Highland Cold Mountain Winter Ale - Highland Brewing

CHADMC3

Connecticut

4.3/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a walnut brown body with a semi-foamy, semi-creamy, deep tan head packed with dense bubbles of carbonation giving way to a pleasant sticky lacing to match.

This is a very unique balance of hop bitterness and sweet caramel malt in the aroma. Almost a candy like quality to the aroma as well as dark fruits, perhaps raisins, and even a little cream or vanilla. As the beer warms the spice becomes more apparent to the nose.

The palate is equally interesting, but very different than what the aroma suggested. Much more sweet malt, caramel, molasses, vanilla, possibly cocoa and sweet nuts, and a hint of spices, all which hide the faint hop bitterness.

Medium to full in body, creamy, just a bit of spice, and medium carbonation. This is a hearty winter brew.

Thanks to my sister for getting this to me as a present from NC, this was a great beer. I'm enjoying it a little late in the season, but I will be requesting this again in the future. One of the better examples of the style I have had in a while.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2009 00:36:45 | More by CHADMC3

HeyItsChili

South Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured from a bomber into a pint glass. Pours a dark, murky garnet/amber with a foamy tan head that clings to the surface of the beer.

S - Vanilla, brown sugar,

T - Exceptionally complex. Sweet, almost cream soda like with the vanilla accent, spicy, warm sweet and roasted malt. Teeny bit of hops at the end.

M - Not too thick, a little crispness from carbonation.

D - Delicious. If I ever find my way into one of those ski chalets I hear so much about I'll down some of these around a roaring fire.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2008 01:01:57 | More by HeyItsChili

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.28/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Unibroue tulip glass ruby red in color. Has great clarity, decent retention and good lacing.

Sweet caramel malty scent balanced by a delicate floral hop bouquet. Smells pretty simplistic, but nice, clean and fresh.

Wow, this goes down easy. Smoooth. Creamy malt bill followed closely by a nice hint 'o hops for a nice clean finish. Hints of cola, sorghum and coconut. Very fresh and balanced taste. I have been impressed with the few Highland offerings I have had so far. Would have no problem buying some more of these.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2009 20:05:54 | More by twiggamortis420

dancinwillie

Wisconsin

4.28/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to turtlemoye for this one. I got it from a LIF he did, in which I didn't even win! I've been waiting to drink drink it, and I decided I'd better get around to doing just that. So here it goes.

Looks pretty thick coming out of that bottle. Head is fluffy, and cratered. Slow carbonation swells and releases sluggishly. As it drops and the bubbles become less dense, they spread out and look like under carbonated home brew heads. Color is dark red, and almost the shade of plum.

Aroma is nutty sweetness, almost peanut brittle. Unknown earthy spicing.

Sweet with a little bitterness, though not hoppy. Earthy and wholesome, like some really good multi-grain bread. Spicy, with a little oxidation that reminds me of an old, Old Ale. In the background: maple syrup and a little pumpkin pie flavor. As it warms, it gathers more of an Ale fruitiness, and again, I reminisce of pie fillings. This time more of a tart cherry, and maybe a little blackberry too. Toasted wheat berries.

Medium bodied, leaning more towards the fuller end of the spectrum. Sweet finish.

Overall, I'm really pretty impressed with this beer. I tend to rush a bit in my reviewing, and tried to slow it down here. I'm glad I did. Thanks again turtlemoye, I was thrilled to receive this and enjoyed drinking it. Now I just have to get going, and come up with an LIF of my own. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2009 03:28:26 | More by dancinwillie

rpjonesga

Georgia

4.28/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I just had this beer on tap at Taco Mac in Atlanta. I was very surprised with the vanilla / creamy flavor of this one. Unfortunately, the beer was served too cold which probably took away from some of its charm.

I really didn't detect much in the way of hops but the rich, malty character was just what I wanted from a winter ale.

Highly recommended!

