Snowstorm 2010 - August Schell Brewing Company

BiomedHawk

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First review, here goes nothing!

Really cool beer. Got a free taste at the store and had to pick up two six packs. Pours amber brown from the bottle with a light tan head that dissipated quickly. Smell has plenty of wheat and banana and a touch of chocolate and caramel. The taste is amazing. Leave it on your tongue and that chocolate banana really pops. Goes down easy. Well carbonated and tastes almost like candy. I really hope they keep this beer even though they don't typically do that with the snowstorm.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2010 23:12:37 | More by BiomedHawk

BEERWOLF1951

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%

12-24-2012 19:15:16 | More by BEERWOLF1951

plumcrazyfx

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -2%

11-23-2012 13:51:57 | More by plumcrazyfx

jsisko01

Michigan

3.78/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a very dark brown/amber color with an inch thick, creamy tan head that dissipates instantly. Leaves a pretty nice lacing.

Smell - Sweet with roasted malts and banana.

Taste - Has very nice, heavy malts. Very sweet, caramel, dark fruits, clove, and a slight alcohol bitterness in the finish.

Mouthfeel - Has a medium/creamy body with low carbonation.

Overall - I think this is my first time trying this style of beer. It's not bad.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 22:15:36 | More by jsisko01

Doyle

4/5  rDev -2%

08-05-2012 03:14:37 | More by Doyle

Cheet577

1/5  rDev -75.5%

03-29-2012 00:02:35 | More by Cheet577

Cramerican

North Dakota

4/5  rDev -2%

02-16-2012 03:42:43 | More by Cramerican

IdrinkGas

Pennsylvania

2.5/5  rDev -38.7%

01-04-2012 01:37:57 | More by IdrinkGas

ponbon63

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -2%

12-22-2011 20:38:20 | More by ponbon63

shutupandcook

Minnesota

5/5  rDev +22.5%

12-11-2011 14:58:00 | More by shutupandcook

smogfood

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -2%

12-09-2011 23:29:41 | More by smogfood

thisladyluck

Iowa

5/5  rDev +22.5%

11-19-2011 11:27:24 | More by thisladyluck

I2uss

Minnesota

5/5  rDev +22.5%

11-18-2011 18:24:10 | More by I2uss

doucmehu

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -2%

11-16-2011 05:00:30 | More by doucmehu

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%

11-14-2011 06:49:57 | More by MattyG85

pettis

Japan

4.33/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From notes, enjoyed on a trip to Minnesota over the past winter.

A: Dark amber/copper with a frothy off-white head that fades (a little too quickly) in to a thin, but steady, lacing.

S: Wonderful banana aroma with the wheat, yeast, and esters you'd expect from a good German weizenbock.

T: Wonderfully balanced blend of banana, clove, and malt...some may prefer these flavors to be more pronounced but a very nice balance nonetheless. Alcohol is hardly noticeable, quite a feat at 7% abv.

M: Not nearly as thick or heavy as the classics of this style, but the medium body and steady carbonation, not to mention little to no alcohol burn, makes this extremely drinkable.

O: Wonderful take on the Weizenbock, right up there with New Glarus among the best American versions of this style. Amazingly, it's generally available for $7 or less a sixer. I hope they make this a regular winter seasonal.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2011 12:53:32 | More by pettis

afdempse

Maryland

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

Thanks to Huhzubendah for the bottle!

Pours a dark copper color, with a creamy off-white head.

Aroma: bananas foster! Bananas, rum, caramelized brown sugar.

Flavor of ripe bananas, caramelized malts and candied dark fruits. Warming alcohol. Creamy mouthfeel with a surprisingly clean finish. Just a bit on the sweet side.

Extraordinarily drinkable for a beer of this strength. Would love to try more offerings from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2011 03:45:10 | More by afdempse

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

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

Thanks to FlandersNed for sending this out my way. Split with Adam.

The beer is dark copper hued with a small, tan head. The aroma is a huge banana bomb. Adam is right on the money when he described the aroma as bananas foster.

The flavor follows suit. Lots of bananas soaked in alcohol, with a nice malty backbone. Rum and candied fruits.

Good feel. Alcohol is present, though unobtrusive.

A solid brew. I would have this again.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2011 04:36:36 | More by Huhzubendah

youngleo

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured offwhite with a big head. Beer itself was dark brown in color with some reddish traits. Had some lacing going on. You could smell as you poured this one out of the bottle. More sweet than anything. Also banana. Hints of alcohol was also present. I thought banana was the main flavor here. Also alcohol and malt. Felt good in the mouth. I thought the carbonation was right. I wasnt a big fan of this one. With the 7% ABV I dont feel it would be a good session beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 18:28:48 | More by youngleo

djsmith1174

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Beautiful orange with a head that dissipates to leave some nice lacing.

