Abominable Winter Ale
Hopworks Brewery

RB transfer

My wife ordered this at the Brewery, and I had a taste, I had forgotten how good this beer is as it has been a couple of years since I'd bought a bottle. Good tasting winter ale. Nice malt flavor with a smattering of hops. Nice beer for the holidays. Rated 12-12-2018

Received a 12oz can from muchloveforhops3 on 2-16-24. Canned 11-14-23; consumed 12-29-24. Thanks Doug!

Beer poured red with a very nice long lasting off white head.

Nose has notes of citrus and floral hops.

Taste is a nice caramel dominated malt base that lends a touch of sweetness while the hopping is grapefruit dominated along with some orange. Finishes with a nice piney bitterness.

Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied and smooth.

Overall i dig this old school IPA despite my mistake of not drinking it fresher!

 

Canned on: 11-14-23

A - Pours a slightly hazy amber color with a very dense, thick, cream colored head. The haze comes from floaties and sediment since I poured the whole hog at one time.

S - Light caramel malt with some spicy citrus.

T - Light toasted sweet caramel malt base with faded citrus spice over the top, finishes balanced (initially) but then the hops build after the sip and leave a spicy, piney bitterness on the palate with some residual citrus. The Chinook residue gradually builds on the backside.

M - Medium body with light, prickly carbonation.

O - Would definitely be interested in revisiting this beer when it's released in November.

Can says Winter Ale, style is IPA. It's not a winter warmer style. Color is a hazy dark tan. Nose is a light floral with some biscuit / yeasty background. Taste is hoppy up front with an average finish. Nothing off here, slightly higher ABV of 7.3%.

From a can from an airport cooler. Lots of everything in this beer. Layers of vanilla and caramel malts and a little spice. Plus a hoppy finish and a little boozy aftertaste. It'll warm you up.

 

Look: Beautiful orange caramel. Head looks nice but dissipates quickly
Smell: Good n'Fruity, butterscotch
Taste: Hoppy but not bitter. Uplifiting flavor.
Feel: Good amount of carbonation.
Overall:Solid IPA type beer. I guees it has more malt than alot of IPAs thus claiming to be a winter beer.

Unfiltered orange-brown body with a nice soapy head. Smell is sweet; tropical fruits, caramel, and a hint of vanilla. Taste is light and syrupy pine, a bit of citrus, and then caramel malt, and grapefruit on the finish. Body is smooth. One of the reasons I dig ‘winter’ IPAs.

 

Dark cola brown with a tan head and slight lacing, not exactly a looker. Nose hits you with west coast pine, resin, and citrus meeting caramel and general malts, pineapple rind and herbal notes but nothing too potent, just good all around. Taste is very malt forward, caramel in particular, very resinous throughout, candied orange, pineapple, grapefruit and pine hops round out. It is delicious but seems like it is on its way to a strong ale more than ipa until the hop finish. Feel is sticky and thick for style, very malty, but hop bitters do break through. Enjoyed this a lot, but the purists will balk

 

16 ounce can - canned Nov 30/20
Pours a clear dark ruby colour with copper notes and 2 fingers of tight creamy khaki coloured head - beautiful lacing.
The aroma hits with a burnt caramel malt, slightly spicy, earthy hops with grapefruit and pine.
Taste starts with the caramel malt sweetness, grapefruit/grapefruit peel, pine and follows with an earthy slightly floral hop bitterness at the back, a bit resinous - intensifies as beer warms,
Smooth medium mouthfeel with moderate carbonation - (comparison to Celebration, is a bit thinner); lingering piney citrus bittersweetness.

 

To begin with, I got this as a single and it’s called a winter ale.
Look: Promising, dark burnt orange copper.
Smell: Confusing, citrusy, pine resin, dank hops.
Taste: Straight up west coast ipa. Why is it called a winter ale? Cause it’s a little dark? It’s ok as far as ipas go but it’s definitely NOT a winter ale. I’m giving it a low score because the label is so misleading. There are some really good winter ales out there but this ain’t one of em.

Look: Semi-clear amber in color chock full of tiny floaties and the vigorous pour yields a nice off-white head that settles to a lid and leaves good lacing
Aroma: Orange, grapefruit, floral notes, some blueberry in the background, bready malt, and a little caramel
Taste: Bready malt and citrus fruits come on strong and hold center stage though soon after, are joined by some caramel sweetness and rose-led floral hop notes. Rich bready malt and citrus take hold again and lead to a sweet malt and floral-hop-dominated finish
Mouthfeel: Full, medium-high carbonation, and finishes with a good hop bite and very light dryness
Overall: I dig it. I love this beer and drink it every year. A tasty somewhat throwback hoppy strong ale that isn’t spiced or too malty. I enjoy the use of a/some floral-dominated hop varietal(s) as well as these aren’t utilized much in strong ales nor winter warmers and I am way into that aroma/flavor profile. Delicious

great malty ale -=taste great all thru the beer