Highland Cold Mountain Winter Ale - Highland Brewing

OldFrothingSlosh

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

1 Liter wax-sealed bottle courtesy of the great NC BA Loki.

Appearance: Popping the top resulted in a satisfying "Pfft" of gas out of the bottle and this lovely poured a beautiful DEEP and clear ruby red with a massive, billowing tan-colored head that just refuses to yield, die down, or otherwise behave itself. Big splotches of lace line my oversized glass.

Smell: Dominating the aromas are the great combination of wintry spice and caramel sweetness. There's a "toasted cinnamon" kick to this that was awesome. Some other dark fruit aromas as well. "Busy"? Hell yeah.

Taste: Nothing disappoints here. Very well-balanced with an initial sweetness tossed with spice that quickly becomes tempered by a hoppy bitterness. At the end, a toasty malt shows up to please the palate. Only a very slight alcohol flavor noted right at the very end. Superbly balanced.

Mouthfeel and Drinkability: Definitely a big, creamy, coat-your-palate beer we have here! Thick, chewy in character. Drinkability is definitely a 5.0. So very well-balanced, flavorful, and easy to drink. I'm very, VERY glad to have finally been able to try this gem from North Carolina. If, in a few years, the ABV limit is raised, this would be a candidate for pumping up the ABV and see what happens. Seek this one out, gang. You'll be glad you did.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2004 03:04:20 | More by OldFrothingSlosh

beerinator

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Nice reddish brown color. Off white tan head with awesome head retention. Nice solid bubbles.

Aroma: Roasted nut and cherry present in the aroma. Ammaretto/almond noted in the nose. Solid sweetness, very little in the way of hop noted.

Taste: Initial taste is solid sweetness. Sweet cherry melds with a bit of nuttiness. Ammaretto present in the taste as well as aroma. Solid mouthfeel. Very little sourness or bitterness present here.

Notes: This beer is begging for North Carolina's abv laws to change. I think it's a good beer now, but the depth in both the aroma and taste is impressive for a beer under 6%. One of Highlands strongest offerings.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2004 16:49:14 | More by beerinator

JISurfer

South Carolina

4.85/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Wow, this is one hyped up brew! I must say though, it lived up to my expectations. I thought it tasted more like an old ale, than anything. It had the kind of "olde" taste to it. The appearance on this beast was magnificent. Solid amber color, with one kick ass head. The head was an tannish/off white color and was as thick as a Guinness head. It even lasted the whole brew. I detected hints of citrus, some hops, as well as caramel malts, and some various other flavors that I wasn't sure what they were. It had a very creamy mouthfeel and was quite refreshing at the same time. The drinkability was easily a 5.0. If I were marooned on an island, I would have to bring this stuff with me. This is no doubt, the best brew I have had from Highland thus far. Tommorrow I do get to try the Mocha Stout, which I have high expectations for as well.

Major big props to Disclosednot for hookin' me up with the Cold Mountain. He saved me from a deep depression of not being able to find this stuff anywhere. Thanks bro!

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2004 05:54:47 | More by JISurfer

PhantomVodoo

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2003 bottling in a 1 liter swingtop bottle.
Tan head sits atop this mahogany brew.
Pleasing aroma of lightly roasty, caramel malt; floral, citrusy hops; and spice.

Taste shows a lot going on in this beer. Lightly roasty, caramel malt. Toffee, brown sugar and spice which likely includes cinnamon. Solid floral, fruity hop balance although the malt wins out in this one.
Good mouthfeel, although you get the feeling the body could be much more if not for NC's 6%ABV limit.
Good drinkability.
A tastey winter treat. Worth seeking out.
A huge thank you to AKSmokedPorter for tracking this one down!

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2004 02:26:50 | More by PhantomVodoo

GCBrewingCo

North Carolina

4.72/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The beer pours a crystal clear ruby amber. The head is tan, tall, and lasting to lace the glass.

The aroma is malty and bready. Similar to a scotch ale. Some slight gingerbread spices are present in the aroma. Also a toasty aroma and caramel. A very complex aroma to say the least with fruitiness, spices and malt.

The flavor is complex with malt sweetness, hop bitterness, spices and a multitude of hard to distinguish flavors in the background. Definite fruitiness, raisins or other dark fruits.

The finish is dry with muted spices and slight bitterness. The body is medium to medium full.

A very complex beer with quite a bit going on.

1 liter wax coated flip top bottle - 2003 vintage.

(Thanks to Loki for letting us know where to get the beer and Beerinator for picking it up!)

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2004 00:43:31 | More by GCBrewingCo

Loki

North Carolina

4.93/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Sampled from the 1L wax-sealed fliptop bottle.

Appearance: Dark, ruby brown with a huge beige head that fades to a thin, bubbly covering. Fantastic lacing that leaves behind outlines of winter mountain range.

Smell: Big, roasted candied malts, cinnamon, caramel, and candied sugars. Hints of red fruit and cotton candy. Inticing and surprise. So magical combination of belgian candy, caramelized malt, wild rasberries, and fresh cotton candy with a solid cinnamon and spice backbone.

Taste: Roasted malt, caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, belgian candied sugar, soft red fruit, and cotton candy. This is like being in a fair in the Belgian mountain forest in the middle of winter. Wonderful combination of flavor that is not to sweet, but keeps the tongue dancing and brings all of your senses alive.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, crisp, clean, perfectly balanced sweetness with a slight spicy hop finish to cleanse the palate.

Drinkability: Superb. The best seasonal I've had all year, perhaps ever! There is a reason it comes in 1L bottles, because once you taste it you want much more and you don't want to share! Fantastic.

Taste:

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2003 19:49:06 | More by Loki

homersimpson

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Version 2003
1 Liter Bottle
Clear, dark amber brew with light tan head.
Scents of sweet malt and spices.
Medium, smooth body with light carbonation.
Initially, spicy up front with just enough of a crisp hopto make it clean. Not much sweet with the spice, and the malt is definately hidden. Has a long spicy finish.
Definately on of my favorite winter brews, but could use a boost in alcohol and malt (they do go hand in hand!)
Needs a bit of a sweet burn in the finish to make it perfect.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2003 00:22:21 | More by homersimpson

cerevisiaephilus

Michigan

3.48/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

In my experience, this beer is only available in 32oz (1L?) swing top bottles during the winter months. Fairly well spiced, this beer is reminiscent of pumpkin pie both in smell and taste. Definately an enjoyable beer, but I feel it could be made more so by increasing the quantity of malts and holding the spice level the same. However, this wouldn't work in NC because this beer is already close to the 6% alcohol level the state has set as a limit for all BEER. Which is ridiculous.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2003 00:52:32 | More by cerevisiaephilus

oberon

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Found this one at Old Town Draught House here in Greensboro.Nice darker auburn color with nice creamy head.Real nice smell of nutmeg and other spices with fruity tones,smelled very appetizing.Something to warm up to for sure good and hearty,medium bodied not to heavy so pretty easy to drink.Good winter style ale from a good craft brewer down here.

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2003 07:15:33 | More by oberon

RBorsato

Virginia

4.83/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Hazy auburn bronze color with a beige head. A nice spicy aroma and taste (nutmeg and cinnamon) reminiscent of cinnamon toast. A toasty warm feeling great for wintertime. Medium bodied (leand full) and very smooth. Similar to Harpoon Winter Warmer in terms of spice intensity.

[2001 version (1 liter swingtop bottle) Tasted 11/23/02]

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2002 12:02:17 | More by RBorsato