Thumbprint Winter Warmer - New Glarus Brewing Company

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

New Glarus Winter Warmer. Ale 12 Fl. Oz. No ABV given. Brewed and bottled in New Glarus, WI.
Called a Scotch ale on the label, which I will fend off copying for you until I've done my own notes.

Clear, caramel-toned coloring, with a lush, looming white head, leaving lace.

Aroma: Sweet malt hits the nose first, some toffee tones, a bit of fruit, nice hop notes. A bit of complexity here, if on the quiet side.

Taste: malt forward, well-balanced, clean, and drinkable. Toffee and caramel malt tones aplenty, but rather thin compared to many other winter warmers, specifically the kind I prefer.

I don't know what to tell you. This is a nice beer, but it fails to impress, or even delight.

Let's look at the gobbledygook: "Indulge in our heady Scotch ale. This "winter warmer" is a celebration of roasted toffee notes wrapped in rich tawny tones and toasty palate. Two months in the making insures an incredible silky finish."

Silky finish, perhaps. Indulgent, heady? No. This is a fine Scotch ale, or Scottish ale, but it's a pretty feeble winter warmer. Oh, well, you can't please everyone, right?

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 01:29:26 | More by feloniousmonk

Jason

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12oz brown bottle with no freshness date.

LOOK: Hazed orange amber, tiny tight bubbled lacing, good stickage

SMELL: Baked pears, toasted bread, faint broth, rose water, nougat, herbal, toffee

TASTE: Toasty, smooth, creamy, very warming, shortbread, spicy alcohol, biscuity, dried grass, earthy, herbal, papaya, semi-sweet toasty toasty finish

A massive brew to say the least, not sure I get the whole "Scottish" thing to it but I'll listen to what this beer has to say. While the first couple sips might seem a bit timid that beer packs a punch and really grows on me.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 02:46:53 | More by Jason

kojevergas

California

3.39/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Acquired from the very gracious Duff27 in a trade. New Glarus "Winter Warmer. Self-identifies as a Scotch Ale on the label. 12 fl oz brown glass bottle with simple effective label and foiled over branded pressure cap served into a conical Samuel Smith's pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are high given the brewery, which makes many beers I absolutely adore.

I have no idea why this is currently classified as a Scottish Ale on this website; it's a Scotch Ale according to New Glarus and it's called a Winter Warmer. So go figure.

Paired with bowtie pasta.

Served straight from the fridge and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours an impressive 5+ finger head of gorgeous soft creamy complexion, great thickness, and fantastic retention (~7+ minutes) for the high ABV. Body colour is a clear refined copper. Translucent. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Light lacing as the head recedes. Not typical of the style; it's got a brighter body colour and the head has unusually impressive retention. Overall, it's gorgeous and I can't wait to try it.

Sm: Bright fruit, malty sweetness, clean bright toffee, light toasted malt, intoxicating pear, crystal malt, biscuit, and light peach. The bright fruity notes are a highlight here, with that sinfully appealing pear really grabbing my attention. I do get some wheat and clove; it's redolent of a fine kellerweizen in some ways. Floral hopping complements these notes well. Light stonefruit - maybe plum - emerges as it warms. It's an above average strength aroma and certainly a high quality one. No alcohol comes through; I'd guess it was 4% if pressed. Very impressive and appealing, but not at all what I expect in a scotch ale. It screams fresh and inviting.

T: Bready, with caramel malt, mild dark stonefruit (including plum), and some toasted character. Pear is a bit more restrained in the taste than in the aroma, but it still lends a pleasant flavour here. A bit of clove spice. Belgian candi sugar. No alcohol comes through. Maybe some biscuity yeast. It's well balanced and built, but it's somewhat simple. Still, there's some notable subtlety here. It doesn't taste at all like a Scotch Ale, but I do quite like it. A bit of apple. Some banana, maybe some bubblegum. It's well put together for what it is.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Lightly refreshing. Moderate presence on the palate. Carbonation is slightly high - a rarity for New Glarus in my experience. Complements the flavour profile, allowing the full depth of flavour to impact. That said, there isn't a lot of heavy flavour here; it's a pretty timid beer. Chewy. Somewhat soft. Not at all acidic. Adequate body.

Dr: Drinkable and enjoyable. Hides its ABV well. I like it, but I expected more from New Glarus. This is pretty good, but I figured as a thumbprint series beer, it would wow me. I doubt it will disappoint unless you're really looking for a traditional Scotch Ale; this definitely isn't that. Nor is it a winter warmer. What it is is a tasty all around beer that I probably won't ever have again - and that's okay. Try it if you find it, but there's no need to seek it out.

