Winter Ale (5th Anniversary Ale)
Kern River Brewing Company

 

The idea of life vs the life that is… I know, and I feel you. It’s being caught in a place where maybe we should try a little harder, but also be realistic with what is. And when I drink Kern Winter, I am in a perfect medium. No high is too high, and no low is too low.

Be well, my minions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

MAgic. Kern River strikes again. Dry, crisp, hoppy and not too boozy. As someone who has lost a bit of taste for DIPAs, I enjoyed this very very much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

22 ounce bottle poured into a tulip

A: Pours a slightly hazy golden amber color with a bright white creamy full head, lots of lacing, very little head retention, and a good amount of carbonation.

A: Big punch of grapefruit zest rising out of my glass, zest oil, earthy, herbal, piney, resin, needles, aroma is full and thick, dank, black pepper spice, smells really amazing.

T: Huge flavors of grapefruit zest, citrus peel, resin, freshly crushed pine needles, dankness, earthy, herbal, and freshly ground black pepper, big hit of grapefruit zest like bitterness, finish is super dry with lingering notes of grapefruit peel, resin, and spice, huge flavors.

M: Full bodied with a good amount of carbonation, and a very dry finish, wrecks the palate, feels like my palate has been raked with a landscape rake.

O: This beer doesn't drink like it's 8%, feels and tastes like a triple IPA, this beer will wreck your palate unless double IPAs are a part of your regular beer consumption. Winter Double IPA has lots of aroma, flavor, complexity, depth, bitterness, and palate effect, its a big beer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L: Dark gold color and hazy. Good amount of thick white head.
S: Pine and a bunch of citrus flavors come through.
T: Pine and resin up front followed by some orange and tangerine.
F: thick feel for a IPA and doesnt feel too carbonated.
O: Really solid west coast style double IPA, would definitely drink again.

On-tap.

Dark golden color with a frothy and greasy off-white head that left streaks of spotty lace down the glass. Juicy, fruity, and slightly spicy and leafy hops with a surprising amount of burnt caramel and toast. Drying and crackery finish with a clean bitterness lingering in the aftertaste. Great soft and slick mouthfeel with fresh and tingly feeling hop oils.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pours a slightly hazy almost amber color with a good amount of white head and good retention. The aroma is pretty muted but gives off a bit of pine, dank grass, and hint of citrus. Malt backbone is pretty breadlike with a good amount of caramel, almost too much comes through on the taste, and some spice notes from the rye. Some mild heat from alcohol present and takes away from the hops. Fairly dry which helps some with accentuating the hops but lets the alcohol come through. Overall a fairly average IPA.