Casco Bay Winter Ale (Old Port Ale)
Casco Bay Brewing Co.

Casco Bay Winter Ale (Old Port Ale)Casco Bay Winter Ale (Old Port Ale)
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From:
Casco Bay Brewing Co.
 
Maine, United States
Style:
Winter Warmer
ABV:
7.3%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.75 | pDev: 10.93%
Reviews:
72
Ratings:
84
Status:
Retired
Rated:
May 07, 2016
Added:
Mar 25, 2002
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  4
The Old Port Winter Ale has brought inner warmth and happiness to both Mainers and those from away for the past several winters. The 7.3% ABV makes our winter seasonal a Strong Ale by style. But the deep mahogany color, thick foamy head, solid malt body, and assertive hop flavor make it a worthy reward for reaching the end of another Maine winter's day.
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Rated: 3.73 by Jfstermer from Pennsylvania

May 07, 2016
 
Rated: 3.3 by rderedin from Maine

Apr 17, 2016
 
Rated: 3.73 by Boone757 from Virginia

Apr 01, 2016
Photo of TX-Badger
Reviewed by TX-Badger from Texas

3.5/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a reddish brown color with ivory colored head. Caramel malts, spice, and some light yeast on the nose; follows onto the palate. Medium bodied. Finishes with spice and malt.
Feb 26, 2016
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Rated by DavesBeerReviews from Florida

3/5  rDev -20%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Nice strong malty ale
Feb 02, 2016
 
Rated: 3.46 by cjtuggle from Ohio

Jan 05, 2016
 
Rated: 3.67 by sisterofba from Maryland

Nov 18, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by rorjets from Connecticut

Dec 17, 2013
 
Rated: 2.25 by bcsbeer from Florida

Dec 06, 2012
 
Rated: 3.25 by djrn2 from New Jersey

Nov 22, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by bzach from Indiana

Oct 12, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by bonbini26 from New Jersey

Jan 10, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by Rochefort10nh from New Hampshire

Dec 01, 2011
Photo of Ryanm1
Reviewed by Ryanm1 from Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This was poured from a bottle into a pint glass. The bottle was bought from the Shipyard Brewery in Maine a couple of months earlier in a variety of choices. Casco Bay is either completely owned or just bottled by Shipyard.
The color is brown. Minimal head on it. Its got a sweet scent with hints of fruit. Appearntly it is 7.2% ABV higher than the average beer, but common among Winter Warmers. This beer is very similar to the 2010 Shipyard Winter Called Prelude. It is moderately to heavy on the carbonation and has a mouthfeel similar to eating a lesser version of poprocks.
Can't believe I am drinking this Winter ale on the warmest day of the Winter a 77degree day in Philly.
Mar 18, 2011
Photo of berley31
Reviewed by berley31 from Canada (NB)

3.88/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Poured with an average-sized, off-white head that appears slightly creamy. Dissipates over a couple of minutes. Body is a dark amber color and very clear.

S: Moderately malty and sweet, with hints of chocolate.

T: Starts malty and sweet, and very smooth, and finishes slightly dry. The chocolate notes in the aroma are only barely detectable in the taste.

M: Medium bodied, quite creamy, with soft carbonation.

D: An easy-to-drink winter beer, and quite mellow and smooth compared to many of its competitors.
Mar 06, 2010
Photo of u2carew
Reviewed by u2carew from Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A) Brown with reddish hues. Pours with a thin head. Produces nice thin lacing.
S) Caramel sweet notes. A touch of alcohol tries to poke through. Some yeasty notes.
T) A slight sour bite at the front end then moves into earthy sweetness. Finishes with a bit of hop ans malty sweetness. Caramel, toffee, and butterscotch in the mix.
S) Medium bodied. Some fizziness. Slightly creamy.
D) A decent beer. Not as strong as anticipated with the winter warmer classification.
Jun 19, 2009
Photo of Bowdoinbeerboy
Reviewed by Bowdoinbeerboy from Maine

3.72/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Appearance- Pours with no head, little carbonation and beer is a dark copper color.

Smell- Boozy and metallic, yet somehow alluring...

Taste- Sharp, metallic here too. Very malty with some lingering sweetness.

Mouthfeel- Good palate coverage.

Drinkability- Solid, not great but solid.
Nov 10, 2008
Photo of evanackerman
Reviewed by evanackerman from Minnesota

3.67/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
beer pours brown with a one finger head, decient lacing.

aroma is sweet malt, raisin bread, slightly sour.

taste is buttery malt with a slight hop bitterness

medium bodied mouthfeel, minimal carbonation

drinkability is average

overall, not bad but not something i'm likely to ever buy again, tastes more like an average brown ale than a unique winter beer, so far I have not been blown away by anything from Shipyard/Casco Bay brewery.
Oct 26, 2008
Photo of mooseisloose
Reviewed by mooseisloose from Florida

4.05/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A BOTMC selection I'm finally getting to. Smells of malt and licorice with pistachios. Lots of sugars in this one. Pours to a dark translucent brown with a good two finger head. Laces nicely as the head recedes. Mouthfeel is outstanding, thick and smooth with enough carbonation to break the flavors loose. Taste is a mostly bitter start with sweetness in the middle again overtaken by a dry bitter after taste but still followed by a brown sugar sweetness. This brew has 4 phases of flavor, complex and delicious. This is a tough brew to put down. A cornucopia of flavors. The high AC in this brew is not at all detectable, this is beer with a helluva backbone. I think just drinking it, the snow is starting to fall. Time to put another log on the fire. I need to get some more of this to cellar.
Oct 04, 2008
Photo of scoobybrew
Reviewed by scoobybrew from Indiana

3.67/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This was poured from the bottle into a snifter-like glass.

A - amber color with thick collar-like head that dissipates a bit initially but is retained in a lacing about the glass

S - malty with some hints of oxidation and a slight bit of hop

T - malty at first, but the flavor quickly turns quite hoppy with a very dry finish

M - medium body with moderate carbonation

D - This is a decent winter warmer, and even though I'm enjoying it on an early summer day, I imagine it would be quite nice by a fireplace in the dead of January.
Jun 05, 2008
Casco Bay Winter Ale (Old Port Ale) from Casco Bay Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 84 ratings