Cold Front - Ithaca Beer Company

brureview

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured in a snifter. Bottle date good by March.

Good caramel color Light aroma of caramel and toffee.

Carbonation a bit strong.

There is caramel, some lemon, and too much alcohol

in the finish for the ABV.

An okay beer. Drink warmer for a more balanced taste.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 02:53:14 | More by brureview

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Dark red-brown with lots of bubbles and a giant three-finger, off-white, creamy head that lasted a couple minutes. Pretty good lacing.

S: Bread, dark fruit, and spice.

T: Moderate sweetness and light to moderate bitterness. Very malt forward. Lots of roasted qualities. Less Belgian in characteristic than I'm used to with this style. Good though.

M: Medium bodied with soft carbonation. Smooth.

O: Really interesting roasted qualities that weren't quite what I was expecting for the style. This is a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 02:58:22 | More by SolipsismalCat

dirtylou

Washington

3.9/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle, hilliards can-pint

I didn't realize what style this was when I poured it, or I may have considered an alternate serving vessel. Regardless, this was a nice little winter seasonal - big belgian yeast profile, brwon sugar, banana, fruity esters, quite sweet. Not a game-changer, but quite drinkable and a nice change of pace for me on this given day

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 22:35:23 | More by dirtylou

suspect

New York

3.6/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Samuel Adams Perfect Pint glass.

A: Crystal clear amber color. Aggressive center pour leads to a 2 finger light khaki head that fades slowly to a slight ring and a cumulonimbus cloudy looking center. Lacing is pretty consistently spotty.

S: Grainy malts, yeast and some hop bitterness. Diacetyl and a touch of booze shows up in the nose as well.

T: Follows the nose but pulls a few flavors from an amber lager which is a bit unexpected. The grains are nice and the malt is really the all-star here. Not much else in flavor here.

M: Crisp finish, medium body. Perfectly carbonated.

O: An easy drinking Belgian Dark that I'm pretty sure doesn't really fit the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 03:24:11 | More by suspect

mattbk

New York

4.03/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

appearance: Amber/brown, fairly cloudy, a nice shade, decent amount of carbonation.
smell: Nice Belgian yeast aroma, banana esters, light bready malt coming through. Maybe slightly metallic. A nice aroma though.
taste: Same Belgian yeast in flavor. The yeast esters dominate the flavor profile. Some slight sweetness, although the beer is fairly dry. It is a bit rough, the metallic/tin that I picked up in the aroma is in the taste as well. Maybe a bit of grape in the flavor as well. Despite a few flaws, the beer is fairly drinkable and fairly smooth, and I still like it. Maybe just enough complexity to make it interesting.
mouthfeel: Medium mouthfeel, definitely dry though, the carbonation is just right on this beer.
overall: I liked this beer more than I thought I would. Not unusual for Ithaca beers - one of my favorite breweries. This beer would go well in several situations - with food, as a fairly sessionable beer because of the dryness, or as a final beer for the night, because of the decent amount of complexity. A nice beer, will recommend.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 23:48:39 | More by mattbk

stxp

New York

4.23/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

appearance: deep brown, barely translucent in light, soft head with some dimples, small bubbles

smell: fresh bread, nutty brown, slight belgian spice

taste: very bready, thick malty, a bit of belgian, not overly hoppy, long bready linger

mouthfeel: very thick and rich, stays creamy the whole time, quite filling, low alcohol

overall: incredibly filling, rich fresh baked bread, thick but not overpoweringly alcoholic or hoppy

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 01:05:06 | More by stxp

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

this is one of those beers i got wasted and sick drinking too many of years ago and have unfairly sworn off ever since. i revisited it yesterday and have to say, ive really been misssing out. this is an exceptional beer, totally different from the countless generic winter beers out there now. the pours is dark dark brown, but not thick or heavy looking, light still passes through, and there is a smallish off white head around for just a few seconds before it flattens out. the nose is really odd, smokey but not quite at that rauch level. there is also belgian yeast and candy sugar present, making this more of a dubbel than an amber in my book, but its more than that. there is that life and limb birch syrup smell and taste as well, which doesnt come across as very sweet here, but it adds a lot of depth to the aroma and flavor. its woody in taste, oaky, kind of drinks like and old ale, but this is certainly a curious mishmash of styles. complex malt profile on the medium to heavy roast side, but tempered by a very vibrant belgian yeast strain. the alcohol content is just right for these cold dark months, and the light carbonation combined with the fuller body make this is nice winter beer that sticks to your guts in all the right ways. one of ithacas best seasonals.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 17:43:48 | More by StonedTrippin

