Blue Point Winter Ale - Blue Point Brewing Company

david18

New York

3.23/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

There's not much I can say about this beer. I don't like Winter Beers but it was the only new beer at my local beer bar so I tried it. It was on the good side of what I like, meaning it was more like a red ale than a winter ale. Not too much spice, good dark color and decent malt color and flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

11-27-2009 21:30:53 | More by david18

ClockworkOrange

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a nonic pint glass. The ale appears a clear dark amber color with about a finger of off white foam. Nose and flavor are of medium toasted bready grains, a touch of caramel, some light chocolate and raisin notes. Lighter in body than I was expecting, but adequately carbonated. Not too bad, and the price is right.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2009 15:16:18 | More by ClockworkOrange

magine

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Never had anything from this brewery before - here goes.

Poured this brew into a pint glass.

The beer pours a nice dark red amber - dark copper in the lower part of the glass. Has a nice light tan head, some minimal lacing - the head goes away quickly.

The beer has a bubbly mouthfeel, has a sweet taste of fruit, caramel hints, malts - dry finish. The taste is not balanced enough for me - almost is missing something.

This beer is good for a change up brew for me - not sure I like the finish to much with this one. I could enjoy a few, but then I would move on. It is a decent winter brew but I have had better.

The beer smells of

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2009 01:18:23 | More by magine

jculler82

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Aged bottle, 3 to 4 years old. Poured to a pint glass.

Pours a clear brown with a one finger off white head. Lacing is decent. Smell is faint, caramel malts mostly. Taste is malty as expected, biscuit at first with a sweet finish. Didn't detect any hops at all, but I didn't expect to at almost 4 years old. Nice medium mouthfeel.

Reminds me more of a brown ale or nut brown than an amber/red. All in all a good beer, it isn't bad, but it doesn't stand out.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2009 00:04:00 | More by jculler82

jwc215

New Jersey

3.23/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours light-to-medium brown with a ruby hue. Small, champagne-like bubbles rise vigorously to the top, forming a thin frothy head. Some lacing sticks.

The smell is of toast (slightly burnt edges), caramel and a vague medium-to-dark fruitiness.

The taste is sweet - almost sticky sweet. Caramel and grain. There is something seltzery/tonic water-like mixed in. Not too fond of flat (? - for lack of better term - tough to describe - aftertaste that lingers). There is a slightly burnt brown sugar taste mixed in, as well as a touch of alcohol.

Light for a winter brew. Carbonation adds smoothness, but detracts from the body, here.

I suppose the sweetness (and hint of alcohol, though if the abv of 4.5 is correct here, don't know that it should be present at all), makes it a "winter" amber, but it comes across as imbalanced, as there is little depth to it. It does drink quickly and smoothly enough, but the bland-ish graininess detracts. It's mediocre-ish, IMO. Okay for a sweet, but smooth drink, I suppose, but nothing particularly special at all.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2009 15:06:41 | More by jwc215

TMB0424

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a roasted chestnut body with a small tan head that disappears very quickly with little lacing. Slight orange hints on the edges of the glass.

Smell is of roasted nuts mostly with hints of sweet malts and caramel. Kind of spicy. Simple, yet pretty nice.

Taste is of caramel malts, roasted nuts, with a little spice/hop towards the finish. Very malty though, as they dominate any other aspect you might detect. Again, a little simple. Mouthfeel is grainy but smooth. Medium bodied. It's easy to drink, but I don't know if I'd want more than or two bottles of this... a little bit sweet for me. Not a bad winter/amber ale though.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2009 03:28:22 | More by TMB0424

mikereaser

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - pours a nice amber color with with 1/4 inch of foam

S - Malty aroma with nutty and caramel hints

T - caramel and nut flavor with just a bit of hops to round it out. Nothing too overpowering or memorable

M/D - Overall not very impressive. As a winter ale its not very memorable and there are alot better choices in this category.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2009 18:55:40 | More by mikereaser

Amalak

New York

3.48/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I had out of the bottle, it was dark brown, though completely see through, in color with a decent head that left a good lace around the glass. Very distinct scent to it, has a hint of fruit and spice to it.

The taste was very dry, again with a hint of fruit. To be honest there was a flatness to this beer. While not too bad, I would take a Sam Adams Winter Ale over this offering, since both are of a similar breed. Not bad at all, but there are far better winter ales out there, even of the generic kind.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2009 02:28:20 | More by Amalak

Risser09

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a snifter - Fridge temp - 2008

Appearance: Pours a very dark brown color with faint ruby red highlights and a 2" tall, light tan head. Great retention and plenty of coating on the glass from the lace. A pretty beer.

Smell: Malty, nutty and full of cereal grain.

