Snow Cap - Pyramid Breweries, Inc.

FosterJM

California

3.33/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

964th Review on BA
Bottle to stemmed mug
12 oz

Thanks to my buddy chris for sharing an extra bottle at our 2nd annual WAY before X mas, Xmas friends Dinner.

App- A little bit of a soda color brown with some amber/crimson on the bottom of the glass. Only poured with about a 1/2" head and was gone very quickly. 0 cling or lace to this one.

Smell- For a winter warmer I expect spices and Christmas and malts and and....this just smelled like a beer. Nothing really to seperate it from any particular style.

Taste- Much more like a spicy brown ale. Has a good bit of nutmeg and cinnamon. A little bit more malty and unbalanced.

Mouth- A light medium body and a medium carbonation level. A little spice on the residual flavors.

Drink- Not overly great but to start a night off its pretty good. A little above average. Probably not gonna return to this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 04:23:29 | More by FosterJM

Vashtar

Texas

3.63/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Deep deep amber color. Crazy head.
Very malty smell. Nice and clean.
Very bitter. Tastes like an IPA.
Feels like a cord wrapped around the middle of your tongue.
Nice beer. It's too bitter for me.
I'm from TEXAS! Rigga dig dig dig dig rigga dig dog dig deer!

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2011 04:16:21 | More by Vashtar

lwillitz

Florida

3.6/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12-oz bottle into Samuel Smith "Tulip" pint glass

A - 2 fingers of tan head over a transparent dark brown body with ruby highlights; nice lace

S - malt, dark fruits, and yeast

T - sweet and malty up front; strong spices; dark fruit; sharp hop bite lasts into the finish

M - medium/full body, high carbonation

O - Looks great. Not much on the nose. Taste is ok. Mouthfeel is sufficient. Overall, Snow Cap is an ok winter ale. Worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2011 00:12:15 | More by lwillitz

Luigi

North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours out a clear deep garnet color with a two to three finger head. Settles down to a fairly thick lacing around the glass. Retention is good.

The aroma is a blend of big hops and big malt together. Both the bitter west coast style hopping blends in great with the sweet malt. Hints of citrus, caramel, and yeast.

The taste is basic with spicy hops hitting the palate at first, then that strong malt back bone to this ale comes thru and delivers that sweetness. The bitter hops to linger on the tongue while the warmth of the alcohol begins.

This is a full bodied ale that would be a winter warmer for the hop head. So I took it as it is because the balance in this ale is so good that I had a little of both worlds of taste. I just wish there was a little more spice, but I give this ale thumbs up!

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 05:18:16 | More by Luigi

lukester

Washington

2.98/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I go back a long ways with this beer having stopped by and bought sixers at the old Kalama brewing facility in the 90's. It used to be one of a kind or close to it in this category along with Jubilale. I swear it used to be a better beer than its current incarnation. Jubilale is now definately tops in this category. I suspect that meeting the demands of stock holders has cut into what goes into the beer but that is just a guess.

I just bought a 1/2 barrel for the kegerator as much for nastalgia as for the beer. While its still a drinkable beer it is nothing to write home about... anymore.

Appearance: Poured from a 39 degree keg into a pint glass with decent white creamy head. Color is a bit light for this category coming in mid brown with high clarity.

Smell: Nothing to write home about probably because it is not as hoppy as I like.

taste: Clean with a fair amount of malt and bittering hops. Flavor does not linger long.

mouthfeel: bit of a disappointment compared to most beers with this level of ABV.

Overall a drinkable beer but Jubilale is far superior.

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2011 03:49:37 | More by lukester

djbreezy

Washington

3.55/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

appearance - transparent brown, some lacing with big bubbles

smell - slightly roasty with some sweet caramel, a bit faint

taste - caramel malts are present here with a lingering aftertaste, gets better as it warms

mouthfeel - medium body, high carbonation, frothy

overall - the aftertaste isn't amazing, the beer lacks balance and has some sharp characteristics that aren't that great

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 05:43:38 | More by djbreezy

notchucknorris

California

2.53/5  rDev -27.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A: Clear brown color with a thin tan head.

S: A lot of pine in here along with some faint hints of spices.

