Winter Warmer - Rahr & Sons Brewing Company

Pegasus

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Deep amber, with a touch of haze, and a tall, dense off-white head with very good retention. Scattered sticky lacing adorns the glass walls. No carbonation is evident.

Aroma: Rich aroma of herbal hops, sweet alcohol, earth, and bitter cocoa. The aroma is beguiling.

Taste: The taste opens with toasted malts, these are the dominant characteristic throughout. As the taste progresses, notes of earth and cocoa are ascendant. At the close of the taste, a bit of herbal bitterness appears. While there is a slight warming characteristic, the high alcohol content is artfully concealed.

Mouth feel: Smooth and full, rich, soft.

Drinkability/notes: An excellent example of the style, superbly enjoyable even in summer. Needless to say, recommended.

Presentation: Packaged in a twelve-ounce brown glass long neck bottle with a pry-off crown, served in a standard Pilsener glass.

Presentation: Packaged in a twelve-ounce brown glass longneck bottle, served in a standard pint tap glass.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2008 19:26:17 | More by Pegasus

jnn4v

Virginia

4.43/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I actually found this beer on tap at Freetail Brewing on the North side of San Antonio. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it and wish I could find it in my local area.

Appearance - Dark brown color, barely translucent.

Smell - Toasted, roasted malts. Sweetness rising as the temperature of the brew did. Just a slight hint of the bourbon / oak flavors that would come through later.

Taste - I almost gave this a 5. It was nearly perfect flavor for my tastes. Nice and malty, but with a sort of bourbon barrel flavor - almost reminiscent of the Dominion Oak Barrel Stout (which I love) but in a winter warmer body.

Mouthfeel - Good texture, although ever so slightly more carbonated and less "thick" than I was hoping for with a dark brown ale / warmer of this caliber.

Drinkability - More please? This serving was gone far too quickly. It only improved as it warmed from the original keg temperature. I think it was best around 55 degrees if I were to wager a guess.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2009 17:49:15 | More by jnn4v

GregSVT

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Bought this a few months ago and have been sitting on it waiting to see how it developed over time.

A: Pours a dark brown almost black with a big tan head and decent lacing as the head fades to a small ring.

S: Smell is wonderful with dark malts and holiday spices on the forefront with a bit of dark fruit in the background.

T: This is one of the best tasting Winter Warmer brews I've ever had. First flavors are deep roasted malt with a lot of christmas spices and a smokey flavor on the finish. Great stuff.

M: A good amount of carbonation and bit creamy. A tiny bit on the thin side but still pretty good.

D: I could drink this all day/night and then some. The ABV, at close to 8%, will creep up on you if you have more than 2 but the alcohol is no where to be seen in the smell, taste, or mouthfeel.

This is my favorite bottled beer from Rahr and the Bourbon Barrel version is even better if you can get a glass of it. Hopefully they bottle the Bourbon version in 2009 instead of making it draught only. HINT HINT!

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2009 06:13:49 | More by GregSVT

BeerSox

Virginia

4.38/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle into mug.

A thick frothy long lasting head sits on top of a clear but dark reddish brown body. The head eventually settles to a thin cap. Stacked stringy lacing.

Very spicy and malty aromas mixed with a little bit of leafy hops. Cinnamon sticks out the most with little bits of brown sugar. Some warming alcohol aromas can be detected.

Very sweet malts, such as brown sugar flavors starts of the mix, transitioning to a midly spicy feel, to a light hop bitterness. Relatively clean finish with a little bit of lingering sweetness, that gets outlasted by a little bit of bitterness. Medium bodied with a little bit of carbonation gives a light fizzy feel, without overwhelming the flavors. The 8%ABV alcohol is hidden nicely, keeping par with the overall sweet taste.

I was pleasantly surprised with this one. Maybe a little sweet for some, but it is still nicely balanced by a touch of hops. Mine was served at cellaring temperature. Highly recommended, probably one of my favorite of the Winter Warmer style so far.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2006 22:56:11 | More by BeerSox

RobJTejas

Texas

4.38/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a Nonic pint glass it had a gorgeous thick creamy beige head with medium lacing that held throughout. It touts a beautiful dark but transparent amber brown color that literally coats the glass till the last drop.

Aromatic notes of sweet bread, hops, tart berries perhaps currant and a light hint of spice.

It boasts an undeniable alcoholic warmth that accompanies the sweet malty goodness with subtle notes of cocoa, coffee and spice (perhaps clove and nutmeg). Finishes with a coppery metal taste.

