Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale
2004-2005 Just as damn boring as the years before. I only drank it because it was part of Crescent Moon's "Winter Beer Tour." It lacks any sort of richness and it is far to clean. At least it wasn't light-struck. --- 2003-2004 (3, 3, 3.5, 3, 3.5 = 3.25) Reddish-bronze hue, clear, the white head, which was small, faded quickly to a soapy collar. No lace. Well, this is my first S.S. Winter Welcome that has not been lightstuck and you know what, Im still disappointed. The nose does nothing for me vague sweet malts, caramel, clean, airy indifferent. The palate is lightly sweet upfront with a mild bite of alcohol in the middle, peppery-like, the sweet, lightly toffee completes the finish. The hops bitterness is perfect for what S.S. is trying to accomplish. Rather clean. Rather mellow. Medium body, mild carbonation, and slightly tacky mouthfeel it is drinkable but boring average. Id like to see more maltiness, a stronger punch; this is a winter warmer after all. Worth trying once a year now I have see you next year. --- 2002-2003 (3.5/3/2.5/2.5/3 = 2.85) As soon as I opened the 550ml (clear) bottle I could detect a fairly noticeable note of skunk damn. I aired it out a moment in my mug then I could detect some lovely sweet maltiness, maybe some caramel. Brownish-orange hue with an off-white head. The complexity of flavors was minimal, some sweet malt, butterscotch, and some underlying sourness. This beer is surprisingly average. I got annoyed at the tacky mouthfeel it created. Maybe Ill try it again later this year... I did and the second bottle (from another source) was far worse. Will my third try be the charm?