T: Yikes. I read some of the other reviews of this and it seemed that other people thought this was pretty good. So maybe this was just a bad bottle, but yikes. It tasted like sucking on a pine cone with an aftertaste of aspirin. Pine and bitterness just for the sake of bitterness. Not a whole lot else going on. I could barely finish this.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 22:18:17 | More by notchucknorris

MADhombrewer

Oregon

4/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Ramnuts informed me to pick some of this up so I did.

Appearance- Clear brown. Light tan head. Good lacing. 4/5

Smell- Allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg. Hops. Nutty, bready malt aromas. 4/5

Taste- Bread, nuts and hops. The spices are more of a background in the taste. I am surprised that the hops are as prevalent as they are. 4/5

Mouthfeel - Medium mouthfeel. 4/5

Overall- I usually have the winter warmers when they start to come out every year. The only one that I keep going back to is Jubelale. I believe this is the first time I have had snowcap. I assumed it to be a bland winter warmer, but am wrong. This is better than some out there for sure. I will be getting this again. 4/5

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2011 23:30:37 | More by MADhombrewer

lawlerj

Nebraska

3.75/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a tulip glass.

A - pours a semi translucent amber/mahogany w/ a one finger light brown head. Dissipates quickly, leaving an uneven collar of foam, minimal lacing, and some dense bubbles on the surface.

S - licorice really jumps out at me on this one. Caramel malts and just a touch of hop bitterness.

T - bready, rich malt and dark fruit, mixed with a bit of the licorice that I detected in the nose. The hops don't really jump out at me at any point, but kind of ride along underneath all of the bolder flavors, lending a crisp bitterness to the entire flavor profile. Not much in the way of alcohol.

M - medium bodied and medium to heavy carbonation. Quite a bit lighter than I had anticipated based on the appearance and aroma.

O - overall, an interesting beer. I don't know that I would go for it again, but enjoyable none the less. The licorice aroma in particular was interesting.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 23:12:36 | More by lawlerj

isualum12

Idaho

3.78/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I stopped by Brewforia in Meridian Idaho today for a growler....I was excited to see that they had snow cap on tap. Well halfway through the growler fill the keg blew...

beer was dark with an alright head that had a tanish color to it.
smell was lacking a lot of power
taste was good on the first glass the second glass left something to be desired. there was black liquorish flavor polished with some spice.
mouth feel was great really
over all this was a nice beer but not one I would drive out of my way for.

Serving type: growler

10-27-2011 09:50:40 | More by isualum12

draheim

Washington

3.53/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This was one of my annual go-to winter beers for years before I started getting seriously into craft beer over the past year or so. Interested what my response will be now that I have some 400 other beers under my belt...

12oz bottle (2011 batch) poured into a tulip. Crystal clear mahogany color w/ a nice off-white head and sticky lacing.

Aroma is rich caramel malt, spices, hops, & toffee.

Taste follows nose: caramel malt, bitter hops, spices, toffee. Nice roasty warm flavor, but a little muted - there's a lack of definition among the different components that make up this beer's profile.

Overall a good but not great winter warmer. I can still enjoy this as a sentimental favorite but thankfully better versions of the style are available.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2011 05:59:05 | More by draheim

doughanson78

Washington

3.58/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at The Collins Pub in Seattle. Poured into a pint glass.

A: Brown with red highlights. Pretty clear. One finger tan head with great retention and lacing.

S: Super light nose. Almost nothing. Slight malts and spices.

T: Big toffee. Slight caramel. Subdued spices. Nice touches of floral hops towards the finish.

M: Light bodied. Medium carbonation. A touch dry.

O: The best beer from Pyramid that I've had and maybe the best Winter Warmer I've had.

Serving type: on-tap

10-18-2011 02:38:42 | More by doughanson78

ramnuts

Oregon

4.38/5  rDev +24.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Full disclosure: One of my favorite beers of all times. It has been mighty unimpressive these past few years...waxy, attenuation out of whack, weak, thin, unbalanced. A massive disappointment for the past 4 years, in fact.

I am happy to report that Pyramid nailed it this time. Flavorful, balanced, headily foamed, just genius.

