Winter Shredder - Cisco Brewers Inc.

TMoney2591

Illinois

2.46/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

I miss the Ninja Turtles... Anyway, this stuff pours a clear copper-garnet topped by over a finger of wan khaki foam. The nose comprises light cardboard, musty pine needle, stale orange peel, and a vague mixture of spices. The taste goes headlong for the orange the spices (which are still to blandly mixed together to pick apart), moves into wetter cardboard and stale biscuit, and finishes in an odd and off-putting bitterness that borders on mintiness. This is just plain bad, folks. The body is a light medium, with a very light moderate carbonation and a slick feel. Overall, I think they tried a little too hard with this spiced ale and ended up falling rather short of anything worth drinking. Pure dreck.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 19:56:59 | More by TMoney2591

JoeyD

Florida

3.98/5  rDev +24%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The frugal man's Dead Guy Ale. Good taste at a good price.

Recently this popped up on an impulse display at $5 for a 6-pack. It had a decent rating, and with a 6% ABV I figured it would be worth a try. I was pleasantly surprised at the full flavor because I wasn't expecting much for that price.

It has all of the flavor of a good spicy beer, but it finishes a bit thin. That might not be a bad thing though as it's pretty drinkable. IMHO it deserves to be upwards of 80 points here. It's better than some higher rated beers I've tried. Enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 00:38:22 | More by JoeyD

nickfl

Florida

3.38/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours with one finger of light tan foam on top of a clear, amber-brown body. The head settles at a moderate pace and leaves decent lace.

S - Dark bread, toasted malt with some clove and cinnamon.

T - Toasted grain and dark sugar up front. Black bread and notes of molasses in the middle with a finish of clove, allspice, and light hop bitterness.

M - Medium-thick body, average carbonation, and a fairly dry finish.

D - Not great, the malt is dark but overly dry with a harshly toasty finish. Not much else going on.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 05:25:15 | More by nickfl

jadpsu

Georgia

4.11/5  rDev +28%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Purchased at Neiko's after they had a Cisco beer tasting event.
Pours a great clear amber with a great tight tan head with some superior side glass lacing.
Aroma is spicy hops led by orange peel hops with some lesser bready malts.
Taste folows the nose with orange peel hops and bready, toffee like malts.
Extra dry throughout. a good Winter Warmer.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 04:52:24 | More by jadpsu

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.63/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Pours a four-finger khaki head that fades quickly leaving some lace. Crystal clear, deep amber color. Good carbonation and medium bodied. Piney, citrusy nose and flavor is spicy citrus, dry light bitter finish. Unusual winter brew. $2.35 for a 12oz bottle from Bert's Better Beers Hooksett, NH

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 23:32:55 | More by jdhilt

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Quite an attractive winter warmer, ruby brown in color with some good carbonation resulting in a 1/2 inch of opaque colored head. Seems to stick around for quite a bit and and lacing looks great.

S - A very mild one really maybe sweet malts? Toffee? A touch of cherry? It's hard to tell.

T - Oaky and a tad bitter possibly too much since it gives me a medical herb flavor. Very little actual sweet malts which is OK I guess. God I wish it wasn't so bitter winter warmers are suppose to be malt forward...

M - Medium and bitter yet seems to be good enough.

Overall I think I give up on Cisco Brewery so far the only beer that "wow'd" me was their Summer of Lager, so I will pick it up again in... summer. Gowd I can't wait for summer winter sucks!

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 02:04:54 | More by DrDemento456

MrCee

4.2/5  rDev +30.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Cola like in color. Spicy in taste especially in the aftertaste. It has a mild hoppy feel to it. The Head is nice and dark. An interesting characteristic is its gassiness which make it easy to fall into a fit of the hiccups. Light on the aroma. As winter beers go, this one has a lightness that make those not into syrupy winter winter beers appreciative. This is something we can enjoy when it gets cold.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 16:11:18 | More by MrCee

dacrza1

New Jersey

2.15/5  rDev -33%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.25 | overall: 2

Situation: Shark Tank Friday--the best hour of TV deserves a beer rating!
Glassware: Kisatsky's Tavern pint...
Appearance: nice nut brown body; thick, creamy head reminiscent of a snow drift (three-finger crater-filled mound!)...
Aroma: vanilla, berry (?!), syrupy and sugary--a complex hodgepodge that cannot be verified as the beer glass drains...
Palate: warming--no abv on the label?! A turn-off--and then the beer finishes in a flourish of cough syrup...oh no...
Taste: oddly thick vanilla and syrup/nut taste--a bit too medicinal to be considered an attractive holiday option....
Overall: "Gnar-Gnar Lumpkin" sounds fun when you say it to your spouse aloud, but he sticks in your throat and nostrils like a liquid sasquatch; divulge the alcohol content, Cisco, and we may have reason to see past the muddle that is this beer's body and flavor...not sure "cold, fresh, and wicked cool" isn't longhand for Coors Heavy...