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2009 01:15:34 | More by rpjonesga

scottyshades

Florida

4.28/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a barely transparent mahogany color with a small off-white head

S: Awesome caramel malts, nuts, toffee, light spices (no clove), a little bread, lactose, and powdered milk chocolate

T: Finally a winter warmer with a great flavor profile that's not overdone. The spices blend very well with the malts. Also lactose, toffee, and a really delicious chocolate/cocoa note that compliments the nuttiness

MF/D: Smooth velvety feel, lower carbonation, lighter in body than the others, and a finish of lactose, cocoa, and hazelnut

Notes: not the biggest or boldest, but perfectly balanced and not too spiced up

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2010 00:03:09 | More by scottyshades

AndyAvalanche

Massachusetts

4.26/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12 oz. bottle poured into a Sam Adams Perfect Pint Glass. Liquid comes out a nice hearty amber/red/deep brown color. There's really good clarity and it glows when held up in the light. There's a nice white cap, mostly small bubbles, a little bit of lacing, but not a ton.

Smell is really good, malty with a lot going on. Sweet toffee and hints of vanilla, cinnamon, and hazelnut. There are also tones of raspberries and cranberries that provide a very subtle sweetness immediately followed by some tart, very natural. Interesting blend, with everything there's almost a coco aroma too.

Taste is exactly on par with the smell, except we have some nice regular beer flavors as well. There's definitely a prominent coco flavor, but it doesn't seem like it should fit in... except it totally does! There's a fruitiness again with some almost, not quite completely, ripe raspberries and then some cranberries. There's also the same hints of vanilla and hazelnut in there and that freaking coco. NONE of these flavors seem to stand out more than the other, everything is balanced and gentle/subtle. Very well done.

Mouthfeel is great. In addition to all of the great (very well blended) flavors, the beer is the heavier end of light bodied with a great carbonation level. Great sweetness with some natural bitterness at the end, but still clean. It's complex but soft and overall really well balanced. Great drink ability. It's easily the best "winter warmer" I've had all year and I could drink it all winter, but this brew could go deeper into the spring if it wanted to, as well as start in the fall. Nice job Highland, totally digging this beer, but I'm not surprised. Thanks Paschal for the awesome hookup!

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 21:46:21 | More by AndyAvalanche

ElGordo

Oregon

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Winter 04/05 Vintage, 22oz bottle

Pours a deep, brilliant ruby red with some brown highlights. Small, off-white head lingers around the rim. Rich, sweet malty aroma with accents of raisins and brown sugar. The first sip made me smile. A lot. Sweet, subtle malt character up front mellows into deeper, roasted malt towards the back of the mouth. Lingering notes of raisin, brown sugar, and a faint bit of toffee. Body is substantial but not too thick or syrupy, yielding to a pleasant, smooth foam. Very drinkable for a winter warmer, also. Damn, this may be the best beer I've had that was brewed in NC. As an aside, this was an almost perfect complement to the slice of apple-pecan-walnut pie I had for dessert.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2004 02:14:47 | More by ElGordo

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Lush blurry cranberry red color with a slim, compact capping of lightly tanned creamy foam. Light lacing sticks low across the glass in a thin sheeting.

Aroma is fairly malty with a candied corn sweetness with some soft nuttyness and lower developed dark fruityness that seeps in a bit of cherry and raisin paste. Maple, vanilla, and toffee really begin to emerge as it sits a while.

Taste is a solid malty treat with a soft supple thickness displaying the whole way through, yet uncloying to the palate in any major fashion and making for a nice sipper. Flavors are well rounded and muted with deep, saturated dark fruityness. Mingling raisin, prune, plum, and dark cherry across the front and middle where the peak then hits with a very nice subtle turn into a bakery fresh softness of cocoa, cinnamon, maple, vanilla, and toffee. Which in itself has one uniquely fine drying effect thats all encompassingly great to behold. Excellent balance in flavors and tone. A very tasty subtle treat.

Body is about medium with a soft creamyness that coats the palate well and really sits nice once the peak hits. Then the finish ensues onward into a bakery goodness thats fresh and wonderfully drying without a whole lot of anything but ghostly remains of one well crafted beer leaving an impression on the taste buds.

