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Winter Warmer
Ranked #19
Ranked #13,045
3.92 | pDev: 15.05%
Very Good
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Reviews: 68 | Ratings: 147 | Log in to view all ratings and sort
Reviews by Philousa:
Photo of Philousa
2.82/5  rDev -28.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3

Imbibed on tap at Good Karma on 12/27/12.

Sits almost completely opaque black with brown edges against the light. Light, fluffy, three finger cafe au lait colored head settles to a thick ring around the glass. Delicate, small bubbles fall back into the drink after each sip. The aroma is hard to get in this place, between the spicy curry and fresh sticky buns in the air, but I get mild coffee, chocolate milk, and cream. Flavor is much more apparent and in your face. Milk chocolate and chocolate milk are prominent, with some slight cinnamon. This is a really creamy beer with a very balanced feel. This isn't very Christmassy, but its a good stout and I don't get any hint of alcohol bite.

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More User Reviews:
Photo of danieelol
4.29/5  rDev +9.4%

Pours black but with a thin looking body and a big substantial fizzy head. Head dies to nothing quickly (it gets reinvigorated with a refill).

Smell is very lightly smoked chocolate. Very, very chocolatey. Berry/quince notes which remind me of Redoak's (infected) Christmas Cheer. There is also a nice, fresh combination of milk and green apple underlying this. I cannot work out if this is imparted by yeast or hop. I also get some "coffee stout" in the nose, think Peche Mortel. Guessing this has coffee in it. There's also a cola/spicy element. Definite brandy and christmas cake notes. Finally a vinous, cherry character which thankfully cuts off before it gets to vinegar or "Flanders Red" levels. Also some almond and alcohol notes.

Taste is straight off prosciutto and parmesan. Definitely pick up smoked malt in this, although it's not overbearing. Definitely get some spicy bitterness from (I think) both roast malt and hops. Also get some very subtle and enjoyable alcohol on the back palate. These factors limit the beer to a sipper but also prevent it becoming cloying. There's also definite coffee in the taste.

While it looked thin, in the mouth the body feels about medium, because there is substantial residual sugar. You can taste the sugar but the roast and alcohol does keep it in check. Very high carb, particularly for the style and ABV. Works though.

Overall this is actually very good. Good candidate for busting out at a tasting. A 500mL bottle to oneself may be a bit ambitious but I think it has the complexity to keep you till the end. This is the sort of beer which I can see as being extremely in-demand if it happened to be limited release. Almost tastes like it's come out of a barrel already. Edit: Yes, personally I couldn't finish a whole bottle in a single session. Definitely recommended for sharing.

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Photo of mrfrancis
3.75/5  rDev -4.3%

Photo of kojevergas
3.53/5  rDev -9.9%

1 pint .9 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into De Molen stemware in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are very high; I love the style and country.

A: Pours a three finger head of fair cream, nice thickness, and good retention. Colour is a nontransparent solid black. Appealing - generally.

Sm: Musty chocolate, cream, nuts, bourbon, and light vanilla. Bourbon?

T: Bourbon, vanilla, chocolate, cream, and nuts. Fairly complex but far from amazing. I do like it but it's not exemplary. Flavorful but not exemplary. Good nut bot exceptional.

Mf: Smooth and wet, but dry and coarse enough to suit its demands, if that makes sense. Not too thick or thin. Suits the flavours generally.

Dr: Drinkable enough, and in the service of the flavours. Flavorful indeed, but inherently lacking. Not up to par per the quality. Good but over-indulgent.

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Photo of beergoot
4.15/5  rDev +5.9%

Appearance: Black body; tan, thick head

Smell: Licorice. Sweet, prune and apricot.

Taste: Thick and chewy. Strong dark malt flavors. Alcohol warmth pretty noticeable (not a bad thing, but definitely a strong beer!).

Mouthfeel: Full and smooth.

Overall: This is a strong, robust northern European beer. Sweet, heavy fruitiness stands out. Alcohol strength/warmth is definitely noticeable. Strictly for lovers of strong, dark beers. Something different. In a good way. Count me in...!!

Bought this one partially because of the bearded gent on the label, mostly because I've generally enjoyed the boldness of northern European dark brews over the years.

Bottled August 03, 2010.