MrCee

3.9/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Smoky...almost like a rauch bier. Nice caramel color but light than would expect from the taste. It seems like it should be darker. Very pleasant body. Not much to report in the way of smell. A good transition beer into winter or a winter-like beer for those that don't like winter beers.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 03:00:16 | More by MrCee

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Looks nice. Smells nice. A decent stab at the style. Won't go down as the greatest Belgian amber ever, but it's still coming off respectable. Could stand a bit more tweaking and smoothing around the edges, but it definitely works. Especially considering the style and how often it's mediocre at best.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 01:39:00 | More by RblWthACoz

TheBrewo

Michigan

3.8/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into our tasting snifters, this deep reddish mahogany colored beer throws up an impressive four finger head of creamy tan bubbles. Retention is phenomenal, and the lacing is as thick as the head. Carbonation appears average, and there are bits of yeasty sediment floating about the thick haze. The nose is rich with a deep caramel malt base, and strong fruity notes of pear, red apple, and raw plantains. The malts show a brown sugar sweetness, and even a bit of a smoky quality. Metallic yeast is also abundantly clear, completing the Belgian picture. Our first impression is that this is a nice, sweet, smooth, and boozy beer, with a contrasting bittering finish. As we sip, caramel malts, brown sugar, strawberries, and a lemon freshness combine for a robust start. The grain deepens with a bit of a roasty and steely quality. The yeast adds metal and bite, becoming most noted at the peak of the swallow, at which point a good deal of the sweetness is lost to souring and bittering grain. These last two notes pull us deep to the finish, where the grain becomes even more souring and puckering, with a hint of acetylaldehyde tartness. The grain is muddy, with mineral and chalk, and that metallic yeast from the nose. Booze comes in at this point, offering that classic peppery rumble. There is the faintest balance of sweetness from dark cherry and ripened strawberries. The aftertaste breathes more with that souring grain, yeast, clovey phenols, and sweetness of toffee and caramel malts. The body is medium and the carbonation is big. Each sip gives fantastic audible froth, slurp, cream, and smack. The mouth is initially coated, but eventually dries with a souring astringency. The abv is appropriate, and the beer drinks easily.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was the crazy look, the nose, and the creaminess to each slurp. The nose gave a rich and appropriate preview of what was to come in the nose, while the flavoring subsequently delivered on all accounts. The end actually became a bit muddled, and the sourness of grain took away from the initial balanced and sweetness of the brew. Additionally, the feel was beautiful at the outset, but the huge carbonation became overwhelming at times. This is a great beer, but some aspects could use some refinement.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 17:46:47 | More by TheBrewo

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.95/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Pouring this chilled beer into a goblet caused a near explosion of carbonation. I wasn't quick enough.

A slightly dull brown-amber with a dense tan head that takes minutes to fade. There's sticky lacing and no sediment. The beer's aroma is dominated by yeast and fruitiness with a slight alcohol bite and sugary sweetness. The taste paints a different picture with heavy sweetness and yeast mainly in the aftertaste. It's quite smooth and drinkable with a slightly bitter, tobacco bite following each sip.
It's really a great belgian-style beer, although something isn't quite right overall. It's like comparing a really great generic cola to coke...lot's of good belgian character, but not quite perfect.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 00:57:16 | More by ThePorterSorter

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Explodes out of bottle with a 5+ finger khaki head that fades quickly to a thin layer, leaving some lace. Hazy amber color. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Belgian yeast nose and flavor is caramel and Belgian yeast, hops are subdued. $2.35 for a 12oz bottle from Julio's Liquors Westborough, Ma.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 22:28:43 | More by jdhilt

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Going into this I knew it was old, finding it in the dollar beer section but I never had it. With good reviews and little sediment in the bottle I picked it up.