A soothing drinker of a Winter Warmer. Subtle, malty, with an infused quality of bakery fresh doughnut toppings and fillings. Nice stuff.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2007 01:08:33 | More by tavernjef

aerozeppl

New York

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to scifan for the bottle.

A: Nice looking browning copper color. Quite a bit of clarity for this beer. A quarter finger of white head with minimal lacing. Really nice looking when held up to the light.

S: Really great malt nose. Smells like an oatmeal cookie. Dmeadows shared a fliptop at a Captain Lawrence release and that bottle had much more cookie in the taste and nose but it is still there. Quite a bit of sweetness as well.

T: Oatmeal cookie. Just a great taste. No spice which is great because often this style is too spiced. Tons of malt finishes very clean.

M: Little syrupy. Full bodied.

D: Really great beer and one of the better examples of the style I have ever had. Thanks again to scifan for the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2010 22:45:13 | More by aerozeppl

jbone78

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours redish to light brown color with smells of sweet candi malts and tastes of caramel. very sweet. Lightly carbonated and drinks very easily. We mixed this with an Imperial Black Mocha Stout and that was an experience! If you have never do it and can get the beers, do it.

bye

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2010 18:01:36 | More by jbone78

number1bum

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Deuane, via ClockworkOrange, for a 6er of this.

Pours a tawny copper color, pretty clear, with about a finger and a half of beige head. Head keeps pretty well, with a full lace and some very nice sticky webbing on the sides. Coats the glass well.

Smells of sweet caramel and toffee, with a good amount of vanilla too. Smells a bit like butterscotch. Starts to open up more as it warms, with a nutty aroma, some cocoa and a bit of sweet orange.

Taste is really complex, and there's a lot more going on than the nose let on. There's much more fruit flavor - orange, cranberry. It's spicier than the nose too, with more of the cinnamon coming through. There is lots of sweet caramel here, although with the vanilla plus some buttery flavor it has a butterscotch quality to it. And then there is a nuttiness to the beer, plus some earthy bitterness in the finish. This is some tasty, complex stuff.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation. Pretty smooth, although could maybe be a touch creamier.

What's nice about this beer is that it's not just a spiced up malt bomb like a lot of winter warmers. There's so much more going on. Definitely one of the more interesting, and tasty, winter warmers I have had in some time.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2010 00:27:53 | More by number1bum

DCon

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on-tap @ Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria in Asheville, NC for $4.50. Tapped from an unknown tap handle (since sitting @ a table) into a 16oz Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria Pint Glass.

Aroma- Has a ton of caramel aroma and nice malt behind it. Not too strong but sometimes it doesn't hit until the taste in this style.

Appearance- Received with a 2 finger, frothy head that lasts for an unreal time.

Flavor- This brew starts with light spices and a dominant caramel flavor! VERY smooth and has a sweet finish. Can't get much better than this.

Mouthfeel- Medium Bodied, Light Carbonation, Lacy on the palate, and great smoothness!

Overall Impression- Fantastic! Not as strong as most Winter Warmers, but ALL of the attributes of this one made up for it. If given two words to describe this one, it would be Creamy Caramel. Get your hands on this one!

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2012 16:51:50 | More by DCon

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

4.24/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a bomber into a Duvel tulip

A- pours a nice cherry red with a half finger tan head that sticks around for awhile. Nice looking beer, minus the head

S- huge aromas of raspberries and cinnamon coming through...wow, excellent and very unexpected

T- a nice punch of raspberries to start, then moving into some nuttiness and a little cinnamon to finish. Very unique, and very good

M- medium bodied, on the thicker side. Maybe a little too much body

O- most winter warmers are overspiced and generally taste the same. This one though, it's a nice changeup from the normal, and something that's done very well. Well done, Highland

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 22:08:06 | More by bigfnjoe

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hmmm, it's hot-as-heck in July, 90+ all week long..great time to break open a winter warmer, right? Right!

