Snow Wizard Oak Aged Brown Ale | Saugatuck Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Saugatuck Brewing Company
Michigan, United States
saugatuckbrewing.com
Style: American Brown Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 7.00%
Availability: Winter
Notes / Commercial Description:
An Oak Aged Imperial Brown Ale with tons of oaky, woody flavors. The base brown malt profile provides a huge caramel, coffee and chocolate body with minimal hop bitterness match perfectly with the complex flavor profile of the oak chips.
25 IBU
Added by Zaphog on 11-20-2015
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 59 | Reviews: 14
Reviews by the Alström Bros:
None found.
More User Reviews:
3.99/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This brown is way better than you might expect. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality and depth of this brew.
It is not a flashy looking beer, just deep brown with little head. Clear but dark. The aroma is a mild barrel aged smell on top of a nice balanced malt and hops smell from a brown ale.
The taste is a nice, not too sweet but balanced malty effect. Very little bitter pokes through, but it is there. Again, nice balance. This is a very drinkable, more interesting than the norm brown ale. Highly recommended.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This brown is way better than you might expect. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality and depth of this brew.
It is not a flashy looking beer, just deep brown with little head. Clear but dark. The aroma is a mild barrel aged smell on top of a nice balanced malt and hops smell from a brown ale.
The taste is a nice, not too sweet but balanced malty effect. Very little bitter pokes through, but it is there. Again, nice balance. This is a very drinkable, more interesting than the norm brown ale. Highly recommended.
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3.75/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.18/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.93/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.08/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
I bought a bottle of this off the single shelf at Binnys. It poured a rich mahogany with thin off white head that is not leaving any lace. The scent had nice oak and hints of bourbon. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with bread base and oak barrel hints. The Mouthfeel was medium in body with smooth carbonation. Overall it's a solid beer and worth a try.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
I bought a bottle of this off the single shelf at Binnys. It poured a rich mahogany with thin off white head that is not leaving any lace. The scent had nice oak and hints of bourbon. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with bread base and oak barrel hints. The Mouthfeel was medium in body with smooth carbonation. Overall it's a solid beer and worth a try.
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3.58/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.48/5 rDev -10.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.06/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Got this in Puducah, KY.
Having had this twice now, I can verify how impressed with this beer I am.
Earlier this evening, I had Dogfish Head's Indian Brown (7.2%) and although it was good, it did not have the mouthfeel or overall complexity of this beer.
This has a great appearance, a complex aroma, a great mouthfeel and taste. I'm glad I have four more.
First impression: Overall, I was impressed with this beer.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Got this in Puducah, KY.
Having had this twice now, I can verify how impressed with this beer I am.
Earlier this evening, I had Dogfish Head's Indian Brown (7.2%) and although it was good, it did not have the mouthfeel or overall complexity of this beer.
This has a great appearance, a complex aroma, a great mouthfeel and taste. I'm glad I have four more.
First impression: Overall, I was impressed with this beer.
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3.99/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Looks too dark for a brown. Hardly any smells, but the flavorsame are there. Subtle oak and roasted notes. Easy to drink, nice light mouthfeel. I wouldn't call it an imperial, too light. Overall it's a bit weak but I like it. It is balanced.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Looks too dark for a brown. Hardly any smells, but the flavorsame are there. Subtle oak and roasted notes. Easy to drink, nice light mouthfeel. I wouldn't call it an imperial, too light. Overall it's a bit weak but I like it. It is balanced.
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3.93/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
I picked up a bottle of Saugatuck's Snow Wizard for $1.59 at The Lager Mill. This one sounds interesting, so lets see how it goes. 2016 Vintage. Poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a snifter.
A- The label looks good, it goes well with the name and it's eye catching. It poured a dark brown color which took on more of a slightly lighter brown color when held to the light with just a fingers worth of bubbly light tan head that died down to a thin ring that eventually faded away and it left hardly any lacing behind. This is a nice looking beer, but I wish it had some lacing.
S- The aroma starts off with a slightly higher amount of medium sweetness with the oak barrels being the first to show up and they impart a nice and noticeable oak, vanilla and a nice toasted coconut like aroma that goes into the malts which impart a little bit of chocolate like aroma with lots of caramel and caramel malt like aromas with some sweet malts also. This beer has a very nice aroma, the oak barrels work nicely with the Brown Ale base.
