Friday, May 23, 2014

Old Ale Project – Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale (#15)

18.7oz bottle decanted into a snifter.  6% ABV.  Served a little cold, but allowed to warm.  Vintage listed as “2012/2013”.

Appearance:  Amber honey body with fat bubbles on top.  The eggshell white crown fades very quickly into a nothing.  Brilliantly clear (4.25/5).

Aroma:  Earthy and musty.  Smells like an old, wet cellar.  I can almost see the water dripping down the walls and the fungus and moss growing between the cracks in the bricks.  In the background is ancient, dried up molasses and damp wood.  This beer has taken the “old” in Old Ale very seriously (4.5/5).

Taste:  The immediate impression is surprisingly dry with a bread crust finish.  Very English tasting.  It continues by following suit with the aroma; damp and musty.  There is also an underlying sweetness that tastes like peaches, which is followed by a faint oak bite (4.5/5).
 
Mouthfeel:  Medium body and light carbonation (4.25/5).

Overall:  I’ve been trying to avoid Winter Warmers throughout this project, and I was a little concerned when I stumbled across a beer named Winter Welcome.  But the BJCP lists this beer as one of the commercial examples of the Old Ale style, so I went ahead and picked it up.  I’m glad that I did.  This is an incredible beer.  It’s full of flavor and personality.  Perfect representation of the style.  I’d like to buy a case of it and sit on it for the next decade (4.5/5).


-Matt

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