Drank fine from a pint glass.

Serve chilled.

B-

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 04:41:04 | More by kojevergas

scruffwhor

Illinois

2.96/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 3

Thanks Lukaski for picking this brew up for me.

Rusty amber color. Good bubbling. Nice off white head after the pour and some strong film o' foam for all twelve ounces.

Sweet malt and somewhat banana like yeast aromas. Smells malty sweet and inviting. But the aroma for this style of beer seemed a little off.

There's some cracker, biscuit, and a little bread crust malt flavor. The rest is dominated by booze. Pretty hot beer here. Does NOT taste the way it smells at all. Bitter alcoholic finish.

I won't buy this beer again. I was definetly disappointed with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 12:29:15 | More by scruffwhor

ZAP

Minnesota

3.4/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Not sure where the 9% came from. I have not seen that published.

Certainly does not taste or feel like that or a wee heavy. More of a scottish ale in my opinion.

Overcarbonated...keeps foaming up. Tough to get past the head.

It has some nice caramel/toffee impressions on the nose and taste.

Body is mediumish...a little sweet on the finish.

Lacks any type of peatiness....

Decent enough malt forward medium bodied ale I'd expect as more of a year round type offering than a special thumbprint beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 06:01:42 | More by ZAP

dirtylou

Washington

3.61/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

12oz Kyle Singler, hair of the dog tulip

lovely looking beer - bright orange body, ripe foamy white head. Unlike any winter warmer i've had - dominant notes of honey, toffee, booze, flowers. Tastes more belgian than scottish to me - reminds me of some crazy batch from mishawaka more than anything. This one probably doesn't need to be brewed again.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 01:01:57 | More by dirtylou

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.14/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle poured into a nonic.
9% ABV, 3182 on the neck.

A - Pouring a dirty apricot amber color, this lightly hazy beer produces a tall, fluffy ivory head that lasts for some time, blanketing the nonic in curtains of lace with it's slow departure.

S - Light notes of smoke waft out around the caramelized malt which embodies the meaning of a malty brew. Yeast nuances gather undertones of a German wheat such as banana and clove while earthy clay and subtle alcohol close this beer out.

T - Sweet caramel malt and toffee notes swirl around the spongy loaf of wheat bread that is the malt base of this beer, drawing nuances of light tobacco to the surface. Strangely, there seem to be a lot of yeast nuances reminiscent of New Glarus' Dancing Man Wheat; bubblegum, banana, clove, and clay, though not as accentuated, instead, a little subdued.

M - This full-bodied winter warmer has a nice smooth feel and satisfying finish that seems to fill me up. The 9% alcohol level does the trick, slowly warming the belly without approaching a hot or boozy level all while remaining balanced; it's sweet but not cloying. Instead, the alcohol adds some dryness to the finish that works out nicely.

O - Yesterday reached close to 50°. Just when I thought it might be getting past "the season" for this beer, today it's below zero with windchill. Hello Wisconsin weather, hello New Glarus Winter Warmer. This soothing, warming, and hearty malty beer might have been behind the 8 ball in terms of release timing but it's an excellent beer to crack open on a cold Wisconsin night and slowly sip, enjoying it's yeast and malt complexity.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 00:41:04 | More by BeerFMAndy

morimech

Minnesota

3.6/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Clear copper color with a massive head that hung around for a long while. The head settles to a thick cap. Massive amounts of lacing is left down the glass.

Strong caramel and alcohol aroma. Hints of toffee and earth.

Alcohol is really strong in the flavor. To go along with the warmth there is sweet caramel, toasted bread, and toffee.

Full bodied with pleasant carbonation. The alcohol makes it a little harsh on the palate but breaks up the sweetness.

A sipper for sure. A little difficult to drink because of the alcohol heat, but will ward off the cold on a winters night.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 22:24:35 | More by morimech

sweemzander

Illinois

4.41/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

12oz. bottle poured into an imperial pint.

(A)- Pours a clear caramel colored orange hue. Produced a really nice cap of white froth with great retention and plenty of clumpy lacing left behind as it took its time dissipating.

(S)- A very vibrant and fresh smelling sweet caramel and toffee malts. Faint hints at honey, oatmeal, and a subtle spicy finish. Really nice aroma overall for the style.

(T)- Very reminiscent of the smell. The sweet malts are in full swing with caramel and toffee with subtle bits of honey. It finishes in a really nice dry biscuit-like yeast and subtle spice.

