Mac Frost Winter Ale
Portland Brewing Company

Mac Frost Winter AleMac Frost Winter Ale
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From:
Portland Brewing Company
 
Oregon, United States
Style:
Weizenbock
ABV:
6%
Score:
83
Avg:
3.62 | pDev: 13.81%
Reviews:
55
Ratings:
58
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 17, 2019
Added:
Nov 02, 2002
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by putnam:
Photo of putnam
Reviewed by putnam from Michigan

4.4/5  rDev +21.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Right after hot Pad Thai.
Fresh release.
Brilliant hazy red.
Strong aromas of apple juice yield to bananas in a plush-textured, dry beer. Good tartness supports a solid, chunky array of strawberry and Muscat fruit. No graininess to speak of. Seamless. Pound-cake like.
Nov 19, 2002
More User Ratings:
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.11/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
I dunno what the specific year I bought a six pack of this was, but it has the big ol jolly dude on the label. Always got a kick out of a lager yeast being called a winter ale.

Pours a chestnut colored brown with 1/2" off white head with above average retention. Aroma was more akin to a winter warmer, all the nuttiness, didn't really distinguish itself in terms of wheat or yeast at this stage.

Taste was stronger than accustomed to. All the dark fruit notes that were missing in the nose popped hard and caught me off guard. Of course, we're talking college era so I was pretty much just crushing lots of hoppy Bert Grants, Deschutes and Sierra Nevada in this time period. I also got a more pronounced amount of alcohol in the mouth feel with this one, notes indicate it tasted stronger than Bigfoot, reminded me a little of Skullsplitter.

At the end of the session, it smacked of the mix of a russian imperial stout yeast and a winter warmer.
Dec 17, 2019
 
Rated: 3 by Hellpop65 from Kansas

Dec 15, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Presto82 from Washington

Nov 04, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by shelby415 from Oregon

Feb 26, 2012
Photo of macpapi
Reviewed by macpapi from Oregon

3.42/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Found a 2006 version lingerer marked down for quick sale. No freshness date, but it did not seem tainted at all judging from the review aspects.

Pours a deep brown color, with tints of amber. Somewhat murky. It has a small and quickly dissipating white head with no lacing.

Smells of full caramel and malt. Also there is a dark fruit presence, either figs, raisins or both. A good and well-balanced aroma.

Taste is sweet and somewhat bitter. There is a decent amount of maltiness with caramel hints as well. Not terribly robust, but decent flavor.

A little thin in the mouth.It seems to be too watery for the style, despite the bit of hoppiness.

Overall this is not a bad beer. A little thinner and not as sweet as others in the style, or similar beers. Doesn't pack any kind of wallop. But it is a pleasant and palatable brew.
Jun 25, 2007
Photo of PBRstreetgang
Reviewed by PBRstreetgang from Ohio

4.54/5  rDev +25.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
2005 bottle. Pours a wierd ruby maroon or chestnut with decent clarity. Dense two-finger soap bubble head shows good retention but scarce lacing. Plum ester and licorice in the nose; toasted malt and wheat in the background- and cocoa as it warms. Sweet toasted malt flavor with kilned wheat undertones. The wheat flavor dominates in the aftertaste which becomes surprisingly dry and bitter with a hint of coffee. I found this one a bit hoppy for the style, but consequencially-perfectly balanced. The fine, light carbonation melds into the medium body for a very smooth mouthfeel. The bone-dry aftertaste softens the rich malt and the finish lacks the expected residual sweetness . The resulting drinkability is outstanding.
May 22, 2006
Photo of rhoadsrage
Reviewed by rhoadsrage from Illinois

3.64/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
(Served in an American pint glass)

A- This beer pours a deep brown crystal clear body with a strong carbonation of big bubbles. The head is a light tan that quickly turns to a thin film of big bubbles.

S- This beer has an aroma of caramel malt and fresh grains with some notes of soft green hops in the finish.

T-This beer has a lightly toasted caramel malt flavor with a spicy hop bite in the finish. There is a faint hint of chocolate malt and the malt bill is pretty dry. The hop bitterness lingers in the finish.

