Hibernation Winter Ale
Northwest Brewhouse and Grill

Appearance – Cloudy brown in color with almost no head.

Smell – Heavily-toasted malts with big sherry throughout. There’s also some type of hop in there.

Taste – The woody, sherry character is milder at the tongue. The malt picks it up a step and brings along some sugary sweetness. The hop balance is just enough to be noticed.

I especially enjoyed the caramel here. I thought it mixed very well with the woody flavors and almost-dark malt. There’s also another flavor in here that is hard to pinpoint but that tastes a little bit like cola.

Mouthfeel – This one is almost full-bodied and very chewy. I can’t pick up any significant alcohol, but the brewer tells me that this is 7.8%.

Drinkability – This one is a little rough around the edges but a good second effort at the style (the Twin Creeks Bourbon Ale is outstanding but very different). At $2.69/bomber it's a steal.