Summit Winter Ale

Here's another "one that got away"...

From December, 2002, so very early...

"Once upon a time, this was my winter long staple brew, deviating only for other seasonal specialties, ie Anchor et al. Nowadays, variety is my everyday spice of life, but I have to pay homage to this brew, every year.
Dark as a Minnesota night, with a small brownish head that leaves too soon. Aroma is light, delicate, with no dominant flavors. Toffee, chocolate, roasted coffee and spice are all hinted at.Texture is smooth with a little hop bite. Balance is excellent; malt stands up, but doesn't stick out.

Spicy and warm, but still mellow and soothing. Seems to lack an "oomph " from years ago, or maybe my tongue has tempered.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 12-26-2002 17:35:01
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Always wondered if I should revise that one. Was it better before, did anything change? Is it better now, was it better then?
Meant to sit down and re-review, but the last keg on hand (not the last possible, but that's another kettle of fish) finished tonight. I did, though, have a handful of pints over the past couple of months, and have to say, it's still a good brew, but nothing special. When I thought it was, back in the 90's, really, I hadn't had a great deal of experience in darker, richer, more flavorful ales, porters, and stouts. By the time I put down those notes in the early part of the last decade, I'd put on some more experience in the world of beer, and revisiting Winter Ale found it wanting. I don't think it's ever really changed at all, but perspective changes opinions. It's still a fine ale, and tastes just like I described it eight years ago. There's not a danged thing wrong with that. You just have to keep in mind what it is, what it's trying to be, and what it's not. I can't judge Winter Ale poorly against beers it has little in common with. I did love it way back then, but ...but, then this old feller tends to ramble, dudn't he...yeah, taking me back to the old days, when beer was beer, and ale was a fancy man's beer, and lager was for the ladies, and children, and everything else was for sissyboys and Chinamen.