The roast comes through but does not dominate. Drinkable, well laced, carbed to perfection. Nutty, subdued malt, hops at the proper level. Just right.

I salute Pyramid for restoring this beer to its proper place. I was nearly ready to write it off but am glad I tried this version.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2011 02:24:23 | More by ramnuts

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First had: on tap at Pyramid, Seattle, WA

Poured a deep mahogany with a modest white head that lingered as a thin layer of dense bubbles. Mostly malts and licorice in the nose. Roasty malts, licorice, anise in the taste with a touch of pine and nutmeg; a bit medicinal at times, but not intolerably so. Medium mouthfeel, and fairly drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2011 14:23:02 | More by Rifugium

a2marzman83

Iowa

3.95/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Mahogany brown with one finger of tan head.

I smell roasted caramel and chocolate malts with dark fruit sweetness and hints of ginger. Very inviting

All the flavors in the nose are present in the flavor with bitter hops and warming alcohol. A solid body holds up well with the bold flavors.

Smooth and creamy this is my favorite brew from Pyramid (not saying much) and one of my favorite winter seasonals (saying a lot)

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2011 20:02:35 | More by a2marzman83

Spadoof

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

*First Review!

Origen: 12oz Bottle
Bottled on: 01/10
Tasted on: 03/11
Glassware: Dogfish Head Pint Glass.
Serving Temperature: Approx 45-50 F

Appearance: Pours a reddish/brown hue with a 1 finger slightly off white head. As the head dissipates, it leaves a light lacing on the side of the glass (nothing special). The beer is pretty clear, minor amounts of what appear to spice can be seen floating when held up to a light. This is pretty typical of most winter ales I have tried.

Smell: The smell is pretty much what you would expect from a winter ale. Very sweet and citrusy. I get what appears to be orange peel, cinnamon and maybe some nutmeg. I also detect a little bit of alcohol.

Taste: Again, stays pretty true to the nose and the style.
I) Starts off sweet, with some citrus notes.
II) Mid-way through the bitterness of orange peel and the spices come through.
III) As the flavors dissipated, minor hop notes make an appearance and some alcohol makes its way through.

Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation, light-medium body .

Concluding thoughts: Not bad for its style. It was only $8.00 for a six pack and beats out alot of beer of this style, in this price range (at least from what I have tasted). Wouldn't mind getting it again, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2011 13:30:26 | More by Spadoof

superdavex

Washington

3.33/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A classic winter staple in these parts. A respectable, if uninspiring, winter warmer. Not one I'd rush to the store and get or be anywhere near the top of my list unless I was on a budget and had to get a winter-style ale. I actually haven't even had one of these in a few years, but I used to drink them quite frequently before I discovered the better choices out there. I do remember a conspicuous alcohol taste with not much complexity at all but will definitely warm you up on a cold winter night.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2011 04:16:31 | More by superdavex

chodinheaven

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Dark orange-brown color with a big slightly off-white head that disappates at a medium speed, leaving thick lacing on the glass. Excellent head retention. Lots going on with the aroma, mostly from some bold malts with a resiny hop character behind it. A whiff of alcohol at the end of the smell.

The taste is big, bold and full of malts, hops and booze. I think the hops actually come through the most in the bitterness of the beer, even though malts dominate the aroma. The light bitterness isn't very balanced out by the malts, but that only makes this beer more unique. I'm really enjoying it's uniqueness. The booziness threatens to take hold of the whole flavor profile, but it backs off in the finish. Best enjoyed at room temp I think. Flavors were hidden more when I tried it cold, better when warmer.