22-ounce bomber poured into 16-ounce goblet, a deep brown hue, nearly plum in places, with slim cocoa/cola-toned head.

Aroma: dark fruits, and nuts, sweetness, molasse and maple syrup, sugar beets, ripe and spicy...very interesting, and quite unique.

Taste: yum, ...same flavors noted in the nose reappear on the tongue. Full-bodied, and incredibly smooth, while delivering copious amounts of sweet, delicioius flavors. A rich and relaxing brew, sweet candyish flavors, a hint of toffee, a wiggle of caramel. Ends a bit dryly, much appreciated.
Yum, I say again, tas-tee!
What could be better for a mid-summer morning?

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2005 10:23:07 | More by feloniousmonk

silver0rlead

North Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours an beautiful mahogany brown with some ruby tints around the edges and a thick, creamy tan head that retains well. The aroma is just as impressive, with big chocolate notes, some incredible spice character (cinammon, nutmeg, clove, allspice), along with some gingerbread, pumpkin, sweet potato, brown sugar and some light, floral hops. The flavor is slightly more subdued than the aroma but is still impressive: some gingerbread, sweet potato, brown sugar, chocolate, pumpkernickel bread, spices (cinammon, nutmeg, clove, allspice) and some light floral hops. The mouthfeel is creamy with a medium body, and drinkability is good. An excellent beer from Highland, definately lives up to the hype...im glad i could pick some up before its gone this year.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2005 00:20:55 | More by silver0rlead

Backer2004

North Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Too bad it was 92 degrees outside in the sun at a BBQ when I had this. Absolutely delectable, my favorite Highland brew so far. Not just a nice smell of chocolate and vanilla, but the same taste as well. Even on the colder side, the flavors really come out. Would love to get a whole bunch of this six months from now.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2006 01:27:36 | More by Backer2004

mountaingirl88

North Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I got this years taste from the Weinhaus in Asheville. Hard to come by, but well worth it. Loved it better than last years. Enjoyed the hazelnut flavor. Not crazy about all the vanilla, especially with the after taste. Smell and drinkability are absolutly delicious. I have had this in both the bottle and on draft. Prefer bottle, but since that's all gone draft will have to do. Usual Suspects is my favorite draft spot for this beer. They keep it nice and cold and still have some left!

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2007 18:27:36 | More by mountaingirl88

msubulldog25

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 22 oz. bottle sent by brentk56 some months ago, January 2007? Poured to a standard pint and enjoyed on June 16, 2007 - not exactly the middle of winter.

A: Pours auburn-orange and quite clear with bits of sediment suspended throughout the glass like a fine powder. offwhite 1/2-finger dwindles down quickly to a soap-bubble ring of foam. Smoke-thin film on top and minimal lacing.

S: Very sweet - vanilla, butterscotch, holiday spices, caramel. Has a baked goods-type enticing aroma and a very sweet one at that. Yummy.

T: Many of the smells come out in the flavor: cinnamon bread, nutmeg, vanilla, allspice and bitter cloves. A bit of maple syrup and some fresh, minty hops. Besides those flavors, I get caramel, toasted nuts and a slightly cocoa finish. Sounds sweet? Well, it is, but somehow enough hops entered the mix and balanced out those sweet malty flavors to succinctly delicious whole. Good job, Highland!

M: Crisp at first, then mellowing to an enveloping warmth. Carbonation is subdued and (unknown) alcohol level is nicely concealed. Some sticky cocoa malt in the medium body, but bitter in the end.

D: Quite an enjoyable winter brew. Even just days before summer, this one was still satisfying and delicious. I've read that the brew recipe changes each year, but I'll attest to the the fact that the 2006 batch was good and was still drinkable as of June 2007. Thanks for sending this one, Brent.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2007 01:46:31 | More by msubulldog25

rallison

California

4.22/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to limesmut for this one!

