Alaskan Winter Ale - Alaskan Brewing Co.

pmcadamis

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - I like the label, it really looks cold... like something from a Jack London story. The beer is a deep honey-amber and very clear. The head is a massive three finger foam beast that shows good retention and leaves a lot of nice foamy lace around the glass. With time, the foam slides down the sides of the glass and leaves sticky arcs behind.

S - Honeycomb, maraschino cherries, peach, and Life cereal (Mikey will eat it!). This isn't super complex, or powerful but it is really mellow and pleasing. Gentle even. There is a bit of grainy lagery-ness to this one that I don't really like, but it's only slightly detracting from the nice even-keeled grain and light fruit.

T - This is mellow amber ale spiced with a dusting of cinnamon, nutmeg, and all spice (I don't know that for a fact, that's just what I'm getting). There is a nice mellow cherry note that I picked up in the nose also, and I like it for that little addition but this is relatively boring despite it's easy to like flavor. The spruce tips add a lively minty note that I like, and it really adds to the Christmassy wintertime feel of this brew.

M - On the lighter side of medium bodied, this hides it's beefy 6.4% ABV quite well. Carbonation is mellow and silky smooth, and the finish is fruity and just a tad dry with a ending flourish of mellow floral hops.

D - This is a good session brew that might pair well with fruitcake (I don't care what anyone says, I loves me some fruitcake). Lightly spiced, mellow on the hops (they are there for sure, but not the star of the show), and focused on a fruity Christmas cheer flavor combined with tingly menthol-like spruce. Worth a try for the spruce uniqueness aspect, and worth going back to for that minty-fresh, almost hoppy quality of the spruce.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2009 05:54:39 | More by pmcadamis

aty11b

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +15.2%

05-14-2013 01:24:38 | More by aty11b

Xzfgiimtsath

Texas

4/5  rDev +8.4%

05-10-2013 14:03:45 | More by Xzfgiimtsath

SmellsofMahagony

Texas

3.25/5  rDev -11.9%

05-09-2013 02:41:06 | More by SmellsofMahagony

DyingBreed

Indiana

3.25/5  rDev -11.9%

05-03-2013 17:12:11 | More by DyingBreed

mfl620ks

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +22%

04-24-2013 16:32:52 | More by mfl620ks

RaijinQ

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +15.2%

04-23-2013 23:47:43 | More by RaijinQ

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

04-23-2013 08:33:01 | More by Mebuzzard

Moose90

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +1.6%

04-22-2013 03:35:12 | More by Moose90

KiMiRaiK

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +15.2%

04-21-2013 20:36:20 | More by KiMiRaiK

PStriedl

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

04-19-2013 23:35:11 | More by PStriedl

dmorgan310

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +1.6%

04-12-2013 01:49:09 | More by dmorgan310

Nightwish1094

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +28.7%

04-11-2013 05:37:11 | More by Nightwish1094

Localdrinklax

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -18.7%

03-20-2013 02:38:40 | More by Localdrinklax

Klimm

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +15.2%

03-18-2013 02:36:33 | More by Klimm

Zachtheporter

Wisconsin

3.25/5  rDev -11.9%

03-13-2013 06:13:38 | More by Zachtheporter

Mortarforker

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +1.6%

03-12-2013 18:04:41 | More by Mortarforker

mttdls

New York

2.75/5  rDev -25.5%

03-08-2013 21:31:43 | More by mttdls

wonothesane42

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +22%

02-26-2013 13:45:56 | More by wonothesane42

Michaeldmanley

Texas

4/5  rDev +8.4%

02-17-2013 05:15:25 | More by Michaeldmanley

adkieffer

Washington

3.25/5  rDev -11.9%

02-16-2013 15:53:55 | More by adkieffer

jkn09

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +1.6%

02-08-2013 19:32:13 | More by jkn09

rawfish

California

3.6/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dullish amber, very small head from a normal pour. Slick lacing and nearly no retention.

Bready, with cinnamon, honey and brown sugar spices, a bit of pine, syrup and noble hops. Sweet and dry.

Bready and grain husks, rather clean with some nuances of simple syrup, cola and maple. Hops keep things clean and dry with a bit of pine and grassy bitterness. Sticky malt but dries rather well. Medium body, average carbonation and well hidden alcohol.

Simple old ale, plenty of spice notes and a grainy malt backbone. Much better than Alaskan's amber as a winter session beer. Not a bad beer, rather middle of the road, interesting to try.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 05:31:03 | More by rawfish

Lynzy

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +8.4%

02-06-2013 14:50:02 | More by Lynzy

JarMills

British Columbia (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -11.9%

02-05-2013 06:43:05 | More by JarMills