Overall this was a highly satisfying beer that that completely whets the appetite and leaves you wanting for more.

It is important to note that the undernoting flavors really popped out on my second glass, so much so that I thought I was served a different beer.
This was my first winter warmer (and my first review) but if this one is indicative of the style I will be trying more. Thankfully I live 10 minutes from the brewery so next year I will be at the head of the line for this brew.

Serving type: on-tap

05-23-2011 02:43:20 | More by RobJTejas

JudgeRoughneck

Louisiana

4.28/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Rahr's winter warmer is a bit darker than the others I've had. It is a mirky almost-black beer with little head and only a light roasty chacolate aroma. At first this beer offers up mellow ale fruitiness, and hop bitterness that is quickly overtaken by intense caramel, that morphs into light chocolate. The sweetness only lasts a few seconds before light roasted flavor is overtaken by what seems to be a Rahr signature, a light grain astingency that I fortunately find pleasing. Aftertaste is of very light tobacco. This an intersting brew and I must give Rahr props for hiding all the alcohol here without a trace. Mouthfeel is light and creamy with low carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2006 02:15:55 | More by JudgeRoughneck

assurbanipaul

Texas

4.2/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours a dull yet still clear brown with a thick frothy khaki head. Aroma is light, some toasty malt.

Taste is smooth, roasty malt that's not at all spicy. Dark caramelized flavors, semi-sweet brown malt with some nutty brown sugar but the overall effect is not overly sweet at all. Very, very faint trace of hops in the middle, hints of smoke, maybe some dry dark cocoa. Finish is clean and slightly bitter, no trace of alcohol.

Mouthfeel is light to medium, almost lager-like, which exposes the brewer's well-known preference for lagers. Exists somewhere between a clean brown ale and an old ale. Bottles are better than keg; I could drink this all year round.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2006 04:44:48 | More by assurbanipaul

roblowther

Texas

4.2/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

It pours out almost black with a thin tan head that is here & gone. The smell is almost coffee-like with notes of spice - nutmeg & a hint of cinnamon. The taste is much more roasted than I expected for a winter warmer. It is almost a cross between a coffee porter and a warmer. It has that wassal-like spice of a warmer overlaying the basic dark roast of the malt. The mouthfeel is creamy but light. The lightness makes it much more "refreshing" than you'd expect of a beer of this color and flavor intensity. The drinkability is great. I had this at the brewery for my first and quickly returned to the sample bar for my second. I would have kept on had they not floated the keg. Fritz has created an interesting twist on a classic style & executed with his usual quality & style. A great warmer!

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2007 01:39:36 | More by roblowther

allengarvin

Texas

4.15/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12-oz bottle, served into an appropriately sized mug, this beer pours out a lovely reddish-tinted mahogany with a soft, creamy head of foam atop it. Nutty, toasty malt aroma, perhaps a tad faint. Very nice flavor, with rather nutty, lightly caramel malt. Bitterness comes through nicely, though hop flavor is very light. Roasted malt lingers at the finish. Creamy, soft body.

Very nice beer, after the disappointing Bucking Bock. This shows excellent craftsmanship.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2006 03:05:18 | More by allengarvin

HardTarget

Texas

4.13/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle Inspection: Nice marketing blurb, but no helpful information like ingredients, abv, date, wait a tick, there is a smudged inkjet looking code at the very bottom of the glass! 936 AF 12:39! A quick trip to the website doesn’t list how to read the code, or give any other information about the brew. Sigh.

Aroma: First blush is plum, cherry, and well toasted malt.

Appearance: Dark brown with translucent clarity. A thin head at a firm pour that dies back to nary a covering that leaves only dots of short-lived lace.

Flavor: Rich maltiness, dark fruit, Rahr’s house yeast (I’m guessing), slight hint of wood in the finish, an earthy note.

Mouthfeel: Medium to thin body, surprising given the taste profile. Carbonation is a touch high, which is surprising given the lack of cover.

Overall Impression: Well, I’m impressed more by what I don’t taste; alcohol. I can feel the effects well enough, but I’m hard pressed to find any in the taste. What I also don’t taste is any obvious flaws. A light, but nice Winter Warmer. My only real beef is the carbonation level, but I can wait that out.
Well done Rahr (and mwedge)!