(M)- A smooth feeling and fitting carbonation level. I really like the complexity of the sweet malt base that explodes off the tongue. This is complimented very well with that slightly dry, slightly spicy finish. And at 9%ABV, this is deceiving!

(O)- I honestly really have trouble enjoying most Wee Heavies/ Scottish ales due to how sweet and cloying they can tend to be for me. Of the few that have really shined in my eyes, this was a definite surprise for the style. Very enjoyable and one of the easiest to drink I have had in quite some time. Leave it up to New Glarus for always coming through and making another high quality, classic to style beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 23:34:48 | More by sweemzander

Florida9

Illinois

3.64/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

On tap @ hwy mikes

Dark amber in color. Minimal head. Little retention and little lacing. Pleasantly aromatic: malty, butterscotch, vanilla, and some very light oak. Taste is rather malty, with lots of vanilla. Moderate sweetness. Creamy and fairly spicy. Pumpkin pie type spice. Thankfully not overdone, but its noticeable. Medium mouth, a bit hot on the finish.

Serving type: on-tap

03-24-2013 23:45:41 | More by Florida9

birchstick

Missouri

4/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a brownish color with a nice head. Nose is molasses, toffee, and caramel malts. Taste follows the nose well. Lots of toffee and caramel malts with a touch of toasted cereal malts in the background. Really nice scotch ale from New Glarus, and another winner from the Thumbprint series.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 23:50:18 | More by birchstick

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.25/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle poured into a snifter.

Appearance - Clear orange. Nice white head. Settles pretty quickly. Thin collar and an island of foam.

Smell - Apples and some butterscotch. A little bit of booze. Fruity.

Taste - Apple again. Less butterscotch. Very fruity and estery. A little bit of bitterness. Lots of pale malt in it.

Mouthfeel - Overcarbonated. Medium body but feels thin.

Overall - Uninspired. Very fruity but not an interesting fruity flavor.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 03:24:44 | More by Alieniloquium

Duff27

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Big inch tall off white head on a dark amber colored body. Great head retention.

Lots o maltiness. I get some christmas spice for some reason.

Follows the nose. I even get a little cinnamon apple toffee for some reason. Hides the 9% extremely well.

Medium mouthfeel, medium carbonation.

I find this to be solid albeit not overwhelmingly good. The last two "only" solid offerings in the Thumbprint/Unplugged series somehow got better after a year, let's see what happens.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 03:16:01 | More by Duff27

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.16/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a tall New Glarus Signature Pilsner Glass.

Appearance: Pours a deep copper brownish orange that is somewhat cloudy. Moderate amount of bubbles and a big four finger off white head that slowly fades into a thin creamy layer. Leaves a lot of lacing clinging to the glass.

Smell: A big caramel malt forward scotch aroma with some spice and citrus. Toasted malts up front with good hints of caramel, toffee, biscuit, and yeast. A mix of fruit aromas including apple, pear, and a little banana. Hints of cinnamon and clove spice. Undertones of peat and smoked malt. Also some hints of citrus hops with some orange and pineapple. A very bready and solid aroma.

Taste: Malty and complex scotch style taste like the aroma hints at. Big taste of toasted malts with notes of caramel, toffee, biscuit, grains, and yeast. Taste of dried fruit with notes of apple, banana, and pear. A little citrus hop taste of pineapple and orange. Some cinnamon and clove like spicing. Also some notes of peat and smoke in the malts. Bready and complex. Very good scotch taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Creamy, spicy, and fairly drying on the finish. Feels kind of hot but not overly boozy.

Overall: A pretty solid Scotch Ale/Winter Warmer. Nice caramel malt flavor with some good hints of spice and citrus.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 07:11:43 | More by MattyG85

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a beautiful amber pour with 2 fingers of bubbly off white head, great head retention. smells of raisins, cherry, has a sort of cream ale yeast scent. the flavor is full of tart notes.. definitely getting a hint of barrel aging in here, but not the typical oak/bourbon.. this has a wine barrel feel. slightly sour with notes of plum, grapes, ginger, definitely getting a roasty grain flavor. a high carbonation medium body beer with a healthy abv! doesn't drink like your typical scottish ale, doesn't taste like the typical winter warmer "cinnamon / spice", but i'll be damned if i say this isn't what i was looking for right now. i was hesitant to pick up a bottle to drink because i wasn't in the mood for a sweet beer. this is excellent.

the mouthfeel actually works out for the flavor profile too.. and the alcohol, well i wouldn't have known about the 9% unless i looked up and saw it on here.. you can barely taste any trace of it.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 12:08:38 | More by facundoCNB

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

3.79/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

poured into tulip glass.

