Full Sail Wassail - Full Sail Brewery & Tasting Room & Pub

PhantomVodoo

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

First, thanks to Bighuge for enabling me to sample this beer! It pours a dark reddish brown with a light tan head. Roasted malt is what I mostly detect in the aroma. Roasted malt and spices dominate the flavor up front. The beer is well balanced with hops and finishes neutral to slightly bitter. Very drinkable with a very good flavor, although I might prefer it to be just a bit bolder. Great Winter Ale!

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2002 15:02:10 | More by PhantomVodoo

DrewS

Virginia

4.45/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I must say, this is one of the better winter seasonals I've tried thus far. This beer pours out dark brown with a reddish tint. It has a decent off white head that falls to a thin layer on top. The balance can be detected right off the bat on the nose with both malt and hops competing for attention. Malt speaks up first on the tongue while the hops get in the last word and speak bitterly into the long finish. A good balance of sweet malt with a touch of molassas and hops with a piney earthiness make this beer a delight to drink. Throw in a touch of warming alcohol and you have yourself a hearty brew that chases away the winter blues. Thanks to dolem98 for enabling me to enjoy this great west coast treat.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2002 14:58:26 | More by DrewS

ADR

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2002 edition...

Dark ruby-brown appearance...nicely mannered head at 1/4 inch after settling. Malty aroma, a sense of brown sugar. Nice body, satisfying caramel and spiced taffy quality, just a bit of citrus mid-mouth. Generous, but not overbearing hops at the finish with a smooth swallow. Very pleasant, one of the non-agressive Old Ales. Nice middle-of-the-road Winter brew to have in the rotation "arsenal", sort of "session" in flavor profile.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2002 10:35:32 | More by ADR

proc

Michigan

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

Very enjoyable! Initial aroma is of fruit. The first taste is very complex and gets better as you drink it and as it warms up some. It warms you up too. Excellent hop/malt balance.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2002 05:25:03 | More by proc

jreitman

California

4.13/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Dark reddish brown and nearly opaque in color. Very little white head ringed the glass. Sweet grain and citrus smells were the most evident with a slight spicy undertone. Mouthfeel is very creamy and adds a lot to the beer. Caramel, fruit and a hint of chocolate compromise a majority of the malt flavors. As the beer works itself to the back of the mouth, the bitterness really kicks in and rounds out the flavor profile.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2002 20:43:41 | More by jreitman

Jason

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Presentation: 12oz brown with a "enjoy by" date clearly marked. X-mas seasonal themed label

Appearance: Deep dark reddish brown with a fluffy light tan head that is really amazing, even pouring the brew was a treat on to its self ... medium sized bubbly cascading effect when poured vigorously.

Smell: A rich piney citrusy hop and almost rustic aroma of dark grains ranging from toasted to roasted to hints of chocolate and caramel. Very inviting with a pleasing fruitiness to boot.

Taste: Big, full bodied and creamy smooth ... lots of malt and fruit up front with flavours of raw honey and pears. Though a blend of alcoholic esters and aggressive hop bitterness wedge right in the middle and give off a warming feeling plus bitter / sweet earthy citrusy piney flavour. Hints of chocolate and prune in the back end with a dark chocolate cake like finish from the decent amount of residual sweetness in the end.

Notes: Very much a winter warmer with an American flare ... very impressive and a sheer joy to sip at cellar temp (55*F). One of the hoppier winter brews to be had. If you see this one on the shelf, buy it and sip the cold winter away.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2002 19:33:45 | More by Jason

BeerManDan

California

4.18/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Proured a nice dark amber brown with very little foam. The aroma has a strong malty smell and the taste was of a malty with a hint of spice flavor with a smooth finish. There was not much of a bitter after taste, but just enough to balance everything together.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2002 14:00:43 | More by BeerManDan

sinistersteve

Oregon

4.68/5  rDev +22.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

2002 version:

Well, I need to quit hitting these winter beers so damn early in the season, but my self-controll seems to still be on summer vacation. This is another exceptional winter beer. Super dark color which is very difficult to get any amber tones off of, but not as black as Gunniess. Nice piney scent and the taste is out of this world. Good full-flavor hoppiness to this outstanding beer. This is a great winter brew sureto keep me warm through the long and cold rainy season out here in the PNW.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2002 22:25:33 | More by sinistersteve

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice brown color with a hint of ruby. Thin milky head. Great aroma. Nice hop boquet. (Guessing it was dry hopped with centennial or cascade.) Also a hint of spice on the nose. Nutmeg? Nice full body. Warming effect is definately here. Nicely balanced beer as I get some good maltiness with decent hop notes. Has a bitter aftertaste. Nicely rounded winter brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2002 23:07:15 | More by Bighuge