A - For what it's worth it does produce a nice 1/4 inch of tan colored head a top of some deep ruby brown colored beer.

S - Initial smells are still rather strong of caramel malt, fruity yeasts, and mild hops.

T - Taste is pretty good with the hops giving it a bitter almost cardboard like bitterness. I am surprised how bitter this is rather than sweet but fruity yeasts do play a part in keeping it from being too bitter. Not bad.

M - Mouthfeel was nice with a medium bodied and no chalky yeasts.

Overall I am not sure how great this beer was but a year or two (maybe more) down the road it's good.

"I'd buy that for a dollar!" -Robocop

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 22:37:23 | More by DrDemento456

Thickfreakness

New York

4.1/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours a nice cherry/mahogany into my Bruery tulip. 2 1/2 finger off white head that sparkles and shimmers. Nice bits of lacing drip down the glass leaving a sticky foam that fades away.

S- Dried cherry, raisin and figs. Nice banana and bubblegum from the yeast. Hints of pepper, lemon zest, basil and anise. Really nice and complex.

T- Huge flavors of banana, raisins, figs, and lemon-pepper spice. Hints of maple syrup and caramel. Decent hop presence.

M- Nicely carbonated for a Dark Ale. Loving the Belgian yeast and fruity sweetness. This one really hit the spot tonight! It's like a dark ale and a Wheat beer in one!

O- I was very pleased with this offering from one of my favorite somewhat locals. Fruity, wheaty, dark and delicious.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 00:52:23 | More by Thickfreakness

goblue3509

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark brown color with a slight one finger head which leaves no lace presence. The aroma is of candied yeast a bubblegum like aroma with a nice dark fruit aroma after. The taste has a caramel malt backbone there is then a big candied yeast flavor, again it is a bubblegum like flavor. There is also a dark fruit in the back end. The mouthfeel is light and thin. Overall it was a solid brew, it is not best in class but it is a good beer. Not as complex as some.

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2012 21:57:24 | More by goblue3509

BeerResearcher

Massachusetts

3.6/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. brown bottle. Best before date etched on label (but no mention of what year)
Served in in Westy goblet.
It pours a dark leathery brown color with a firm 2" foamy head along with some patchy and trailing lace.
The smell of doughy malt rises and falls at first pour. Earthy and woody smells edge forward, as does the clovey yeast and resinous hops. A little spice and hint of citrus pulls though. A very slight rum perfume is way in the background.
The flavors match the smells fairly closely. A bit sweeter in taste than in the nose. Close your eyes and you are drinking a Belgian Brown Ale.
I'm a bit surprised at the ABV. I would have guessed 6%...tops.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2012 17:09:36 | More by BeerResearcher

chimaylvr

Rhode Island

4.03/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Here's a beer with a lot of fine features:

1.5 fingers of foam retaining thin lacing throughout; proper deep amber hue

smell is strong, spicy, raisin, juniper, clove

taste is also strong, hints of orange, full of flavor, a crisp maltiness

feel is light syrup to start, finishes astringent perhaps from citrus notes

Overall this beer was quite enjoyable. Maybe because I really like Belgians but there's nice balance in this beer. Nothing too dominant but flavors assert themselves. Bold and balanced

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 07:11:42 | More by chimaylvr

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours brownish orange with an off-white head. A ring of retention all thru the pin. No lace.

Smells spicy, yeasty, a little toasted wheat, a little sour funk.

A Belgian-style brew for sure, we have some toasted malt, some candied notes, a little yeasty funk, moderate bitterness, and a mild bitter and slightly bready-sour note at the end. I like the grain in this one, and the finish is nice.

Medium bodied - barely. A little light.