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Photo of tom10101
3.75/5  rDev -4.3%

Photo of bluehende
3.6/5  rDev -8.2%

Photo of Listers
4.75/5  rDev +21.2%

Photo of afsdan
4/5  rDev +2%

Photo of dansmcd
3.95/5  rDev +0.8%

A - Huge, tan, foamy head fizzes away above a dark molasses body with golden edges adorned with big particles of sediment. Minimal lacing.

S - Smoke, yeast and cherry. Some boozy heat.

T - Coffee and dark bitter chocolate. Roasted malts and smokiness.

M - A touch thin for my liking, highly carbonated with a dry finish.

O - Yep, a top wintery ale. Perfect for a cold, rainy evening in front of the telly.

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Photo of eskilgh
4.25/5  rDev +8.4%

Photo of sponch51
4/5  rDev +2%

Photo of olradetbalder
3.75/5  rDev -4.3%

Photo of Chrily
4/5  rDev +2%

Photo of WastingFreetime
3.86/5  rDev -1.5%

Photo of wyatt13
2.75/5  rDev -29.8%

Photo of match1112
3.16/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a: two fingers of a dirty tan head sit atop a deep dark brown body.

s: smoke, dark candied fruits, general sweetness.

t: tasted like someone threw fruits still attached to the tree and smoked the whole thing at once, then tried to cover it up with more tree sap/ molasses.

m: good carbonation with a full body and a long burnt bitter finish.

o: truly disgusted by this beer, had to drain pour half of the bottle. if all winter warmers taste like this i dont think i will try many more.

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Photo of TheBeerAlmanac
3.75/5  rDev -4.3%

Photo of brbrocc
4.25/5  rDev +8.4%

Photo of bigred89
4.25/5  rDev +8.4%

Photo of derkfromwi
3.75/5  rDev -4.3%

Photo of StonedTrippin
4.03/5  rDev +2.8%

awesome beer, kind of style defying. pours like a real dark chocolate milk, creamy and rich, brown but not super dense, few fingers of bubbly dark brown lace. the nose is quite smokey to my surprise, and also heavily clad with notes of licorice and heavily toasted malt. almost comes off like a smoked porter, but its more woody and earthy and grandfatherly than that. flavor is big and unique, feels scandinavian to me in every way. its got some dark chocolate flavor, but almost no sweetness at all, its smokey, but quick, its also real tame for 9% abv, i cant hardly taste it at all. there is something holiday about this, but this is a whole new take on a winter warmer. there is no spice, no molassas, no honey, no candy sugar, its just a really nice fireside bottle of dark dark organic feeling beer that id be happy to drink around the calendar. a little thin in mouthfeel for a winter warmer, even though this is nothing like american warmers, id still like a little more body. carbonation is nice though and the finish is smooth and rich, yet drinkable too. the yeast puzzles me, as does the image on the bottle, but this was a really complex and gourmet beer without some of the frills usually associated with the style. i loved it.

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Photo of IPA35
4/5  rDev +2%

Bottled the 17th of February 2012, best before the same date in 2014. From the De Molen webshop. My second Norwegian beer.

A nearly black beer, some brown at the bottom of the glass, with a big brown head that fades quickly.

Smells interesting. An earthy sort of maltiness that reminds me of a British session stout or a schwarzbier like Köstritzer. Molasses for sure, liquorice, (dark fruity almost-) sweetness and a sort of smokiness. Alcohol is noticable.

Taste is interesting too, a bit of a hybrid beer in styles. The flavours are stout like, I do get dark malts, coffee, dark chocolate and all those darker notes. Also smokey, burnt notes as well but I expected it to be more of that. Some sweetness, not overly sweet though and it is not very fruity; the slightly sweet, chocolate-like, roasted malts form the backbone of this beer. Alcohol is pretty well hiden, it add a slight spiciness. The beer as a whole is pretty spicey as well.

The body on this dissapoints, it is a bit light for it's strengt and it is extremely well carbonated. This hampers the flavour experience in my opinion.

Overall a pretty tasty beer that could do with a little less carbonation.


As it sits in the glass (after adding the yeast) the carbonation becomes more toned down so you don't end up with a mouth full of foam and the sweetness comes out more.
It has a slight warming alcohol to it.

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Photo of DrBier
4/5  rDev +2%

Photo of Jwren5
4/5  rDev +2%

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Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 147 ratings