Big Shot
The Fort Collins Brewery

Big ShotBig Shot
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From:
The Fort Collins Brewery
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
Winter Warmer
ABV:
6.5%
Score:
80
Avg:
3.47 | pDev: 13.83%
Reviews:
67
Ratings:
113
Status:
Retired
Rated:
May 19, 2019
Added:
Dec 09, 2005
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  10
A wonderful winter warmer, Big Shot Hazelnut Brown Ale will leave you wishing the season would never end. Its smooth, nuttiness flavors is the perfect finish to a long day of playing in the Colorado snow, or maybe just wishing you had been.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Knapp85:
Photo of Knapp85
Reviewed by Knapp85 from Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
This beer pours out as a deep red color that nearly looks brown. The head is almost not even there. The smell of the beer has a good amount of Christmas berries and spices. The taste also has the spiciness but doesn't really have the best balance I don't think. The mouthfeel is a little heavy which is good for the winter brews. Overall I've had no real desire to try this one again. I suppose it the mood struck me I'd give it another shot.
May 31, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.21 by Dalbeast from Wyoming

May 19, 2019
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

3.78/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
12 ounce bottle into pint glass, no bottle dating. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy reddish orange/copper color with a 1 finger dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, light toffee/chocolate, herbal, light pepper, and roast/toasted earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/bready/light roasted malts and light-moderate earthy hop notes; with solid strength. Taste of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, light toffee/chocolate, herbal, light pepper, and roast/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate herbal/spicy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, light chocolate, herbal, and roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready/light roasted malts and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Light dryness from bitterness, lightly increasing through the glass. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy, lightly sticky, and slightly chalky balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 6%. Overall this is a very good American brown ale. All around good complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready/light roasted malts and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; very smooth and easy to drink. A very enjoyable offering.
Dec 04, 2016
 
Rated: 3.25 by a77cj7 from South Dakota

Sep 06, 2016
Photo of Darkmagus82
Reviewed by Darkmagus82 from Texas

3.81/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Poured from bottle into a pint glass

Appearance- The beer pours a deep amber color with a tiny fizzy off white head. The head fades very fast leaving just a trace of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The aroma of the brew is big of a sweet caramel and doughy smell mixed with a very strong showing of hazelnut. Along with these smells comes some aromas of molasses and a decent showing of some fruitiness. Overall the aroma of the brew is quite nice and inviting.

Taste – The taste of the brew begins with a rather strong sweet flavor, being a mix of a lightly roasted bready tastes mixed with a stronger showing of some caramel and doughy tastes. There is a little bit of a hazelnut flavor which grows stronger as the taste moves onto the end. Along with these nut taste, even more sweetness and a rather decent showing of molasses and a bit of harvest fruits hits the tongue. In the end, when a little bit of a spice flavor of cinnamon and nutmeg as well as flavors brown sugar and molasses coming to the tongue, one is left with a rather sweet and malty taste to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is on the slightly thicker and chewier side with a carbonation level that is on the lower side. For the rich and sweet flavors of the brew the feel is rather nice with it creating a good medium for the flavors to be sensed on the tongue.

Overall – A rather nice sweeter brew overall. Lots of rich sweet flavors in this one without a whole lot of booziness sometimes found with winter warmers. A good brew overall.
May 28, 2016
 
Rated: 3 by Whiskeydeez from Kansas

May 05, 2016
Photo of AlarmClock314
Reviewed by AlarmClock314 from Wisconsin

3.53/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle, no date. Pours transparent light amber with a below average sized off-white head; some lacing. Smells of sweet malt, hops, and caramel. The taste follows initially with sweet malt and hops followed by mostly caramel and hazelnut in the finish. Not very intense smell or taste. Below average body and medium carbonation. Overall, it's a good WW, but really needs more intensity to match up to others in its category.
Apr 05, 2016
Photo of mvanaskie13
Reviewed by mvanaskie13 from Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Poured into a small glass: color is amber, transparent, effervescent, large bubbles, head is off white but does not produce a top or have any lacing or lingering qualities.

Smell is caramel and biscuit, then some nuttiness and toffee, fairly thin aroma then some earthy hops.

Taste is also thin, watery with nuttines and toffee prominent but a back end finish that seems to thin out; caramel, toast and biscuit are noted.

Mouthfeel is thin and mildly over-carbonated with some lingering sweetness from the toasted malt types.

Overall, a thin beer with some nutty flavors and lingering sweetness.
Mar 17, 2016
 
Rated: 2.92 by aaronyoung01 from New Mexico

Feb 05, 2016
 
Rated: 3.69 by Dan_K from Colorado

Dec 31, 2015
Photo of Brutaltruth
Reviewed by Brutaltruth from Ohio

3.93/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Enjoyed form the 12 oz bottle in a snifter via a friend from work---THANKS RANDY!

Pours a reddish mahogany with a modest head of off white foam that settles to a thin ring, light layer, and decent lacing. Nose of subtle spice, caramel, light cocoa, and light orange rind. Flavors exceed the nose with caramel malts to the front that fade to a subtle chocolate and toffee note that mingles nicely on the back with subtle sweet orange zest and subtle herbal hops. Excellent balance with smooth moderately carbonated medium mouth feel. A winner. One of the better warmers of the year I have tried.

Cheers
Nov 21, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by aussiebeer from Illinois

Jun 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.44 by KLHBB from Arkansas

Feb 17, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by dacubz from Illinois

Feb 15, 2015
 
Rated: 3.13 by djrn2 from New Jersey

Feb 06, 2015
Photo of TMoney2591
Reviewed by TMoney2591 from Illinois

3.41/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Must...resist...pull to quote...Billy Joel song... Anyway, this stuff pours a clear garnet topped by a half-finger of glowing dirty white foam. The nose comprises walnut, rich toffee, and mild greenery. The taste brings in more of the same, with a stronger green component. There's also a vague sweetness that flows into the finish. The body is a light-leaning medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a fluid feel. Overall, this isn't a bad brown-ish offering, but the flavors are a touch bland, and the overarching experience is not one I'm likely to remember for very long.
Feb 03, 2015
 
Rated: 3.93 by harsley from Massachusetts

Jan 05, 2015
 
Rated: 3.52 by cbcrunch from Wyoming

Dec 28, 2014
 
Rated: 4.09 by DaPinsker from Florida

Dec 20, 2014
 
Rated: 3.68 by RBCBrams17 from Illinois

Dec 18, 2014
Big Shot from The Fort Collins Brewery
Beer rating: 80 out of 100 with 113 ratings