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2007 05:36:29 | More by HardTarget

Morris729

Texas

4.1/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark mahogany color with ruby highlights and a short creamy head. Nose is toasted malt along with a fainter nuttiness and bit of chocolate in the background. Taste is caramelized malt and a bit of brown sugar along with semi-sweet dark chocolate and a mild hop bitterness. Alcohol is well hidden. A very nice winter warmer!

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2006 22:19:06 | More by Morris729

Imstillthegman

Delaware

4.05/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Morris729 for this bottle.

My glass is filled with a liquid that looks a lot like cola with no head. No head = no lacing.

Good aroma consisting of dark roasted malts, caramel, chocolate, biscuits and nuts. Smells yummy.

The taste is just as good with the smells transformed into flavors. There is also a bit of piney hop bitterness in it.

Thinner medium body with decent carbonation. Dry aftertaste. Going down really easy. I am really going to miss all of these winter warmers when spring rolls around. Thanks, Jim, for this sample.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2007 23:04:59 | More by Imstillthegman

j5uh

Texas

4.05/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

It smells and starts off a lot like a stout.
But it has a really mellow tone, dark chocolate, raisin taste.

The end finishes really light, almost a bit on the flat note. I would say it has a floral finish. A decent dark ale.

Not bad. I'd drink it again.
Would I recommended? sure.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2010 04:27:02 | More by j5uh

mdcrouser

Missouri

4.05/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Solid pour, much darker than I assumed, with deep brown illuminated only by hints of ruby on the edges. A finger of desert tan head fades down the edges of the glass, adding drapes to the entire beer.

Strong nose of brown sugar, toffee, raisins, currants, and Brit yeast are apparent.

Alcohol is definite, but in a way that you might think this beer was aged in oak bourbon barrels with vanilla. Deep sugary malts are strong, providing a robust base for the beer to stand on.

Pretty subtle carbonation serves it well, allowing the malts to stand up for themselves.

Would love to try this one on tap sometime - a great example of a winter warmer.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2011 02:33:23 | More by mdcrouser

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.03/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep brown color with a huge, fluffy beige head. Excellent retention and lacing. This is a good looking beer, about the right color for a WW.

Smells pretty good too. Bitter chocolate, cocoa, plums, blackberries and orange peel. Malts dominate the smell, and the hops are not noticeable.

Roasty malts are the main show in the flavor as well. Toasty maltiness, high carbonation and hop bitterness are aplenty to help balance it out. Fruitiness nearly dissapears in the tasting. Has a nice creamy, fresh feel to it. A nice job balancing winter warmer heartiness and alcohol with smoothness and drinkability. I do believe this is my favorite offering from Rahr, I will buy this again next winter!

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2009 19:25:46 | More by twiggamortis420

rfabian

Texas

4.03/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a tumbler it produces a respectable 1 inch head with moderate lacing and good retention. The appearance is dark ruby brown and clear. The aroma is of toasted malt with some spicy hops. There is a hint of chocolate and coffee. The taste is mainly of the malts with the aforementioned undercurrents of flavor. There is a notable alcoholic warmth. The finish is a bit metallic and the feel is medium to rich bodied.

This is a very satisfying and enjoyable winter warmer. I'll definitely be looking for it in the future. It's great to have such excellent craft beers being made in my home state.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2011 22:15:52 | More by rfabian

KodyBrannon

Texas

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass, This beer poured a black color with a tan 2-finger head. Malty overtones are in the overall scent of this beer and the roasted malt flavor really warms a body up on a cold december night.The mouthfeel of this beer is slightly heavy which adds to the overall warming factor. This beer is definatly worth the trip to the store and will keep many a winter chill away.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2007 14:14:53 | More by KodyBrannon

wagenvolks

Texas

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a standard Foothills pint glass.

Pours a deep russet hue with a cola-colored core that lets in ruby red highlights at the edges. A fleeting, crackling, custard head drops to a thin sheet of tiny bubbles, but retains fairly well. Toasted chocolate and toffee malt dominate the aroma, with a backdrop of raisin, fig, and other dark fruits. The hops are a bit muted, but leafy with hints of earth.

