Winter Warmer
Otto's Pub and Brewery

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From:
Otto's Pub and Brewery
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
Winter Warmer
ABV:
8.5%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.8 | pDev: 7.89%
Reviews:
7
Ratings:
14
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 06, 2018
Added:
Feb 17, 2005
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  3
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of ajm5108
Reviewed by ajm5108 from Pennsylvania

3.42/5  rDev -10%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 3.5
2018 version. Brewed with blackberry and honey, so doesn’t exactly fall in line with what you’d expect from a winter warmer, tastes like a fruit beer which is fine as far as it goes, the blackberry really dominate the palate and the base beer is rather anonymous, and also very thin. Alright
Feb 06, 2018
 
Rated: 3.79 by tdm168 from Pennsylvania

Jan 14, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by jwat from Pennsylvania

Feb 29, 2016
 
Rated: 3.9 by bf7 from Pennsylvania

Jan 24, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by pat_usher from Pennsylvania

Jul 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by pretext from New York

Jan 12, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by pcsnyder from Pennsylvania

Apr 23, 2013
Photo of Darkmagus82
Reviewed by Darkmagus82 from Texas

3.3/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Served on tap in a 12 oz chalice glass

Appearance – Served a deep brown nearly black colored brew with a one finger tan head. The head faded relatively fast to leave only a light level of lacing.

Smell- The aroma was on the lighter side. It consisted mainly of a raspberry smell. Mixed with this sweeter smell were notes of a roasted malt, chocolate, and spice aromas of clove and nutmeg.

Taste – The taste begins with a brown bread flavor and some sweet caramel and raspberry flavors. As the taste advances further more roasted flavors and cocoa begin coming to the tongue. Soon after these some spice flavors of nutmeg and cinnamon hit the taste buds. These flavors all take the taste to its end, where the raspberry flavor gets stronger and is joined by a alcohol flavor. This mix of flavors end up leaving a slightly off boozed and spiced roasted malt and raspberry flavor to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the lighter side for a beer of 8.2% abv and of the winter warmer variety, while the carbonation level of the beer was rather average. A slightly more creamy body may have suited the roasted flavors and the style more appropriately, but even with that said the feel wasn’t really all that bad.

Overall – It was an alright winter warmer. Other then the somewhat off balance of flavors at the end of the taste it was rather nice. Although it is not one I would go back to again, others may find it enjoyable and I think it is one to try.
Jan 06, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by jaltland from Pennsylvania

Dec 22, 2011
Photo of CharlesDarwin
Reviewed by CharlesDarwin from Rhode Island

3.52/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
On tap at the brewpub - Dec 14, 2007. 2007 version. Aroma leaks a little light spice and a surprising spank of phenol. Some spice isle in the grocery store, mingled with soaps and candy. Pours a muddy deep amber, sanguineous. Soap of tan. Sharp, musky and overly spice. Trying to do too much. Heavily muddled middle. Not quite potpourri. But, not too far off. Clove oils and mixed pie spice. Generally soft and well attenuated. A little hot. Finishes with a gummy, rich hop smack. Not terrible, not fantastic, but just not doing a good job of being a spiced beer.
Nov 23, 2011
Photo of Deuane
Reviewed by Deuane from Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A-Deep rusty brown with ruby highlights. A thin,light tan head holds on fairly well and reduces to leave spotty lace.

S-Light musty,oaky, earthy malt with a hint of sour cherry tartness.

T-Spicy yeast bite competes with rich caramel malt base for dominance. Underlying cherry tartness compliments the finish. This sourness becomes slightly stronger upon warming. Dry finish with building complexity with warming.

M-Medium body quite dry with good lingering flavours.

D-A nice winter time sipper full of flavour and complexity. Despite the 11.5% ABV the alcohol is well hidden behind the astringency and tartness.
Jan 27, 2009
Photo of foureyedgeek
Reviewed by foureyedgeek from Pennsylvania

3.97/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a growler picked up by Nate.

Pour is a dark reddish brown, with a quick rising off white head that fades quickly to a ring of foam. Rather translucent in the glass, rapid rising bubbles as well.

Smells sweet and of faint spices, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Taste is a gingery, graham cracker, followed by the sweet sugar and spice of cinnamon and brown sugar. Nice level of spicing, not too much to be overpowering. Nice balance for a spiced beer.

Mouthfeel is a nice medium body, not too harsh from the spicing at all.

Very drinkable even at this ABV, I'm on my third glass and feeling quite warm. Definitely a good choice for a winter warmer.
Dec 14, 2007
Photo of PSUDREW
Reviewed by PSUDREW from Pennsylvania

3.56/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
I did like this beer, but all in all, this was kind of....confused. Maybe a bad day shaped my view of this, but something just didn't turn out right. Not bad, definately worth a try, but it needs some work.

Pours a dark andd rusty redish brown. Creamy tanish head Fruity nose with hints of coco (don't know where that really came from). Laces solid all the way down to the bottom

And here is where things get messy, the overall taste. So many flavors, so little time, and they all just kind of swirl together. You got your oatmeal that contributes nicely to a full mouthfeel, some cherry and honey, mixed with spices,and back to the oatmeal, there is the spice, and hey, look, there is the cherry again. To confusing. To messy. I do enjoy a blending of those flavors, but none of them really blend, they just appear randomly.

The beer has alot of nice charecteristics, just no....direction. Good beer, can be better
Jan 22, 2006
Photo of ski271
Reviewed by ski271 from Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I had to wait until I hit 20 beer reviews before I could add this, and now it’s kicked and won’t return until around next December. This specialty beer really surprised me. I remembered last year’s batch being overly spiced, and that’s not what I care for. But this one was much tamer, at least as far as spices go. There was no pickling spice or anything weird like that, and I found this to be one of the best beers I’ve had at Otto’s. I talked to the brewmaster, and he verified that this beer does change each year, sometimes rather drastically, so we’ll see how next year’s batch turns out.

It is a very dark reddish-brown beer with an average, creamy, mostly diminishing, light-brown head. Fair lacing. The aroma is fairly sweet, yet toasted, leathery, and molasses-like. The initial flavor is bold with a sweetness of honey hitting you right away, giving way to a moderately malty, earthy flavor with a lightly hoppy aroma and a wonderful cherry flavor, and hints of smoke and alcohol. It has a medium body, a bit more watery than I expected. Carbonation is low. The finish is longer than average with a flavor of cherries and alcohol really coming out about 5+ seconds after swallowing. The description on their beer menu said is has a touch of cinnamon, but my amateur palette couldn’t pick it up. This was a very enjoyable beer, and I’m sure the surprise-factor didn’t hurt my ratings.

I think this year’s batch was a BIG improvement over last year’s. One of the best winter warmers I have ever had, and an excellent representation of its style. I know there’s not much point in reviewing a beer that is now gone and will be different next year, but it deserved my praise. Hey Charlie, don’t stray too far from this recipe next year. I think you have a real winner.
Feb 17, 2005
Winter Warmer from Otto's Pub and Brewery
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 14 ratings