Taste: Similar tastes, full barley flavor and lots of cereal. Nuttiness is pecan and hazelnut. The flavor is deep and long lasting.

Mouthfeel: Quite smooth and easy to approach. Mild sweetness with little alcohol presence.

Drinkability: Not bad. A mediocre winter ale and a basic beer altogether. Smooth drinking. Not worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2009 18:10:54 | More by Risser09

OnThenIn

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Nice finger of head but it goes away quickly. Nice amber color.

Smell: Really sweet aroma with a hint of hops. You can really smell the malt.

Taste: Medium bodied beer with a nice balance between the hops and malt. You can taste a tiny bit of caramel.

Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation and a little bit of an oily feel.

Drinkability: It is very drinkable but it doesn't quite reach session beer status.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2009 06:41:47 | More by OnThenIn

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served on-tap at Al's of Hampden in Enola, PA.

A: The ale is a dark nutty brown color, highlighted with orange and red tones. No head unfortunately.

S: The nose is malty, loaded with nutty notes and caramel sweetness.

T: The ale doesn't deviate from the amber formula at all. Caramel and nutty malts suppprt a light hop profile. As many others have noted, there is nothing special about the ale; the name alone made me expect more.

M: The mouthfeel is ho-hum, a decent amber ale with the necessary caramel and hop flavors.

D: The ale would work in a pinch but to make it a full-time option, I'd want to see a spicy profile.

Serving type: on-tap

01-01-2009 18:43:23 | More by akorsak

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.03/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed on 12/22/08. Bottle. Pours a clear brown with a very small ring of tan head. Aroma of general spices (peppery?) and sweet malt. Flavor of an amber ale with spiced caramel malt. Definite spicy/peppery notes. Spicy burn in the finish. This is an ok beer, but nothing I would seek out again. More like a S/H/V than an amber ale. Decent.
6/4/6/3/14 (3.3/5)

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2008 18:24:11 | More by LilBeerDoctor

CHADMC3

Connecticut

3.15/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Walnut brown body exudes a quickly developing and generous fluffy white head, lasting throughout the beer that leaves a trail of lacing.

Generous aroma of malt and seasonal spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon accompany hints of nut.

Aroma has hints of caramel malt, but primarily spices, malt, and slight hop bitterness in the finish, but also a bit metallic in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel offers medium carbonation, medium to full body, and a decent palate, but nothing remarkable.

A decent winter warmer overall, somewhere in the middle of the style grade. Comes together ok, I may revisit this again.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2008 21:28:08 | More by CHADMC3

NoahSYGG

New York

2.78/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I agree with Lbkornlb14. This beer is boring. It tastes like a darker oktoberfest. I don't like any christmasy spices in my beer, but c'mon guys a little something. The flavor was boring. The color was ok and also being a fellow Long Islander i am very dissatisfied with blue point. I had a hoptical illusion the other day and it was atrocious. blue point is on their way out.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2008 23:29:59 | More by NoahSYGG

Lexluthor33

New York

3.15/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

An average brew head to toe.
Amber color,small head and a patchy lace.

The aroma was just malts and grains.
The taste was basically malts and a touch of caramel.

The feel was medium to high carbonation,smooth but with grains in the finish.

Notes: This is not what I want to have when I feel a chill or have friends over. I just felt this beer was a let down.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2008 05:48:37 | More by Lexluthor33

lbkornlb14

New York

2.38/5  rDev -32.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

You cant get much more boring then the Blue Point Winter. It pours and smells descent enough, but I guess even the nose is a little boring. Its a malt bomb, all you taste is malt, and its so boring I had trouble choking down just a single pint. On that note, Besides the Blueberry and Toasted Lager, I feel that Bluepoints quality has really let me down, and being a long islander it is kind of sad. Im to the point where I wont even recommend this brewery or its beers if im out and someone hasnt tried it. Anyone else feel the same? Anyway the bluepoint winter is one of the most boring, uninspired, borderline undrinkable beers of the year.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2008 03:07:30 | More by lbkornlb14

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Got a single from Liberty St. Tavern. I don't know what's wintery about this other than it's the same color as a winter warmer. It reminds me of Summit's winter ale and its a clear ruby-brown color and kind of bland. This at least has a spicy hop bite at the end, but the caramel malts take some searching to find. The aroma at least has a nice mix of fruity strawberry esters with creamy vanilla once the beer's about at room temperature. Now that's it warm I'm also pulling a citrus rind tangy hops flavor and a bit of toffee. I guess the story here is to go for room temperature.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2008 23:27:09 | More by tempest

hopdog

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle shared thanks to weeare138. Bottle notched best before April 06.

Poured a medium and clear amber color with a very small sized off white head. Aromas of citrus, caramel and light cardboard. Tastes of citrus and caramel.