T- The taste seems to be similar to the aroma and it starts off with a slightly higher amount of medium sweetness with the barrel still being the first to show up and it imparts all the same aspects that it did in the aroma with the toasted coconut showing up the most. Up next comes the malts which impart all the same malty aspects that they did int he aroma with that caramel flavor still showing up the most. Towards the end there's a little bit of a watery flavor with hardly any bitterness with not much sweetness taking it's place and in the aftertaste there's some caramel and toasted coconut flavors. This is a good tasting beer, I really like that toasted coconut aspect, but I wish it wasn't a little watery on the finish.
M- Smooth, pretty crisp, slightly prickly, on the lighter side of being medium bodied with a lower amount of high carbonation. The mouthfeel is nice, but I wish it was thicker with a little less carbonation.
Overall i thought this was a good beer and I thought it was a pretty nice example of the style, it had some really nice flavors and aromas, but it seemed like the mouthfeel held it back. This beer had nice drinkability,I could drink a couple, but that would be my limit, it would make for a nice fall time beer.. What I like the most about this beer is the oak barrel aspects, they worked well with this beer and I really liked the toasted coconut aspects. What I like the least about this beer is the mouthfeel, it was a little too light and over carbonated. I would buy this beer again if they make it next year and I would recommend giving it a try, but because of the body I don't think it's a must try. All in all liked this beer, but I didn't love it and I think if the body was worked on it would be a very nice beer. It's one of the better Saugatuck beers I've had and it's above average for the style. Nice job guys, this is a good beer.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
I picked up a bottle of Saugatuck's Snow Wizard for $1.59 at The Lager Mill. This one sounds interesting, so lets see how it goes. 2016 Vintage. Poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a snifter.
A- The label looks good, it goes well with the name and it's eye catching. It poured a dark brown color which took on more of a slightly lighter brown color when held to the light with just a fingers worth of bubbly light tan head that died down to a thin ring that eventually faded away and it left hardly any lacing behind. This is a nice looking beer, but I wish it had some lacing.
S- The aroma starts off with a slightly higher amount of medium sweetness with the oak barrels being the first to show up and they impart a nice and noticeable oak, vanilla and a nice toasted coconut like aroma that goes into the malts which impart a little bit of chocolate like aroma with lots of caramel and caramel malt like aromas with some sweet malts also. This beer has a very nice aroma, the oak barrels work nicely with the Brown Ale base.
T- The taste seems to be similar to the aroma and it starts off with a slightly higher amount of medium sweetness with the barrel still being the first to show up and it imparts all the same aspects that it did in the aroma with the toasted coconut showing up the most. Up next comes the malts which impart all the same malty aspects that they did int he aroma with that caramel flavor still showing up the most. Towards the end there's a little bit of a watery flavor with hardly any bitterness with not much sweetness taking it's place and in the aftertaste there's some caramel and toasted coconut flavors. This is a good tasting beer, I really like that toasted coconut aspect, but I wish it wasn't a little watery on the finish.
M- Smooth, pretty crisp, slightly prickly, on the lighter side of being medium bodied with a lower amount of high carbonation. The mouthfeel is nice, but I wish it was thicker with a little less carbonation.
Overall i thought this was a good beer and I thought it was a pretty nice example of the style, it had some really nice flavors and aromas, but it seemed like the mouthfeel held it back. This beer had nice drinkability,I could drink a couple, but that would be my limit, it would make for a nice fall time beer.. What I like the most about this beer is the oak barrel aspects, they worked well with this beer and I really liked the toasted coconut aspects. What I like the least about this beer is the mouthfeel, it was a little too light and over carbonated. I would buy this beer again if they make it next year and I would recommend giving it a try, but because of the body I don't think it's a must try. All in all liked this beer, but I didn't love it and I think if the body was worked on it would be a very nice beer. It's one of the better Saugatuck beers I've had and it's above average for the style. Nice job guys, this is a good beer.
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3.58/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.03/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.85/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.63/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Another 3 dollar single from the house of 1,000.
A - Very dark reddish tones see through with a 1/4 inch of foam that settles rather quickly.
S - Sweet brown sugar, tones of oak and mild brown malts. Smell is nice.
T - Oak leaves for a rather bitter finish but body is mostly nice with some sweet malts and brown malts. Bitterness is kind of distracting though.
M - Rather smooth medium bodied beer
Overall not sure if its the earthy hops or bitter oak but its very distracting especially for a malty beer. Tone that down and you will have winner.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Another 3 dollar single from the house of 1,000.