Drinkability is moderate in this one. It's best enjoyed only one or two in a sitting as its more on the heavy side. The alcohol is warming however and all in all, this is a good beer for the winter.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2011 04:33:17 | More by chodinheaven

Aphexwolf

Texas

2.7/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Clear dark brown color, weak carbonation, small head, and weak retention.
Smell: Nice balance of hops, malt, caramel, and spice.
Taste: Almost overpowering of hops, not much malt taste.
Mouthfeel: Medium thickness, almost chewy, minimal froth.
Drinkability: Below average. Bitterness, filling, and alcohol content demand slower drinking.
Summary: This is an average beer. I gave it 7.0/10, or C-. This has an extremely hoppy taste even for an ale. I liked the smell, but I can barely taste any of the malts or spice. It would be better if it were more balanced. It is very filling, has nice alcohol content, and warms me up like it says it should. It also makes me hungry and sleepy. I would drink this beer sparingly, but would never turn it down if offered one.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2011 18:31:37 | More by Aphexwolf

LazyL

British Columbia (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A nice amber brown that held up to the light is a brilliant red/orange brew that fades to a paler orange near the surface. The cream coloured head faded fast from my goblet.
The nose is very fruit forward. Nice toffee and brandy soaked fruit cake, quite boozy and rich smelling. The smell resembles a nice barley wine. Quite good. A little bit of Belgian influence here?
The mouthfeel if smooth and creamy. Not too dry and balance more toward sweetness, but not overly so. The carbonation level is low and seems to pair well with this style. There is some nice lacing on the glass and I would recomend this as an evening sipper. You can taste the 7% and it is pleasing.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2011 02:01:19 | More by LazyL

bagpiper2005

Idaho

3.88/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pour: Deep, dark brown color with hints of ruby red. A finger and a half of tan head that dissipated quickly and left minimal lacing on the glass.

Smell: Nutty, spicy aroma. Underlying caramel malt backbone. A hint of alcohol.

Taste: Initial explosion of caramel upon entering the mouth. Hints of chocolate and roasted malts in the middle. Spicy bitter finish with plenty of alcohol warmth.

Mouthfeel: Medium, creamy body. Velvety smooth. Low to medium carbonation.

Drinkability: Goes down smoothly but it burns on the way down.

Final Notes: A solid Winter Warmer. It's no Descutes Jubelale or anything, but it's a very pleasing beer. Great beer to pair with dessert. I'll be coming back for more.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2011 21:41:30 | More by bagpiper2005

BilbosNuts

California

3.63/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass

A: Pours a deep red/ brown color with a medium sized thick white head. The head fades within a few minutes and as you drink there is minimal lacing.

S: Smells consisted of a roasty, nutty scents with sweet aftertones.

T: It tasted mostly chocolaty with some hints of the nuttyness found from the smell.

M: It had a heavy presence, but drank very smoothly.

D: Overall, a very drinkable beer. A fine example of the winter warmer style with a nice malty sweetness. I would purchase this beer again if in the mood for a nice winter beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2011 23:30:18 | More by BilbosNuts

beerman207

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

One of my favorite beer stores was selling these $3.99 a 6-pack - ok - that price sounds right!

A: Pours a deep brown with about 2 fingers off white head on a hard pour. Lace left behind fairly quickly.

S: Norse is caramel, malt, spice, even a faint smell of booze

T: Taste is caramel and malt dominated. Really a basic representation of the style but can't fault it for being a decent tasting beer.

M: Didn't pick up the high carbonation others report. Feels about right for me.

D: I have 5 more of these. I might share one but will likely drink the others.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2011 00:39:54 | More by beerman207

Glibber

Idaho

3.43/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into glass and got only about a 1/4 inch of head that was down to a small ring of froth in a few minutes. The beer is mahogany with a nice redish color up to the light. Not much of an aroma on this beer. Beer felt good in the mouth, the tickling of carbination despite the lack froth. Really light on the front end, with some subtle hops and a smooth coffee and dark chocolate bitterness. The back end follows with some pronounced pine hops. It is a good winter warmer, sipping beer. More flavors come out as it warms up a bit.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2011 04:54:00 | More by Glibber

Scotchboy

Idaho

3.83/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served very cold in a pint glass at Louie's in Meridian. Appears dark brown, maybe some mahogany in there...no head but this beer laces the glass fairly well.

The smells are muted because of temp, but its a malty smelling beer and pretty pleasant to sniff.

Taste is good, to me its a lot like a Jubelale, but a little thinner. Carmel malts, some roasty characteristics and some chocolate, some seasonal-type spices that I can't put my finger on. Your all-around Winter Warmer.

A medium body but feels fairly light. For this style, its pretty sessionable if you're in the mood.

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2011 15:53:48 | More by Scotchboy