Overall, this cannot compete with Belgian brews - uh, from Belgium -- but this is a very decent domestic version of the style. I wanted a bit more of the toasty note, but that is my only complaint. To find this quality in a 6 is a nice opportunity of all of us. Decent brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 19:33:31 | More by OtherShoe2

atr2605

New York

2.8/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A-pours a deepamber/brown color with an off white head about one fingerswidth, not the best retention
S-raisins, caramel, smells a bit boozy for being only 7%
T-starts with a bit off the caramel flavor buts turns into a yeasty olive flavor. Not good
M-Medium Light
O-not a fan, nose was a bit off but still had some of the typical characteristics but the flavor was way off.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 22:07:03 | More by atr2605

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.28/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz Bottle

Appearance - Clear copper/brown colour with a large size fizzy beige coloured head. There is a low amount of carbonation showing and there is some fairly good lacing. The head lasted for longer than average.

Smell - Malts, caramel, yeast, dark fruits

Taste & Mouth - There is an above average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, caramel and some raisins. There is also some banana flavour mixed with cherries and yeast. Unfortunately the beer also has a but if a rusty/vinegar taste to it. It ends with a malty/yeasty aftertaste.

Overall - This seemed more like a home brew than something from Ithaca. I'll admit that it got better as it warmed up in my glass, but it still seemed to be a bit of a mess. It's not balanced and the taste is strange.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 18:36:06 | More by spinrsx

rlee1390

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Clear light amber with a two finger head.

S-Some dark fruits and raisins, some yeast as well. Slight, slight hops.

T-Similar to the nose, with sweet dark fruits as the main attraction. Mild bitterness in the finish.

M-Creamy, rather carbonated and medium bodied.

O-Another solid beer from Ithaca, an interesting choice for a winter seasonal but good nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 00:44:42 | More by rlee1390

metter98

New York

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

A: The beer is slightly hazy brownish amber in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high beige colored head that died down rather quickly, leaving a large patch of bubbles on the surface and a ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: There are lots of earthy aromas of yeast in the nose.
T: Similar to the smell, the taste has flavors of earthy yeast and lots of malts (but without any associated sweetness) and hints of dark fruits. Peppery spices are evident in the finish. No bitterness is noticeable.
M: It feels a bit shy of medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate to high amount of carbonation. There is a bit of dryness in the finish.
O: The beer hides any traces of alcohol very well but would be a lot more drinkable if it had some malty sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 02:56:53 | More by metter98

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Two plus fingers worth of delicate fluffy light khaki colored head with a bit of a rocky top... Average retention yields to a thick layer of slightly rich moderately creamy lacing... The color is a deep warming ruby red... A slight bit of rapid paced carbonation can be seen rising at the top of the glass...

S - Candy apples... Dark fruits... A touch of cinnamon... Toffee... A bit of smokiness... Some slight Belgian yeast notes...

T - The aromas translate on the palette but they seem to become quite muddled and confused... An odd mix of dark fruits, spice, smokey wood character and sugared gummy candies... Perhaps some tobacco notes as well...

M - Medium bodied... Dense... Biting carbonation... Turns a bit too swishy and foamy for my liking... Uneven and not very consistent...

D - A less than inspiring Belgian Dark Ale... Probably my least favorite Ithaca offering to date... Not terrible, but not anything I would either recommend or reach for in the future if provided the opportunity...

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 02:08:41 | More by philbe311

blackened1339

New York

2.78/5  rDev -24%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Picked this beer in a make your own six pack @ Wegman's. I consumed straight out of the bottle. Perhaps I would have gotten a better sense of this beer if I had consumed it in a chalice or had more than one, but overall, it just struck me as being very weird. Like drinking Yoohoo from a swimming pool. There was a weird taste I couldn't describe, my boyfriend called it floral (which I can understand coming from Ithaca) but to me, it was awkward...like chlorine.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 08:34:17 | More by blackened1339

muletrane

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle (best by 12/12) into a Bruery tulip.

A: Pours a hazy plum colour with 2.5 fingers of dense, creamy light tan head. Good retention and lacing.

S: Lots of Belgian style yeast notes and dark fruits. Also a touch of tartness as well.

T: Similar to the nose with a touch of spiciness but doesn't quite reach the same level. The flavor is still nice and very drinkable. Finishes dry with some lingering yeast notes.

M: Moderately thin body with moderate carbonation.

Overall I think this a solid winter offering from Ithaca. Alot of nice Belgian characteristics in this beer. Not too spicy like some other winter offerings.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2011 15:02:51 | More by muletrane