M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with a very light fizz in the finish. No astringency or alcohol warmth.

D- This is a nice smooth beer that has some complexity. I wouldn't pick it as a weizenbock but it is a nice winter beer.
Jan 02, 2006
Photo of carln26
Reviewed by carln26 from Missouri

3.65/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Deep garnet colored beer, very clear with only an average head that receded very quickly. The nose has just a little caramel, a bit of fresh bread, and a touch of orange. The flavor has a deeper toffee character, more of the orange, and some spice on the finish. I assume this is coriander, but it’s a bit muddled and hard to detect. There is a sharp bitterness on the finish. Slick, mildly thin mouth feel. Decent drinkability.
Dec 23, 2005
Photo of Frozensoul327
Reviewed by Frozensoul327 from Michigan

3.7/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
A do-able weizenbock. Pours out to a dark auburn color with a small white foam head. No lace. Medium low level of carbonation. Aromas of fermented grains and sweet chocolate malts. Could've been more present, but still nice. Taste is fair, roasted malts and some chocolate. Minor notes of pepper and spice were present as well. Mouthfeel was decent, nothing amazing. Some consistancy and thickness was evident, but overall kind of boring. Drinkability is good. I could go for a sixer of this every once in a while. Worth a try.

THE BLOODHOUND FACTOR: Peaches decided to skip this one, as she tends not to care for the darker brews. Benji was into it, but not overly excited after sniffing it.
Dec 21, 2005
Photo of misterscooter
Reviewed by misterscooter from California

3.18/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Jack Frost brought me one of his favorites.

Mac Frost pours a beautiful reddish brown, almost completely clear with a small, quickly disappearing head.

The smells hit you with a fruity smell, almost a berry candy stick odor. It seems like it will be sweet.

And that it is. There is little carbonation with the strawberry essence that powers this guy. The caramel in the malt doesn't show up until the aftertaste and if there are some winter spices in this one, the sweetness covers them up. It would be tough to have another one of these right after without something to chase it.

That Jack Frost, he's got a sweet tooth.
Jun 18, 2005
Photo of KoG
Reviewed by KoG from Nevada

3.58/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Ruby hue with a small beige head. Great lacing saves the rather normal looking brew.

Smell is spicy with a definate pine and chocolate base. Interesting, but close to overpowering with the chocolate.

Taste is different. Spicy and hoppy at first with a distinct christmas tree dipped in cocoa flavor on the finish, thats about the only way to describe it. Not a bad flavor and definately balanced, although a strange pairing it may be.

Goes down easy leaving a bit of a cocoa finish and not dry. Not too bad, and moderately drinkable.
May 19, 2005
Photo of rowew
Reviewed by rowew from Colorado

3.58/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Presentation: 12 oz long neck bottle. "An elegant, aromatic ale layered with caramel malt and East Kent Golding hops.

Appearance: Ruby/brown color with a nice tan colored head that fades slowly, and leaves a nice lacing.

Smell: Aroma is carmel malts and a hint of spiciness.

Taste: Nice malty body that has a slightly bitter finish (definitely reminiscent of English finishing hops). Nice roasted flavor as well.

Overall impression: Nice winter beer that is quite drinkable. Definitely could drink a few of these after a day of skiing.
Mar 22, 2005
Photo of merlin48
Reviewed by merlin48 from Kentucky

3.55/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Pours a clear ruby brown body with a medium beige head. Decent head retention and plenty of patchy lace. Aroma is interesting, with lots of malty molasses and toffee up front, and spices and green apple that quickly follow. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, with more carbonation than expected for style. Taste is complex. Malty notes of caramel, toffee, and molasses are assertive in the beginning, but the hops, yeast, and spices take over midway through. Ginger seems to be the predominant spice, and the hops add quite a bit of grassy and earthy bitterness. I sampled two bottles of this one on two different occasions, and found it to be on the sweet malty side once, and the bitter hoppy, spicy side on the second bottle. Oddly enough, on both occasions I found it to be overdone on one aspect or another. Maybe, a third bottle will reveal a winter ale with an ideal balance, but so far I'm just not satisfied with this one. Plenty of flavors going on, but just unbalanced in a strange manner. I'll pass on a third bottle.
Feb 16, 2005
Photo of ScottS
Reviewed by ScottS from Michigan

