Winter Ale
Summit Brewing Company

Winter AleWinter Ale
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From:
Summit Brewing Company
 
Minnesota, United States
Style:
Winter Warmer
Ranked #78
ABV:
6.1%
Score:
84
Ranked #22,132
Avg:
3.74 | pDev: 10.43%
Reviews:
286
Ratings:
601
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 22, 2022
Added:
Dec 08, 2001
Wants:
  16
Gots:
  103
OG 14.6° Plato
36 IBUs
Malts: Harrington, Caramel, Carafa II
Hops: Willamette, Fuggle, Tettenanger
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by skybluewater:
Photo of skybluewater
Reviewed by skybluewater from Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours a deep garnet color. Chocolate milk colored head recedes and leaves minimal lace. Smell isn't very pronounced, caramelly malt mostly. Taste is very nice, soothing, with some caramelly flavors at first. Like a brown ale, there's some chocolate here, but unlike a brown, there's also a bit of spice.

I really like this brew. It's actually the one that finally got me into drinking craft beer (last winter). This one's sure too warm the soul on a howling winter night.
Nov 01, 2004
More User Ratings:
Photo of hbeimers
Reviewed by hbeimers from Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Quite a bit of toasty and bitter malt flavors, with the sweetness mostly coming from the aroma and aftertaste. Tastes almost like a porter. Quite balanced and good for a long winter night.
Dec 22, 2022
 
Rated: 4.49 by cmsfish from Minnesota

Jan 22, 2022
Photo of LesDewitt4beer
Reviewed by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota

3.88/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle into a 16oz Summit Winter Ale dimple mug.
L: Pours deep clear ruby mahogany color w a pillowy, creamy, rocky pock-marked light khaki 1/2" head w excellent retention, nice fine carbo, medium sticky spotty lacing.
S: Darkly roasted/toasted caramelized malts, raisins, light cocoa, moist brown bread, root beer, toffee, light molasses, a suggestion of light coffee. Slightly rich aroma over all.
T: Clean & bright, dark toasted malts with no char, a wisp of black cherries, hints of dark fruits, lightly sweet, citrus zest finish.
F: Lightly brisk, clean, med-light bodied w an affable cola-like feel, yet smooth & creamy, a lightly dry med-long finish w a light linger.
O: Very EZ drinking and beautifully balanced beer that is lighter bodied over all than many other within the style. Very accommodating w a well placed kiss of hops. It is very good in its style.
Nov 27, 2021
 
Rated: 3.96 by NorthernLightsMN from Minnesota

Dec 04, 2020
 
Rated: 3.65 by adosen01 from Minnesota

Jan 31, 2020
Photo of German-Helles
Reviewed by German-Helles from Wisconsin

3.81/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4
This is a 12oz. bottle poured into a Summit pint glass. Pours a very dark brown, cola color. There is a very nice two finger cap of creamy tan foam that left very nice lacing on the side of the glass as it receded. there seems to be very little carbonation.
The aroma is light but very nice. Malty hints of coffee and cocoa nibs.
The taste is a bit dry, bitter, from the coffee notes there is a hint of sweetness.
The feel is smooth, and as I said the carbonation is light.
This beer is good, I think they did a good job. I like the low bitterness, slight sweetness, and the slightly dry finish.
Nov 30, 2019
Photo of deleted_user_1239096
Reviewed by deleted_user_1239096

4.03/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours a thin head, nutty brown colour. Tastes more like cardboard - dry finish and taste, some light coffee, cocoa and malt round it out. Finish is dry but smooth, not much (if any) bitterness to speak of.
Nov 17, 2019
Photo of defunksta
Reviewed by defunksta from Wisconsin

3.73/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Pours a dark cola color with a light-colored tan head. SRM of 21-22. (3.75).

