday spices come entirely from the native persimmon and the beer’s Belgian ale yeast. At 12% ABV, it's a strong beer -- a fireplace ale for sure -- brewed with the harvest in mind, not a specific style.
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Photo of avalon07
Reviewed by avalon07 from South Carolina

4.04/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
L: Poured from a bottle to a goblet. Had an amber-ish color and a cloudy consistency. There was a quarter inch of foamy, off white, fairly long-lasting head. Very good lacing.

S: A solid aroma of malt, spices, honey, dark fruit, and caramel.

T: Tasted of a good amount of malt (not overdone), a decent amount of honey, some spices (cinnamon), a lot of dark fruit (cherry, raisin), a little apricot, a tinge of caramel, and a bit of the advertised persimmon. This is a fairly complex flavor. It's a bit on the boozy side, but the fruit ingredients offset this pretty well. On the whole, a solid flavor.

F: A good amount of carbonation with a warm, yet sharp, finish. Full-bodied.

O: If you like beers with big characters, check this out. Drinkable.
Sep 22, 2018
 
Rated: 3.93 by MMOSNN from North Carolina

Jan 06, 2018
Photo of MacMalt
Reviewed by MacMalt from New Jersey

3.84/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
I had this on draught at the brewery. 11 oz. pour served in a tulip glass. It pours an orange-amber color with virtually no head or lacing and little carbonation. The nose features brown sugar, cinnamon and other spices, cherry, and a sweet fruit I assume is persimmon. You can also smell the alcohol. The first thing I tasted is caramel malt, followed by sweet fruit, brown sugar, and spices. It's very sweet and rather cloying. There is also a discernible alcohol taste. This ale is fairly viscous with minimal carbonation. You immediately notice the 12.4% ABV; this is definitely a sipper. Overall, First Frost is just what it purports to be: a tasty holiday/winter ale that is perfect for sipping after a nice meal, preferable in front of a roaring fire.
Aug 26, 2017
 
Rated: 4.18 by RobDB from New Jersey

Aug 17, 2017
 
Rated: 4.06 by BeerBeast from Florida

Jan 18, 2017
 
Rated: 3.97 by elvisdoc from Florida

Jan 18, 2017
Photo of AngusOg
Reviewed by AngusOg from North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
I've been looking to get my hands on this one, and when I finally did I think it lived up to its billing. Nice flavor profile of Belgian yeast spiciness with some really nice fruity flavors, slightly tart. High drinkability, esp for a 12% abv, which I didn't realize until I checked the bottle after starting to feel a bit buzzed about half way through. Definitely enough to warm your insides in the winter (or at least numb you to the point where you don't notice the cold). An awesome and little bit different take on a winter warmer, appropriate and highly enjoyable for the first snow storm here in Western NC. Would definitely seek this again in the future.
Jan 08, 2017
Photo of twage04
Reviewed by twage04 from North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The 2015 version, 12+ % ABV.

Pours a hazy gold with medium carbonation. Some spices and belgian yeastiness on the nose. Taste is of the same with a whole lot of booze. Some malty fruitiness sorta like a quad but the color certainly makes this look like a tripel. Don't be surprised though, it is a sipper and super malty. Some spices come through but they are muted which is okay with me. Tastes every bit of the ABV. A bomber full of this will put you into a fun state wowza
Dec 17, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by lupercmda from North Carolina

Nov 15, 2016
Photo of dbrauneis
Reviewed by dbrauneis from North Carolina

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
A: Pours a lightly hazy burnt orange/copper in color with light to moderate amounts of active visible carbonation rising from the bottom of the glass and moderate golden honey colored highlights. The beer has a finger tall creamy foamy beige head that slowly reduces to a large patch of thin film covering the entire surface of the the beer and a medium thick ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of toasted, pale, and caramel malts with a moderate amount of sweetness. Slightly stronger than moderate aromas of persimmons and light aromas of holiday spices (nutmeg, allspice, black pepper). Light to moderate aromas of light fruit (apple + pear) and spicy yeast.

T: Upfront there is a moderate flavor of toasted, pale, and caramel malts with a moderate amount of caramel + light fruit (apple + pear) sweetness. That is followed by light flavors of holiday spices (nutmeg black pepper, and allspice). Moderate flavors of spicy saison/Belgian yeast and a moderate to slightly stringer flavor of persimmons which contribute to the lingering sweetness.

M: Medium to full bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth.

O: Very enjoyable, very interesting, and quite easy to drink considering the strength. I like the combination of the sweetness (which is present but not cloying), spices, and fruit flavors.
Oct 23, 2016
 
Rated: 3.79 by FriedSlug from North Carolina

Oct 21, 2016
 
Rated: 4.25 by CaptainInsaneO from New Jersey

Feb 10, 2016
Photo of SPLITGRIN
Reviewed by SPLITGRIN from Kentucky

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Looks like apricot juice sitting in the glass hosting a pale tan quick fading head that barely reaches an inch. Nose has a lot of fruit going on with hints of apricot mango in dried persimmons. Really a nicely fragrant beer. Taste is strongly of dark fruit at first yielding to a more juicy fruit profile as you continue to drink. The yeasty feel of this beer is very much on the Belgian side. Kind of reminds me of a mix between a Belgian Strong dark ale and a good Belgian pale. Overall this and Seshan deal this hard to categorize but very enjoyable. I would really like to see this beer with several years of age on it. I will definitely track more down if I can. Indeed very careful because this one drinks way too easy for 12% alcohol by volume.
Jan 23, 2016
 
Rated: 2.24 by HopintheSouth from North Carolina

Dec 27, 2015
 
Rated: 3.64 by Keith27614 from North Carolina

Dec 06, 2015
 
Rated: 3.6 by orangesol from Pennsylvania

Dec 02, 2015
 
Rated: 3.61 by Domvan from Texas

Apr 24, 2015
 
Rated: 3.58 by Gator_Chomp from Florida

Mar 04, 2015
 
Rated: 3.79 by EConnOG from South Carolina

Jan 15, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by EricTKole from Michigan

Dec 30, 2014
First Frost from Fullsteam Brewery
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 83 ratings