Winter Ale
Alaskan Brewing Co.

Winter AleWinter Ale
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From:
Alaskan Brewing Co.
 
Alaska, United States
Style:
Old Ale
Ranked #48
ABV:
6.4%
Score:
83
Ranked #23,769
Avg:
3.68 | pDev: 13.59%
Reviews:
383
Ratings:
894
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sunday at 04:40 AM
Added:
Nov 03, 2001
Wants:
  45
Gots:
  128
English Olde Ale. Traditionally malty with the warming sensation of alcohol, Olde Ales are brewed in the fall as winter warmers.

Brewed in the style of an English Olde Ale, this ale balances the sweet heady aroma of spruce tips with the clean crisp finish of noble hops. Its malty richness is complemented by the warming sensation of alcohol.

Alaskan Winter is made from glacier-fed water, Sitka spruce tips and a generous blend of the finest quality European and Pacific Northwest hop varieties and specialty malts. Our water originates in the 1,500-square-mile Juneau Ice Field and from the more than 90 inches of rainfall we receive each year.

22 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by SmellsofMahagony:
Photo of SmellsofMahagony
Rated by SmellsofMahagony from Texas

3.25/5  rDev -11.7%

May 09, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of Jmsandberg17
Reviewed by Jmsandberg17 from Missouri

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz can pours a light orange-brown color with a substantial, fizzy head of light sand-colored foam that retreats to a thick ring and an island in the center. Smells of rich, bready malts, caramel, and dark fruits. Very rich, layered malt flavor with substantial notes of bread, spice, grains, fruit, and herbs. Full-bodied with a moderate caramelly sweetness, moderate herbal-grassy bitterness, notable alcohol heat and flavor, a bitter herbal aftertaste, and a fizzy carbonation mouthfeel with the notable high alcohol feel as well.

This was a tasty and interesting beer; I believe the first I've had in the style. Would have again.
Sunday at 04:40 AM
Photo of Tsar_Riga
Reviewed by Tsar_Riga from Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - A clear, bright orange body, short white head, fading to a minimal cap and no lacing to speak.

S - The nose is primarily honey, grass and a bit of minty pine, presumably from the tips.

T - Open is full of honey sweetness, banana bread mingles with herbal notes and grassiness through the middle, and a subtle savory pine hit and dry hop bitterness in the finish.

M - Fairly slight weight, soft carbonation, clean finish.

O - A nice old ale that is easily drinkable, pleasant, and tasty.
Mar 03, 2024
Photo of AdmiralOzone
Reviewed by AdmiralOzone from Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours crystal clear light copper with a thick white head that leaves generous lacing. Aroma is rich caramel malt, spruce, and a hint of European noble hops. Flavor follows the nose, sweet up front with just enough bitterness from the spruce and hops to balance things out. Feel is light bodied and lightly carbonated. A bit more carbonation would improve this IMO. Overall, a very fine beer. Will seek out again.
Jan 09, 2024
 
Rated: 4 by bv51 from Washington

Dec 28, 2023
 
Rated: 2.33 by BlueTrain

Dec 24, 2023
Photo of cyclonece09
Reviewed by cyclonece09 from Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Pours red orange with a fluffy white head. Smells of caramelized grain and some fruit. Tastes of bright fruit and sweet grain. Beer is light bodied and easy drinking, good carbonation. Overall, a good beer.
Sep 26, 2023
Photo of defunksta
Reviewed by defunksta from Wisconsin

3.94/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Appearance: Pours a clear, medium orange color with a strong off white head. SRM of 12. (3.75)

Aroma: Moderate aromas of amber malt, dark fruit, blackberries, sweet grape with some chocolate. (4.00)

Flavor: Strong flavors of amber malt, dark fruit, blackberries with some sweet grape and chocolate underneath. Bready malts and malty. Some spruce off the end. (4.00)

Feel: Medium-bodied, smooth, bready, malty mouthfeel. Low carbonation. (3.50)

Compared to Deschutes Jubedale 11/2022: Pours lighter, stronger aromas. More dark bread malt and chocolate. Less pine and citrus bitterness. Smoother and breadier.

Compared to New Belgium Holiday Ale 11/2022: Pours lighter, stronger aromas. More dark bread malt and chocolate. Less cranberry and cinnamon. Smoother and maltier.

Compared to Sam Adams Winter Ale 11/2023: Pours darker, milder head, stronger aromas. More chocolate, spruce tip bite. Less bread, spice. Sweeter.

Overall: A very nice and drinkable Winter Warmer. Nice amber malts, dark bread and chocolate flavors with some spruce. Malty, but not too sweet and lower ABV so drinkable. I don't appreciate as much from the spruce tips as this one leans more malty than spiced. Enjoyable. (Rating: 3.94)
Nov 29, 2022
Photo of dd53grif
Reviewed by dd53grif from Michigan

3.68/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a light copper color with a minimal head that lasts quite a while. Aroma of grasses and wheat. Taste is full of fall spices and malts. Sweet and refreshing.
Nov 07, 2022
Photo of chum_husk
Reviewed by chum_husk from Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Lots of sediment, smells like beer and spruce, taste is bitter with sweet malt and spruce/hops battling it out for the aftertaste. Very easy to drink, with a bitter pine aftertaste that isn't just hops
Nov 02, 2022
Photo of KT3418
Reviewed by KT3418 from Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
The tips are there and it has a decent malt flavor, I mainly enjoy the crushability of this beer, the lower abv makes it a smidge easier to drink a couple more of these than say some of the sprice tip IPA'S. I would have this again
Oct 15, 2022
 
Rated: 3.75 by NickMunford from Wyoming

Jul 18, 2021
 
Rated: 3.75 by BEER88 from North Carolina

Nov 02, 2020
 
Rated: 3.84 by CisPiece88 from Nebraska

May 07, 2020
 
Rated: 4.33 by evanwoertz from California

Apr 19, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by d5001986 from Wisconsin

Apr 03, 2020
 
Rated: 3.58 by craigbelly from Iowa

Jan 21, 2020
Photo of procession7
Rated by procession7 from Netherlands

3.21/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
This beer was flat! Little to no carbonation. Very disappointed.
Dec 23, 2019
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle. Label is stamped 'BEST BY 030920 A23'.
Amber colored body, with a bit of murky clarity. Engenders a skiff of off white head. Leaves rings and spots of lacing.
Aroma is malty with berry and spruce.
Taste is thick with toasted malt and a sweet bitterness from the spruce. Hops come through in the last half.
Thinner than medium mouth feel. Very good carbonation.
A malty and spruce beer that is a reminder of an evergreen forest in the winter. The spruce makes it somewhat crisp.
Dec 21, 2019
 
Rated: 4.06 by MacStinson from Michigan

Dec 13, 2019
Winter Ale from Alaskan Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 894 ratings