Appearance: dark amber light brow bodied beer with 3 fingers of off white head. head slowely drops down to a thin cap on top the beer. Spotty lace.

Smell: fruity and bready; wheat malts. hint of caramel, toffee, and brown sugar. Distinct bubblegum, banana, and cloves. A fruity yeast note is the main player in the nose of this beer.

Taste: Very fruity and very yeasty. Wheat bread and a hint of caramel. Toasty and nutty. A hint of peat moss. A touch of clove and cinnamon in the finish. As this beer warms up the beer gets that malty and earthy cobmo that starts to make this beer feel closer to a Scottish ale.

Mouthfeel: low end of a medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. As always, Dan brews a beer with great body; including a gentle, lively, and soft carbonation. You would have no idea that this beer is 9% without officially checking because the abv is very well hidden.

Overall: Beer looks great, has a complex nose, and has a fantastic mouthfeel, but the flavor wasnt all that exciting for me. Not sure that the beer is to style either, but its close enough. I think that Dan is good at being creative with many beer styles and he can brew something truley unique, but this time the overall picture was good, but the flavor profile just didnt do it for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 06:00:09 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

Lemke10

Wisconsin

3.78/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

This is the first 2013 addition to New Glarus line under their Thumbprint label. When I think of a Winter Warmer style, it gets me thinking it’s going to taste like a heavier, darker Oktoberfest style of brew with lots of spices. But in this case it’s a Scotch Ale, so we shall see how it tastes.

It pours a semi-clear, medium brown color with a beige head and lingering lacing. The aroma is interesting and hard to describe as there is a complex mixture of malts and spices. It sort of reminds me off the smell of freshly baked pumpkin bread.

This taste is much simpler that I would expect from New Glarus. Initially I’m picking out quite a bit of malt and bread characteristics. Definitely lots of toasted ingredients here with hints or caramel and vanilla. While it drinks fairly light and smooth, it finishes fairly sweet and salty.

To be honest this is a good brew, but I was left wanting more from the Thumbprint Series as this beer drinks very similar to Sam Adams Scotch Ale which is a much lesser cost. It’s very drinkable and tasty; it just doesn’t have that unique “WOW” factor that most Thumbprint beers have. Give it a try yourself, but I’ll stick to Apple and Enigma while I can!

-Chris Lemke of WisconsinBrewReview.com

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 05:04:44 | More by Lemke10

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

3.58/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Winter Warmer pours a copper color , with a large fluffy head. There is a yeasty, malty aroma. The taste is much the same yeasty, and malty. Its on the sweeter side, and the alcohol does blend nicely. Nice carbonation and easy drinking. Overall a decent Scottish ale. Not as heavy some others, but all the flavors do blend nicely.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 03:06:36 | More by vette2006c5r

czfreeman

Michigan

4.35/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

New Thumbprint beer this year.First, I don't like Scotch ales..I find them overly sweet, unbalanced, not my cup of tea.Second, since moving here I am blown away by all things New Glarus, so I'll give it a shot.
pours a rich orange brown tone. Actually looks similar to a pumpkin ale..that kind of excites me.
Smells of mulling spices, cider, roasted pumpkin, cinnamon, spicy pepper, touch of alcohol heat(would guess this is around 8%). Dopplebock-like dark bread, apple,sherry starts to come out as well. Starting to smell pretty nice.
Flavor is a blend of cider, dark bread, mulling spices,squash,pepper, hot holiday wine, finishing pretty hot.
This may not be the most intense, or most exciting of the Thumbprint series,but on this 11 degree day, I believe Mr. Carey knew what he was looking to capture and he did, excellently in fact.
A blend of mulling spice, hearty bready grains finishing with a spike of almost Scotch heat..perfect.
walk in from the blistering cold and it makes sense.
well done! Warms you up for sure.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 02:00:59 | More by czfreeman

jaasen64

Massachusetts

3.84/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

12 oz (split two ways) bottle poured into Founders snifter. Thanks Josh (thebigredone) for this one!

A- Pours a slightly hazy brown with a slight yellowish hue. About a fingers worth of head that recedes fairly fast to pretty much no head. Average to slightly below average carbonation that fades fairly fast.

S- Fairly hoppy (for a scotch ale) with notes of pineapple balanced with a nice subtle sweet scotch malt presence. Not exactly what I was expecting- more "tropical" then you would expect from a scotch ale or your typical winter warmer. Overall though I kind of like it.

