Bottoms Up! Winter Welcome Ale from Samuel Smith

Winter Welcome Ale from Samuel Smith Brewery is a

"seasonal beer is a limited edition brewed for the short days and long nights of winter. The full body resulting from fermentation in ‘stone Yorkshire squares’ and the luxurious malt character, which will appeal to a broad range of drinkers, is balanced against whole-dried Fuggle and Golding hops with nuances and complexities that should be contemplated before an open fire". 

Here are my interpretations of this beer:

Appearance: Winter Welcome pours a warm, golden hue with a light head that quickly fades. This brew offers minimal lacing.

Smell: The smell of this brew is sweet with some very obvious apple notes. There is an underlying scent of bread and a caramely sweetness.

Taste: A lightly sweet flavor that turns to apple and citrus if you hold the beer on your tongue.This flavor quickly turns into a chemical like taste if held too long, which is definitely off-putting.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied brew with light carbonation. Personally, I would have liked a little more bubble action.

Overall Impression: In my opinion, this is on okay beer for the holidays. It provides nothing noteworthy (good or bad) that makes it a holiday standout. The flavor is lighter and fruitier than most seasonal brews without the spicey character that is popular this time of year. It goes down easy but is lacking in oomph. I would recommend this beer for holiday snacking, served with poultry, wild game or holiday seasoned meats such as those with cranberries or spice. For those looking for vegan friendly beer, this one is registered with the Vegan Society and is suitable for vegetarian and vegans.

Winter Warmer is brewed by the Samuel Smith Brewery of Tadcaster, England. It is available for sale in 550ml bottles. It can be purchased locally at Heather's Coffee and Cafe, located in Springboro. To locate more retail outlets that sell this brew, please visit the retail search function online. For more information, please visit the Samuel Smith Brewery website or Facebook page.