I remember not liking this beer as much when I tried it on-tap, but the flavor profile is quite good out of the bottle. Dusty chocolate intermixes with holiday spices and raw, leafy hop notes. Alcoholic warmth and toasted, nutty malts hit the back of the palate. A bit unbalanced towards the finish, but this is a damn tasty winter warmer. Mouthfeel is crisp and highly carbonated, with a drying finish that thins out an otherwise medium body. Good beer, and a candidate for aging -- I could see myself enjoying this beer even more after a few years in the cellar to allow the hops and booziness to mellow just a bit. Well done, Rahr & Sons.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2009 02:21:54 | More by wagenvolks

DavidST

Texas

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass, unknown freshness date. This pours a dark brown with a nice tan head. The smell is higher on caramel and toffee than some, good stuff. The feel is medium. The taste is pretty good, lots of caramel, some toffee, nuts, spices, not bad.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 05:47:47 | More by DavidST

AustinBeerLvr

Texas

3.98/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a 12 ounce bottle into a pilsner glass.

The beer didn't leave that much head as it finished its pour and only left a little lacing on the glass. Color is very dark, almost black, kind of a thin looking body.

Taste and smell are a nutty choclaty flavor with some residual sweetness mixed in. It actually tastes very similar to a Sam Adam's Black Lager with just more sweetness. Mouthfeel isn't bad, but could use just a tad more body.

This is a fairly tasty winter warmer from Rahr and Sons. Not the best brew they have, but certainly not bad. Also, the alcholol content of this beer is damn strong, so it really warms you up fast!

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2007 03:17:24 | More by AustinBeerLvr

Kromes

Georgia

3.98/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours black with reddish tinge and a thick beige head. Roasted malt and slight hop aroma. Hop flavor up front with sweet Chocolate roasted malt flavor followed by hop bitterness in the finish. Good balance between sweet malt and hops. Can not detect the alcohol in this beer. very delicious and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2009 00:38:10 | More by Kromes

natelocc787

California

3.98/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I almost bumped the taste score up to 4.5. Small head on this holiday brew but the appearance and color of the body made up for it. Good lacing in thin sheets around the glass, nice and dark for the style. The nose wasn't especially robust but offered malty, fruity notes with mild spices like vanilla bean and nutmeg. The taste is very heavy, malty with a small hop presence leaving no real bitterness to this beer. Taste brings a brown ale quality with a big dose of raspberries in the middle. The fruit presence is concentrated and very noticeable adding a tartness to the finish. The mouthfeel is slightly chewy, heavy and the carbonation is muted and perfect. Drinkability is up there with the best in this style, for a beer that,s 8% it was gone quickly. Only bought a single but I recommend anybody buying this one get the six-pack.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2009 20:43:59 | More by natelocc787

cavedave

New York

3.98/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Major thanks to Exiled for another fine beer disproving that Texas lags behind in beer quality. From notes, tasted 2/24/11.

Darkest brown, thin beige head fades quickly to a persistent ring. Has the look of a very alcoholic beer.

Nice nose, tart yeast, some roast, vanilla, some bourbon, berry, bready sweet.

Tangy berry sweet heads the parade of flavors, joined by herbal bitter hints, medium roast, vanilla, and as it warms the bourbon and oak start to come into play, though mildly. It finishes juicy with the alcohol adding some warm spice.

Hard to compare this to many winter warmers that have huge spice bills, and lots of funky spice resin on palate. This is med. body, med. carb., easy drinking, with a decent finish.

Drinkability is quite good, it's a sipper that really gets better as it opens up.

Impression: Fantastic take on a style favorite. I like the lack of holiday spice in this, and the mild barrel notes. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2011 13:20:48 | More by cavedave

ruckzuck

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Drinking while visiting home and on a cold night (for Houston anyway)

A - pours a deep brown which turns cherry red at the edges when held up to light. Nice off-white head which dissipated somewhat quickly to a thinner layer. Bit of lacing as well

S - malty and delicious. Some caramel, toasty malt, a bit of an earthy hop character, and some cocoa notes. Nice

T - fairly similar to the nose. Cocoa is more pronounced, but all of the nose is here IMO. I really like the more pronounced cocoa aspects. Very enjoyable

M - medium bodied with a tiny bit of carbonation

D - I like this. It isn't the most pronounced or extreme tasting winter warmer, but it's hitting the spot and it's pleasant to drink. Would drink again

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2008 04:02:21 | More by ruckzuck

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Fiery, auburn hue, under a rich, lacey cream-toned head.Looking good.

Sweet, creamy...lovely stuff. Lightly spiced, ginger, cinnamon...

Drink it now... smooth stuff. Robust, hearty, nutty, sweetness turns to dry. Malty, rich, husky...a solid wintry ale. Full-bodied and staifying. Nice one.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2009 10:53:24 | More by feloniousmonk