This pours a very nice caramel color with a 1/2 finger off-white head that does indeed leave some respectable lacing. The smell is mostly of caramel and molasses. A light hop presence becomes noticeable here too. Not all that strong in the smell, but an inviting smell nonetheless.

First taste finds me disappointed. But, I had just had a few ounces of Yulesmith. A few more sips and letting it warm up a bit more and I was much more intrigued by this brew. Malts remind me of a toned down scotch ale, with mellow caramel and molasses as a malt base. Some spicing (and hops as well I suppose), provide a welcome balance here. There is a touch of dates in the flavor as well. Altogether, decent complexity with a nice balance.

Mouthfeel is not all that heavy, but leaves with just enough coating to satisfy. Carbonation is medium low. Drinkability on this one is nice.

Recommended. A very enjoyable winter warmer - one of the better ones I've had I must say.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2008 07:29:26 | More by rallison

hellcatsjg

Virginia

4.22/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Dark brown beer with a finger of head. Head disappears leaving only a thin layer which sticks around for a food bit of the glass.

Smell: Sweet caramel, malt, and a spiciness that is led by cinammon.

Taste: Just like the nose. You get the big sweet malt and caramel flavors up front. The spiciness slowly moves in and provides a very nice balance of sweet and spicy. Very good beer.

Mouthfeel: Medium thickness with a nice amount of carbonation. The spices linger very strongly in the mouth. Very nice.

Drinkability: Big sweetness and nice spiciness. This is what I want a winter warmer to taste like. Though the style is very diverse and this is a very good example of the spiced variety. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2008 00:17:19 | More by hellcatsjg

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a clear dark amber with +1 fingers of light tan creamy head. Good retention that leaves a thick smattering of lace behind. The aroma is HOLY SWEETNESS! Rich accents of caramel and toffee with some light citic notes and hop bitterness behind it.

The taste is more of the same. Huge caramel and toffee sweetness with just enough hop bitterness backing it up to reign things in and keep the flavor from getting overly cloying. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a smooth feel yet keeps a fairly prickly carbonation.

Wow, this is just one tasty Winter Warmer. The sweetness works just right, never gets to be over the top, and keeps the drikibility right on target. Nice stuff!

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2008 16:42:53 | More by Kegatron

babyhobbes

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks unclejedi for this beer and Beer Powerball!! Woo!

Pours a red color with a creamy off-white head. The creaminess of the head makes for a wonderful mouth-feel, too. Smells all malty and sugary. Tastes the sweet, with a weird chocolatey taste (seriously) aftertaste. It's good. Terribly drinkable as well.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2008 23:48:48 | More by babyhobbes

Bung

North Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

One of the better winter seasonals I've had. Red/brown pour, nice whiteish head. Reminded me a little like drinking a windmill cookie, with some caramel toping poured over it. Had this on draft and bottle, definetely better on draft. Also I liked the 2007 version a little bit better, was just a little heavier. Had more characteristics of a Christmas porter to go along with the christmas cookie. I look forward to next year's batch.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2009 03:39:50 | More by Bung

BeerTruth

Connecticut

4.22/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another one from tpd975, you 'da man!

22 oz. bomber poured into a standard pint glass. Another frigid night in Syrause, this brew seems fitting.

Pours a clear amber hue with a one finger light tan colored head. A fair amount of sticky lacing holds on to the sides of the glass. Aroma is rich with caramel and spicy malts, a touch of nutmeg, and fresh floral hops. Toasted nuts and molasses fill the nose as well. Very easy Winter Warmer to whiff, not overly spiced at all. Taste starts off sweet with sugar cookies, Terry's Chocolate Orange, and a dash of cinnamon. Midway some grassy hops, coconut, and vanilla extract emerge on the tongue. Aftertaste has a carmelized almond flavor with some ginger as well. Medium bodied with a crisp feel and a lively carbonation. I was really expecting much going into this beer but in the end I was very pleased. Come to find out this beer is the #1 Winter Warmer on BA, and for good reason. Great brew, thanks for the extra Greg!

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2009 01:03:31 | More by BeerTruth