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 05:24:31 | More by dacrza1

metter98

New York

3.46/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is clear amber to brown in color and has a moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high dense beige colored head that has good retention properties and consistently left a thin head covering the surface and lacy dots, rings and zig zags of bubbles on the edges of the glass, which reminded me of patterns of frost on a window.
S: Light aromas of spices are present in the nose - ginger and nutmeg seem to stand out in particular.
T: The taste is dominated by spicy flavors, but these aren't overpowering. Flavors of ginger linger through the finish. A very slight amount of bitterness is present.
M: It feels medium-bodied and a little dry (from the spices) on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This is a winter warmer that is not too difficult to drink, possibly since it uses ginger in lieu of other stronger spices.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 05:31:55 | More by metter98

zeff80

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a clear, burgundy color with a one-finger, off-white head of foam. It left thin trails of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of pine and Christmas spices.

T - Lots of spices with cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Good toffee, bready and caramel sweetness for balance.

M - A crisp, sharp, smooth ale with a dry finish. Medium bodied.

O - This is good. I like the label art, too.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 21:55:16 | More by zeff80

Ryanm1

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev +10%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a glass, moderate amount of brownish white lacing. Very dark brown ale in color. Can barely see through the glass. Slight alcohol smell, keeping with winter warmer scene it has some spicy characters to it. Notes of dark fruit, maybe a little carmel too. Not too much body on this one, slightly watery dispite being 6% abv. Does not jump off your tounge and powering malty/spicy taste. Very dry. An average winter beer, below average for the price.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 00:12:55 | More by Ryanm1

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a copper tinted amber, full fluffy off-white head. Scent strong on seasonal spice, brown sugar and molasses and and tootsie-roll like chocolate, notes of mud and earth seem out of place - from the relatively lighter color, didn't expect this. Taste brings notes of scent, but somewhat all over the place and never really comes together. Medium bodied, lingering spice. Decent seasonal with lots of flavor, but needs more cohesion.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 16:23:56 | More by rfgetz

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a red-chestnut color with very light hazing. I got to see about two-and-a-half fingers of light beige head. Nice lacing. Good head retention.

Some English-style malts with dry toffee and roast notes. Lightly sweet and lightly spiced. Hints of clove, ginger, star anise, and very light cinnamon.

Nice balanced flavors with some good warmth. Malts are toffee-like and roasty with some sweet caramelized sugar flavors. Hops are tangy and spice the beer along with some cinnamon and clove. Hops are nice and offer some interesting citrus elements. Brown sugar, ginger, citrus peel, alcohol, and grapefruit hops in the finish.

Simple, but nice mouthfeel. Little bit of heat, some smoothness, and some scrub from the carbonation.

Nice warmer, maybe a little too warm in the strength. It's identifiable for what it is, and decent.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 00:00:33 | More by thecheapies

oberon

North Carolina

3.35/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear deep rich amber with a large blooming off white head atop.CHRISTmas spice in the nose along with a smattering of leafy hops,pretty light on both ends.flavors are pretty mild with some nutmeg and leafy hops,it's pretty dry but also lackluster.An average winter warmer,it looks pretty good and has a good mouthfeel but is pretty average in the other aspects.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 23:52:42 | More by oberon

puboflyons

New Hampshire

3.55/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From the 12 fl. oz. bottle. Sampled on December 28, 2012.

It pours a handsome looking mahogany amber with a soft, beige head that lingers but never erupts.

The aromas has some sweet, dark malts esters along with coriander and bread. Hops are muted on the nose.

The body is medium and smooth.

While the hops are muted in the aroma they burst upon the scene in the taste with a moderately bitter and dry finish to the sweetish start.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 23:30:55 | More by puboflyons

palma

New York

2.1/5  rDev -34.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

A horrible winter warmer. I got stupid and took a chance on a sixer of this. I figured Cisco would dissappoint.

Clove plum nutmeg in the nose. Decent.

Taste is astringent. Pine needles. Cough syrup. Metal. Raisins. Very malty with a harsh backbone. Biting. Close to undrinkable. The nice flavors are there but they all sit behind a harsh, alcoholic, biting and astringent front. Had to give away 4 of the 6 of this sixer. Hopefully somone else's palate will enjoy it. Mine definitely wanted none of this.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 03:52:27 | More by palma

jmerloni

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +30.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - Auburn mahogany coloration, off-white head, translucent for the most part.

S - Dark fruits, nutmeg, yeast, malts. Not very robust.

T - Dark fruits, pine hops, dates, ginger, light brown sugar malts, nutmeg, yeasty hoppy finish. Very interesting combination. Nothing overdone. Very nice balance.

M - Excellent mouthfeel. Medium bodied with a little bite on the finish but is dry overall. Carbonation is spot-on.