T- Like the aroma- fairly hoppy for the a scotch ale with light tropical flavors of pineapple that is blended with a sweet scotch malt presence. Overall nice, but not the most flavorful beer in the world.

M- Drinks fairly light for the style, minimal carbonation, slightly watery, drinks very easily especially if this is actually 9%.

O- This beer was definitely a little bit different then I was expecting. It definitely wasn't your stereotypical scotch ale but overall I enjoyed drinking it. It wasn't anything mind-blowing by any means, but I actually preferred it to a lot of beers of the style (perhaps because I'm not a huge fan of they style and I'm very picky with it). Overall if you want to try a slightly more "tropical" scotch ale that isn't overally sweet then I'd recommend trying this out.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 00:11:45 | More by jaasen64

BarrytheBear

Wisconsin

3.28/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz red foiled bottle purchased as a four pack. Just come into town this week as the newest Thumbprint release.

Pours a deep rich pumpkin color with a head that vanishes as quickly as the Bengals offense.Lethargic spatter....Dexter would be disappointed.

Smells of warm cider, mulling spices, salted nuts, and toffee. Seems to capture the essence of the holidays in a glass.

Light brown sugary notes, warmed red apple flesh, and cinnamon. Alcohol heat cuts a swatch across the middle into the finish. Oddly, it's a bit unrelenting. Not sure of the abv on this, but it's not mellow.

Medium bodied with light carbonation and just a bit too boozy.

There's some promise here, but it seems a bit raw. Alcohol is sharp, flavors are a bit muddled and incomplete, and the finish is actually quite distracting. Maybe it's a mind game, some sort of perceived brand loyalty, or nostalgia, but are the Thumbprints not as good as the Unplugged? I'm staking my claim here. They are not.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 23:39:53 | More by BarrytheBear

robbyc1

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Copper red with a deep hue, lovely. Some lace, nicely done.

Deep malty nose, subdued.

Great malt, balanced not overly subtle, just a good drinker, hard to believe it's 9%, well hidden.

Heavy mouthfeel, a solid red ale, sorry that it is one and done.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 21:56:16 | More by robbyc1

jimmah120

Minnesota

3.29/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.25

12oz bottle with no date, no abv given

This... is the definition of a malt bomb. If it really is 9% then it does an excellent job of hiding it. Deep flavor, but all malty and dark fruity. Gingerbread, cinnamon, raisins, plums, etc. Very sweet and no spicy coriander or clove to speak of.

Totally not what I expected. Not really a winter warmer, more of a wild scottish ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 08:53:32 | More by jimmah120

scaliasux

Wisconsin

3.55/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Amber. A little hazy. Tall off-white foamy head. Persistent.

Smell - Sweet medium roasted malts. Caramel and toast. Not particularly strong.

Taste - Begins with a fairly light toasty malt flavor. Later, a little caramel or toffee and somewhat bitter dark toast/smoke. Alcohol is clearly noticeable.

Mouthfeel - Medium to full. Creamy.

Overall - Not bad, but not a favorite.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 03:33:24 | More by scaliasux

Jparker37

Wisconsin

3.54/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a snifter (no thistle glass yet).

A - Light amber in color with orange highlights. Great clarity from a soft pour for this bottle conditioned beer. Medium head of a vanilla color which has bubbles that are medium in size. The cap of foam fell quickly and left little bits of spotty lacing.

S - Many shades of toasted malt. I get a fruity (pineapple) alcohol twist in there.

T - Toasty malt throughout the whole taste. Has a little bit of bitterness to it then melds with the alcohol on the later half. Alcohol seems a bit warm for the 9% it's putting out. As this warms I'm getting some more mild roasted tones and hoppiness halfway through.

M - Medium-full body, medium-light carbonation, never sweet but yet never really dry.

O - The beer shows up lighter in color than expected. It shows maltiness and stylistic alcohol in aroma but the taste leaves a couple things to ask for. I may have drank this beer while its too young and maybe some of the alcohol would calm with aging adding complexity as well. This beer seems to be brewed to specifically warm for this winter (we got 10" today in Wisconsin), therefor stepping outside typical Scottish Ale style guidelines. It seems a little one dimensional on malt character steering away from roasty/dark malt and smokiness. I'm always excited for the next thumbprint beer to come from New Glarus and I will put away the remaining inventory of this Winter Warmer for later evaluation.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 02:06:27 | More by Jparker37