A - Very dark reddish tones see through with a 1/4 inch of foam that settles rather quickly.
S - Sweet brown sugar, tones of oak and mild brown malts. Smell is nice.
T - Oak leaves for a rather bitter finish but body is mostly nice with some sweet malts and brown malts. Bitterness is kind of distracting though.
M - Rather smooth medium bodied beer
Overall not sure if its the earthy hops or bitter oak but its very distracting especially for a malty beer. Tone that down and you will have winner.
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3.79/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.69/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
3.33/5 rDev -14.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
Bottled on 11/7/16. 12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Pours an auburn with ruby hues; nice light khaki head that fades leaving solid retention and okay lacing. The aromas have lots of black cherry notes. Lots of spruce in the mix as well. Lots of malts. Subtle hints of caramel. Some flower pedals giving this one some earthy floral notes. The flavors are clean. More black cherry and spruce. There's some caramel along with some mild toffee and cocoa in the mix. More flower notes. Strong malt backbone. The oak characteristics are pretty subtle. It's slightly sweet, but I'd lean more towards bittersweet. Alcohol goes unnoticed. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. It's pretty smooth and easy to drink.
This is a solid brown ale. It's kind of unique for the style. The oak characteristics don't shine, but still add some depth. This might not be my new favorite Saugatuck brew, but it's still enjoyable.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
Bottled on 11/7/16. 12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Pours an auburn with ruby hues; nice light khaki head that fades leaving solid retention and okay lacing. The aromas have lots of black cherry notes. Lots of spruce in the mix as well. Lots of malts. Subtle hints of caramel. Some flower pedals giving this one some earthy floral notes. The flavors are clean. More black cherry and spruce. There's some caramel along with some mild toffee and cocoa in the mix. More flower notes. Strong malt backbone. The oak characteristics are pretty subtle. It's slightly sweet, but I'd lean more towards bittersweet. Alcohol goes unnoticed. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. It's pretty smooth and easy to drink.
This is a solid brown ale. It's kind of unique for the style. The oak characteristics don't shine, but still add some depth. This might not be my new favorite Saugatuck brew, but it's still enjoyable.
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3.46/5 rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.99/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Tasted in a Rastal Teku from a 12 oz bottle on February 14, 2016. Packaged on 11.05.15. 25 IBUs. Look is dark brown with a two finger tan head and spotty lacing. Smell is spices, brown sugar, caramel, maple syrup, toffee, roasted nuts, burnt oak, dark cocoa, light coffee and toasted bread aromas. Taste is spices, brown sugar, caramel, maple syrup, toffee, roasted nuts, oak barrel, dark chocolate, fresh roasted coffee beans and bread malt flavors. Feel is medium in body with a smooth creamy finish.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Tasted in a Rastal Teku from a 12 oz bottle on February 14, 2016. Packaged on 11.05.15. 25 IBUs. Look is dark brown with a two finger tan head and spotty lacing. Smell is spices, brown sugar, caramel, maple syrup, toffee, roasted nuts, burnt oak, dark cocoa, light coffee and toasted bread aromas. Taste is spices, brown sugar, caramel, maple syrup, toffee, roasted nuts, oak barrel, dark chocolate, fresh roasted coffee beans and bread malt flavors. Feel is medium in body with a smooth creamy finish.
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Snow Wizard Oak Aged Brown Ale from Saugatuck Brewing Company
3.88
out of 5
based on 59 ratings.
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 12/7/2015. Pours clear very dark reddish brown color with a 1-2 finger dense khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass. Aromas of big caramel, brown sugar, maple, toffee, brown bread, nuttiness, toasted oak, chocolate, light coffee/vanilla, herbal, light pepper, and oak/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/bready malt, oak, and light-moderate earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of big caramel, brown sugar, maple, toffee, brown bread, nuttiness, toasted oak, chocolate, light coffee/vanilla, herbal, light pepper, and oak/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate herbal bitterness and oak spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, maple, toffee, brown bread, nuttiness, toasted oak, chocolate, light coffee/vanilla, herbal, light pepper, and oak/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance dark/bready malt, oak, and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; with a great malt/bitter/oak spiciness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Light dryness from bitterness and oak spice as well. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready, and lightly sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is an excellent oak aged brown ale! All around great complexity, robustness, and balance dark/bready malt, oak, and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; and very smooth and easy to drink for the ABV. This had very pronounced oak character; but was not overdone, and had good balance against the base brown ale. A very enjoyable offering.
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