Notes from 1/12/06

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2008 14:28:55 | More by hopdog

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

4.55/5  rDev +28.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Good hard pour in to a standard pint glass from a fresh brewery filled growler.

L - clear deep amber color with a huge foamy sand colored head that left sheets of sticky lacing.

S - roasted malt, nuts and some spices in the smell.

T - roasted malt sweetness and spiced flavors lead to a lightly bitter dry finish.

F - medium bodied with a mild carbonation feel.

D - extemely easy to drink, a winter session beer for me.

Serving type: growler

12-10-2008 23:52:22 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

aibkstaff

New York

3.05/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours with a deep rich mahogany color and thick creamy head. The smell is rich and malty with hints of vanilla. Taste is sweet and malty with a fizzy carbonation. It reminds me of a vienna lager. Very light in body. Drinkability is easy. This one is kinda boring, but makes a decent winter.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2008 03:23:13 | More by aibkstaff

thespaceman

Connecticut

3.93/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass:

Appearance: Deep brown/ almost black in color, a minimal head that disaapated quickly, little lacing.

Smell: Roasted malt elements, toasted bread with a hint of nutmeg and other spices. The nose is a little floored yet it's appeasing. A nice touch of caramel & toffee elements as well.

Taste: A good blast of maltiness paired with a roasted nut flavor, holiday spice and a bit of milk chocoalte. Carmelization bleeds through the malt yet get's drowned out by dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Decently carbonated, this one is medium bodied that loses its complexity on the tongue but still holds up smooth and creamy.

Drinkability: This is by far a very simple, yet enjoyable winter brew, alot of the elements have been done better from the likes of Brooklyn Brewery or even Samuel Adams for that matter, but this is still a good introductory beer into the winter styling and a sure bet to please any existing malt lover.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2008 19:10:02 | More by thespaceman

erosier

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

L: Pours a nice dark amber-brown color with a short white colored head that laces the glass a bit on the way down.
S: Smells of sweet roasted malts, some vanilla, spices - nutmeg and cinnamon, and a faint hops characteristic at the end.
T: A nice roasted malty base then some layers of cinnamon and vanilla, I really didn't taste the nutmeg I smelled, but then it ended with a slight hop finish that didn't make it too hoppy.
M: Very smooth, fresh, refreshing, and a bit warming.
D: Very drinkable beer. I don't believe it should be categorized as an American Amber/Red, I would call it more of a winter warmer from how it tasted and smelled. Regardless, it was still good.

Serving type: on-tap

11-26-2008 11:38:58 | More by erosier

marlinsfan4

Maryland

3.58/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A nice little offering from a New York brewery.

For a winter ale I figured it'd be a little heartier and a higher ABV but whatever, it was good with dinner. Pours a beautiful red color. Taste is a bit subdued... a little caramel can be tasted and some decent hoppiness. Not one of the best winter ales I've had but I've had much worse.. worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2008 00:01:06 | More by marlinsfan4

Dodo2step

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

P- Market Cross Pub in carlisle

A- pours a a dark chestnut brown color with amber highlites. A light head but leaves a decent lacing on my glass.

S- toffee and roasted caramel malts. Spices of apple, coriander and cinnamon come to the nose.

T- a piney and earthy metallic hop taste. Roasted malts and coriander are also present. Somewhat sweet and dry like a wine.

M- dry and somewhat hoppy. Sweet and robust on the roast part as well. Feels like dry coffee in the mouth.

D- Not bad and light ABV make it easy to put down but very piney knocks it down on my scale.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2008 21:52:08 | More by Dodo2step

Gambrinus1184

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12-ounce bottle into a pint glass.

A: Poured a dark amber color with ruby and hazel highlights with a two-finger head of tan foam. Carbonation is rather lively and the head retention and lacing is adequate.

S: Smells a bit soft, with notes of cinnamon, vanilla ginger, coriander and a good dose of roasted caramel malt.

T: A very smooth blend of sweet roasted caramel malt, a bit of coffee and toffee robustness and a nice dose of brown sugar intensity. The mouthfeel and flavor are made up to be more than a session brew, but the ABV and dark, sweet flavors beg otherwise.

M: Mouthfeel is medium-full bodied, full of sweet, brown sugar and crystal malts, with a dose of coffee, toffee and bittersweet cocoa.

D: Despite a rather rich mouthfeel and flavor, the sessionable ABV and modest finish make this winter ale an exceptional, albeit filling brew.

Really, a disappointing style for the brewery and it's potential, but a good brew nonetheless. Nothing spectacular here, but a nice solution to a sessionable winter ale. Move on for better spiced porters, stouts, ales and lagers, but stop here for a a steady drinking ale with a mouthfeel and drinkability worthy of the cold winter months.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2008 04:59:41 | More by Gambrinus1184