Aroma: Aromas of silky chocolate, brown malt, molasses, syrup, rich caramel, with slight toffee, roasted espresso, and nuts. (3.75)

Flavor: Flavor follows the nose with less chocolate, but still predominately brown malt profile with a creamy milky tail. A stronger balance of sweet malts, cream, syrup, espresso, with a light black cherry finish. Finishes smooth and not too sweet. No appreciable bitterness, but just a touch from the roasted cocoa or pine. (3.75)

Feel: Medium-bodied. Good carbonation. Leaves a hint of red hoppy citrus on the palate. (4.00)

Compared to Bitteschlappe: It pours a darker color. It has less roasty and bitter profile. Therefore, it has a smoother malt profile. Less bitter.

Compared to Odell's Isolation Ale 12/4/20: Pours a darker color. More creamy chocolate and caramel. Less toasty brown bread and toffee

Compared to Trader Joe's Winter Ale 2020 (doppelbock) 12/10/20: Pours a similar color with a slightly darker hue. More cocoa, roast, pine, silky caramel. Less brown bread, toast, molasses, syrup, smokiness. A lighter body with less alcohol and sweetness. Dryer and cleaner.

Compared to Trader Joe's Dark Lager 1/25/21: Pours a similar color. Stronger aromas/flavors. More brown malt, syrup, molasses. Less dry cocoa and toast. More malty and less bitter. Similar, but better than TJ dark.

Overall: A pretty good Winter Warmer beer. I think it could use more of a hop & spice profile as compared to some of the others I've had of the style. Sort of simple and malty. Still a good wintertime-drinking beer without being too sweet. (Final Rating: 3.73)
*Compare to any average doppelbock or Winter Warmer
Nov 10, 2019
Photo of Philip3shady
Rated by Philip3shady from Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Malty, has lots of coffee flavor. Very little bitterness, not overly sweet. Easy to drink.
Apr 14, 2019
Photo of GStone899
Reviewed by GStone899 from Minnesota

3.82/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Really solid winter Ale. Caramel, vanilla, toasted oats, spices with a dry finish. Summit has stepped up their game with the last few beers I have tried from them.
Apr 11, 2019
Photo of Griffin2
Reviewed by Griffin2 from Virginia

3.46/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a 12 oz can into a willi becher pint glass.
L - Pours a dark brown/black color with a nice white head. Looks kind of like a cola.
S - Smells of spices with some maltiness.
T - Taste matches the smell, has a nice sweet maltiness with some spice.
F - Medium body and carbonation.
O - Decent winter ale.
Feb 24, 2019
Photo of detgfrsh
Reviewed by detgfrsh from Texas

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle. Brown color with off-white head. Smells of roasted malt and spices. Medium feel. Big malty body with some spice from the hops. Very good!
Feb 02, 2019
 
Rated: 4.19 by JeffSK from Wisconsin

Jan 08, 2019
 
Rated: 3.74 by ECOBOOSTINST from Iowa

Jan 02, 2019
 
Rated: 4.13 by corywalston from North Dakota

Dec 17, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by ian_graf from Minnesota

Dec 16, 2018
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

4.02/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from 12oz bottle into glass. Best by date stamped on bottle neck is '03 21/19.
Clear, amber brown colored body. Bottle pour produces a one finger off white, pillowy head. Each sip leaves an oily sheen with a few spots of foam.
Aroma of toasted malts, which also includes deep dark coffee, caramel, cocoa, and very slight dark fruit.
Taste is very similar to the smells, with toasted and bready malts, that give rise to other flavors of coffee, cocoa, caramel, and dark fruit. The hops add some pepper.
Medium plus mouth feel. Good carbonation. This is a comforting beer.
Long time favorite since the late 1980's. Always looked forward to its seasonal release. Just a good, solid beer with its comforting complex malts and touch of hops.
Nov 18, 2018
Photo of rickyfinn
Reviewed by rickyfinn from Minnesota

3.94/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours very clear dark brown. Cocoa smell dominates. Tastes cocoa. Thick cocoa feel. Overall, cocoa impression. Very good cocoa ale with the lingering image of hot chocolate. If you drank hot chocolate as a kid, this ale will bring back memories.
Nov 03, 2018
 
Rated: 4.07 by Joe__ from Minnesota

Feb 28, 2018
Winter Ale from Summit Brewing Company
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 601 ratings