D - A very good beer. A little expensive for what it is, but it's quite well-crafted. I could perhaps get this again if I found it for $9.99 or less (I'm pretty sure it was $10.99+, which is too much for a winter warmer)...

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 00:14:27 | More by jmerloni

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +24.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

LOOK: Pours a clear deep copper, white foam leaves spiderweb like lacing down the pint glass.

SMELL: Cocoa, malted grain, alcohol, and floral essence.

TASTE: Well hopped with a piney bitterness. Scotch/whiskey like malt notes with a dry hop bite. Finishes hoppy and bitter. Just a pinch of spice and gingerbread. Surprised at how hoppy this is. Cocoa notes emerge with touches of caramel and toffee.

FEEL: Medium bodied, crisp and well carbonated.

OVERALL: A solid, fresh tasting winter beer. Liked the hop flavors.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 23:08:05 | More by Stinkypuss

Billolick

New York

3.98/5  rDev +24%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle, without any date/freshness info.

A: Darker amber, Sparse tan head, that goes to a delicate, collar and a few strands of lace.

S: Pungent nose of darker malts, some wood and whiskey

T: Full flavor and tasting quite fresh. More wood, and wiskey are a pleasant suprise. Also some holiday pie type spice. Super dry all the way through a long finish with hops biting on your taste buds. Decent winter sipper/night capper kinda beer

MF: Soft and smooth.

O: Well done, not sure if I can remember a better Cisco beer. one. Lots of flavor and complexity. Worth picking up a six of this one

Note, big differences in the rieviews for last years version (2011) and this years (2012).

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 20:23:53 | More by Billolick

scruffwhor

Illinois

2.8/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Walnutty, ruby color with some small, sluggish bubbling. Great tan head after teh pour and an equally great head of foam and sticky lacing. This looks ...GREAT!

There's a limedium, spice note to the nose. Faint XMAS spice aromas, seems to be more of a hop spiceness to me. Just a hint of caramel and sweet, toasted bread crust.

The mix of spices and hops seems to give this beer a brassy taste and palate. The front to finish of the palate is astringent. There's some good caramel and bready malt flavors in this beer, but they get muddled by the spicey astringent flavors and palate.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 11:37:05 | More by scruffwhor

Suds

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This is a reddish, frothy beer with a white head. The aroma is of herbal hops and some spice. Wood and pine-needles. Some earthy scents. The taste is a little astringent, not really sweet. Hops play a big part here....spice and grain. Grassy. The beer is medium in body, with a smoothness in the back of the tongue and a firm finish.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 02:44:15 | More by Suds

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +21.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a twelve ounce bottle into a pint glass.

Pours dark reddish brown, more opaque than not. 1/4 inch foam then fizzles and settles but leaving a patchy layer. Fruity nose. Cherries, plums raspberries. Rich malt open with a tert fruit taste. Hoppy/boozy is a little puckering in the mouthfeel. Almost a little wine in there.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 12:16:56 | More by KTCamm

jsanford

Georgia

2.18/5  rDev -32.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Pours a dark mahogany brown with a dense off-white head that settles to a solid cap. Very mild aromas of sweet caramel malt, some orange peel, and just a touch of Winter spices. Bland. Taste is similarly bland, honestly this has zero recognizable character. Just malt, maybe some hops, a bit of spice, and a touch of caramel. Yeah...super bland. Mouthfeel is smooth, a touch creamy, with a medium body and decent carbonation. Incredibly forgettable, not a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 01:08:49 | More by jsanford

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a very dark amber in color with some garnet red highlights and moderate amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a finger tall creamy beige head that slowly fades to small patch of medium thick larger bubbles, a very thin film covering the majority of the surface of the beer, and a thick ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of toffee malt sweetness with some lighter aromas of nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, clove, and juniper.

T: Similar to the smell, the beer starts out with moderate flavors of caramel and toffee malts but without a lot of sweetness. There are multiple different spice flavors that come out next including nutmeg, clove, allspice, and juniper with just a touch of cinnamon. Moderate amounts of lingering bitterness.

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly chewy with a light amount of alcohol heat in the finish.

O: I kind of enjoyed this one as it almost seemed like a hybrid of an ESB and a winter warmer, though it was not a super easy to drink beer and probably a beer that I would not have more than one of during a session - this would be best sipped after dinner by the fireplace as there is too much going on to pair well with foods in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 02:57:59 | More by dbrauneis

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

2.28/5  rDev -29%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Pours a nice reddish brown color with a good sized bubbly white head that slowly dissipates to a cap. Smells of mineral water, licorice, a bit of brown sugar and a hint of earth. The flavor is really quite bad. Caramel and brown sugar atop a heavy presence of anise or licorice with a metallic earthy almost sulfur flavor. Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation and a sweet tart mouthfeel. I couldn't finish this one it's horrible.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 02:03:41 | More by johnnnniee