Sugar Plum White Winter Ale (2015)
Cigar City Brewing

 

 

Amber, lightening to gold-apricot at the very bottom, topped with a large, foamy khaki head.

Smell seems a little muted at first, with apple, plum, and orange zest. Then the cacao comes in, which seems like an odd pairing at first, bringing in a chocolate element in an otherwise bright and fruity smell, and then coffee follows, reminding me a bit of Stone's Mocha IPA for a bit. After a few sips it all seems to work in an unexpected way.

In flavor, plum and spices (cinnamon) come first, but breadiness keeps it from seeming tart. Cacao and coffee somehow bring it down to earth, rounding up and thickening on the palate more as it warms, with more bready malts nearing roasty chocolatiness, but not quite.

Body is medium and frothy. All of the above descriptions might make it sound like this is a heavy beer, but it's actually quite light and bouncy, with flavors that do not overwhelm the palate.

Pours a light copperish color with a slight head that quickly goes away. Notes of fruit like plums, cocoa, coffee hit your nose. Tastes of plums, candy, cacao nibs plus maybe bourbon hit your palette. Nice carbonation and the hints of alcohol hit the back of your throat. Nice festive brew.

Reviewed from (long-standing) notes. Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a Cycle Brewing goblet.

A: Moderately hazy deep gold, with fairly low visible carbonation and a finger's worth of white head.

S: Green coffee beans, toasted malts, chocolate and vanilla.

T: Coffee (green to lightly roasted) and cacao nibs to start. Then vanilla, mild spices and a light fruitiness (I'm guessing this is the plums, but there's nothing overtly "plum" about it). Lightly toasted malts and more coffee bitterness in the finish.

M: Mouthfeel relatively light, with good carbonation sensation and alcohol fairly restrained.

O: This is a very, very different iteration from the previous years' versions that I detested. This still isn't my favorite beer, but it's interesting. It almost seems a bit like Stone's Master of Disguise as far as the pale body, but with flavors you'd associate with a stout. Easy to drink, but ultimately nothing I'd actively seek out again.

 

 

First day of summer 2016, time to open up a WW!

22oz bottle, dated 11/27/15. Pours somewhat hazy gold with a small/medium sized off-white head; lots of small carbonation bubbles. Complex smell of coffee, cocoa, bready malt, cinnamon, plum, nuts, and sweet lactose. The taste follows exactly with mostly bready malt, cocoa, coffee, and lactose with some added cinnamon, plum, and nuts. Very mild bitterness and dryness with a hint of sweetness. The alcohol is well hidden. Above average body and medium carbonation; smooth mouthfeel. Overall, it stays true to the style despite the lighter color. It's flavorful, malty, and rich while remaining drinkable. Seems like it'd be a real crowd pleaser. One of the top WW's I've tried so far out of the 16 reviews I've written for the style.

 

 

 

 

Dark burnt orange, small white head and minimal lacing. Notes of plums, coffee, chocolate, and sweet breads. Medium body, creamy and slightly dry. Really interesting beer with unique flavor notes.