3.16/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
The beer pours a deep red and slightly carmel color with a good amount of head that collapsed quickly leaving nice lacing. The aroma is pretty weak for what I was expecting from a 6% beer. The hops are the predominant flavor in this beer and are pretty spicy and bitter with no real citrus. The aftertaste goes from hoppy to a caramel maltiness The beer may be a slight bit over carbonated but I'm not quite sure. Overall a good beer for the price. Probably not worth more than $7-$8 a six pack though.
Feb 10, 2005
Photo of charlatan
Reviewed by charlatan from Scotland

2.9/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Unusual reddish hue with very little head. Appearance suggests it will taste of blackcurrant. No lacing to speak of.

Smells fruity and sweet, reminding me of raspberries, but not that sharp.

Initially dominated by surprising amount of carbonation. Taste is not sweet. Caramel malt (the type that for some reason reminds me of ripe cheese when the hops kick in - no I don't understand either, but I find this common with weizenbocks) takes charge, with the hops playing a background role.

Lighter on the stomach than I would expect for a fairly dark beer with decent alcohol content, but holds insufficient appeal for me to consider it as a session beer.

(The second from the six pack followed a New Belgium Abbey Dubbel, and following that yeasty brew this tasted a little better than previously and smelled more of plums than raspberries.)
Jan 31, 2005
Photo of donnebaby
Reviewed by donnebaby from North Carolina

3/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Amber color and small head. Light nose as well, containing some roundish malts. Malts are stronger in the mouth, giving a somehow "heated" feel, slightly wide and mellow. Notes of carbon and earth. Slight touches of wheat. Normal feel and drinkability.

I was somehow down on this brew when sampling and came away unimpressed. However, I didn't realize that is was a weizenbock when I had and was under the impression it was a lame winter warmer...will have to try it again...next year?
Jan 12, 2005
Photo of jimdkc
Reviewed by jimdkc from Missouri

2.98/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Pours a dark amber with a small off-white head. Head fades quickly, but a thin foam ring lasts a long while. Smell is heavy on the carmel malt with a little earthy hop aroma. Taste is not as sweet as the carmel malt aroma would lead you to expect. Some toasted and nutty notes to the taste. Some hop bitterness in the aftertaste. Mouthfeel is thin and slightly astringent. Worth trying, but not something I'll be eagerly anticipating each winter!
Jan 01, 2005
Photo of GClarkage
Reviewed by GClarkage from California

3.85/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12/09/04- Purchased at Piazza's Market in San Mateo, CA

Presentation- 12 oz bottle with either a born on date or expiration date imprinted on glass. Can't read it though. Too smugged. Poured into my Moab Brewery pint glass.

Appearance- Poured with a small head, a dark amber color and average at best lacing.

Smell- Again, another winter warmer that didn't put out much scent. Sweetness, maybe some raisin or grape scent. Spices. You really have to sniff for a while to get a good idea.

Taste- One of the better ones I have tasted. A weisenbock?!? Hmmm, again, another different taste from a so called winter warmer. This one had a nice mix of sweetness, hops and roasted flavors. I did have a weird taste of like cardboard or something for a few sips. Odd, but fortunately went away.

Mouthfeel- A bit high in carbonation, but a relatively easy beer to drink. Not really as thick as expected with the sweetness.

Drinkability- Glad I tried this one. Could do a few more if I had some.
Dec 10, 2004
Photo of HochFliegen
Reviewed by HochFliegen from Oregon

3.28/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
-2004 Edition

Pours a brilliant deep red. Small tanish colored head that quickly dissapated.
Smell was sweet. Lots of fruity smell. The one that stands out the most to me was the cherry smell. It seemed very dominant. Also a slight scent of alcohol in there as well.
Taste was sweet. Nice carbonation and mouthfeel to it. The beer finished dry with a slight hop bitterness.
Nov 19, 2004
Mac Frost Winter Ale from Portland Brewing Company
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 58 ratings