Smell: Just like you'd want a Weizenbock to smell. Bananas and cloves really come through. Loved sniffing it in.

T - Like drinking banana bread! Just the right amount of sweet bubble gum funkiness.

M - Very smooth medium body with a good amount of carbonation. Little alcohol burn on the finish.

O - I loved this beer! What a great German beer made right here in Minnesota. Difficult to nail, but they did it. I drank several cases while it was out over the winter. I really, really wish that Schell would put this out as regular offering.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2011 01:43:02 | More by djsmith1174

Lauthaha

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a beer mug.

Appearance: Copper, with deep ruby hues. Very decent carbonation visible, and a soft cappuccino-like head which recedes leaving light lacing to a thin-yet-prominent foam on the surface.

Smell: Very nice! Banana bread and clove maltiness with dark purple fruit as a side-focus. Sweet with just a hint of ester in the mix. Good spice bouquet, all's well here.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Velvety on the tongue, the gentle carbonation releases a great deal of clove/nutmeg spiciness and banana bread malt character. As the fizz dies down, some gentle bitter hops can be noticed, and the beer goes down leaving a pronounced alcohol burn which is not unpleasant.

Overall: This is a great beer...any beers in the "bock" category run the risk of being tacky or cloying...or just bombing out in flavor altogether. Not Snowstorm. Good job!

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2011 00:43:01 | More by Lauthaha

lwillitz

Florida

4.13/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12-oz bottle poured into Samuel Smith "Tulip" pint glass
sell-by date marked on bottle is 04-15-11

A - 3 fingers of thick, off-white head; decent lace; cloudy dark copper/brown body

S - fruity; roasted malt; touch of alcohol; very good smell

T - follows smell closely; fruity; sweet roasted malt dominates the flavor; metallic taste; alcohol; not much bitterness, but enough for a good balance; complex and well-balanced overall

M - medium-bodied with high carbonation; very smooth

O - This is a good dopplebock. Well done, Schell's!

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2011 02:29:12 | More by lwillitz

mikesgroove

South Carolina

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

Finally had a chance to open this one up, I have been staring at it in my fridge for what seems like forever. Opened and poured into a pint glass on 04/24/2011.

Pours out a medium amber color with a minimal head that did have some nice lacing bouncing around the edges of the glass and sticking quite nicely. Light carbonation could be seen streaming up, but the overall look was a nice light caramel brown. The aroma was full of roasted nuts, caramel, earthy hops, hints of bready grains and touches of light fruit notes that blended in quite nicely I had to admit. A bit light and not as in your face as I would have liked it but it was still pretty good. Same goes for the flavor, nicely well rounded and full of deep resonant notes, but it still needed that little extra push to make it over the top. Nice clean finish was medium bodied and slightly slick, but left a nice and mellow flavor on the palate that hung around for a good long while

Overall a very solid effort. I have had better in the style though for sure.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2011 22:29:05 | More by mikesgroove

dbossman

Nebraska

3.63/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Dark bronze with an amber tint; steady cream colored head with good retention; the lacing is quite nice, clinging to the glass throughout

S: A very strong banana and clove presence on top of a sweet, brown-sugary malt backbone; malts seem slightly burnt; this is also a very bready, biscuity beer and the yeast/ malt combo makes this a banana bread lover's beer paradise

T: The banana clove yeastiness isn't quite as prevalent and neither is the sweet bready maltiness; its there but much more muted and thin than the aromas indicated

F: A bit thin--even for the style but some of the beer does manage to sit nicely on the roof of the mouth

O: This is a decent attempt at the style but not my favorite (of the style or of the series or of the brewery)--but still a nice beer

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2011 14:38:35 | More by dbossman

herman77

Minnesota

3.55/5  rDev -13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Dark amber-ish brown with a small off white head. Hardly any lacing.

S: Lots of banana and clove spice. A bit of sweet malts, carmel and a touch toasty.

T: Even more banana in the taste then in the smell. More of a banana bread like taste with fruity and spicy yeast. Cloves and some sweetness. Very flavorful.

M: Medium body. Fine carbonation bubbles makes for a pleasant mouthfeel.

O: Lower drinkability. Just too much banana and spice for my liking. Glad I got to try one though.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2011 01:39:33 | More by herman77