Archive for the 'Lancaster' category
Lancaster Winter Warmer Ale
Next up from the nice folks at the Beer of the Month Club is the single winter ale in this shipment, from Lancaster brewery.
This beer pours a very dark brown color that doesn’t let any light in to speak of. The head here is thick, rocky, and light brown, seeming quite pillowy and luxurious. In the nose, this is a bit odd – very sweet, there are notes of sticky caramel and sweet cream, along with some light hints of dark grape and cherry. The flavor, as well, is peculiar for a winter ale. There is both a lot of sweetness and an interesting sourness that makes the mouth pucker up a bit. The sweetness comes at the front of the mouth, and is somewhat maple and candy-like (in some ways like a caramel creme candy). In the second half of the flavor, the beer suddenly turns earthy and sour/bitter with some bits of anise and interesting, almost ginseng-like, qualities. It’s a unique flavor blend – initially, I didn’t like it, but I find it growing on me as I progress through the beer. All of these flavors are big, and the presence of this beer is huge in the mouth. However, as I’ve said, there are two definite and separate flavor profiles involved, and it may be a bit much for some people. This may not be a beer I reach for often, though I can appreciate it’s flavor, which could be construed as either adventurous or accidental or flawed. At any rate, it’s unique. Let’s just leave it at that.
