Summit Winter Ale

Winter Ale
6.1% abv
36 IBUs
12 oz Summitt-style bottles

They Say:
Malts – “ 2-Row Pale, Caramel, Carafa II”
Hops – “Willamette, Fuggle, Tettnanger”
“One taste and it’s easy to see why the Brits call this style Winter Warmer. Nutty, roasted malt flavor with hints of coffee, caramel, cocoa and a dash of hop spice. It’ll warm your cockles. Whatever those are.”

http://www.summitbrewing.com/brews/winter-ale

Subzero Says:
Color – A deep, rich mahogany (I have many leather-bound books).  Creamy, almond head with decent persistence.  Very clear (if such a thing exists for a very dark beer).
Aroma – Got that nice caramel and copper note that typifies the style.  Aroma subdued unless swirling or when you first pop the bottle.
Taste – Similarly subdued.  Caramel, nutty, with just a hint of earthy, spicy hop presence.  A touch of vanilla, but without the overwhelming sweetness.  What sweetness there is comes just at the very beginning.  Dry finish.  Definitely malt forward, which is to be expected with a relatively low 0.59 BUGU ratio (look it up nerds).  No apparent presence of the exotic holiday spices like ginger, coriander, cinnamon, etc…a welcome absence (like that crazy in-law coming down with the flu before turkey time).  I’d say this has great balance.
Overall –  Practically a midwest classic, even though it is more understated than many other winter ale competitiors, including favorites like Celebration, Bell’s Christmas, or the rotating offering from Anchor (which is generally great to good, depending on the year).  Not in their class either, nor with recent favorites like Rogue’s Santa’s Private Reserve.  More of a winter session beer.  I would much rather have 3 or 4 of these at a party than something bolder, and I think the medium-light body and dry finish helps with that by resetting your palate and not filling you up pre- holiday roast beast.  Solid B overall.

Parting note: Summit recommends serving this beer in a Nonic tumbler.  What the hell is that you say?  As DeRusha would say, Good Question.  Turns out to be a pub glass you probably recognize with a “single bulge” (link).  Ha ha…dirty.