Warmer Winter Winter Warmer
Cigar City Brewing

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured into a snifter to a deep brown with some ruby edges which is topped by a dense finger and a half of light tan head which fades slowly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing
S: Smells of caramel, vanilla, dark fruits, oak, and a little faded citrusy and herbal hops.
T: Taste is a little pine and citrus with some dark fruits, figs, caramel, slight chocolate, vanilla and a little oak. Swallow is more vanilla, caramel, dark fruits, oak, and a little more citrus. It reminds me of a chocolate covered orange at times.
M: This beer is fairly thick and has a very silky mouthfeel. The beer has a low level of carbonation but it is adequate for the style and contributes to the silky mouthfeel. On the swallow this beer is fairly drying.
O: Overall this is a really nice beer with some great flavors and complexity. Age seems to have done it well but this one probably would have fared a little better in the ratings if they would have classified it as a barleywine since the American hop notes are out of place. Definitely drinking well though.

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4.04/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

2013/2014 release poured from a 22oz bottle into an imperial pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep dark brown color with a short beige head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains brown sugar, fruit, caramelized malts and some earthy hops.

T: The taste starts out very sweet with strong flavors of caramel, toffee, brown sugar and some fruit. Then a hearty malt character comes in. The hops presence is mild overall but strong for the style and provides a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and a little crisp, medium-to-heavy body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: Tasty, goes down dangerously easy, slightly filling, well-disguised strong kick, good representation of style, this is a very solid beer to sip on for a while.

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4.5/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Drinking Cigar City Warmer Winter Winter Warmer in April is perfectly appropriate if you're drinking it in Wisconsin. Hell, our April is probably colder than their winter. That's neither here nor there... This is the 2015 vintage, and I have to say, I agree with those who have advised against aging this brew. Why???? Well, I think it's damn delicious right about now. It's a cola colored brew with a decent head, that quickly settled to a collar. This is just awesome hoppy molasses deliciousness. The alcohol stays well hidden. I also like how this isn't all spiced up. My personal preference is not drinking a beer that makes my mouth feel like the inside of a Yankee Candle. I prefer this chilled. That was a random statement... Nice smooth body. The carbonation is lively enough, definitely to my liking. This is damn good... I'd go for this Florida brew again. Speaking of Florida, did you see the size of that Alligator that was eating the cattle??? That was one big MOFO.

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3.61/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: pours a garnet to brown color. a finger or so of a tan head with good retention and leaving behind a nice lacing. pretty opaque due to the darkness but some nice brightness to it.

Smell: citrusy, candied sweetness, toffee and chocolate. some rich maltiness in the back ground.

Taste: opens up with some syrupy candy sweetness. a good bite of citrus. some notes of toffee and chocolate. lots of resiny hops and some earthy and pine notes to them.

Mouthfeel: syrupy and pretty thick. pretty strong bitterness and hopiness but the syrupy sweetness wins out.

Overall: a unique old ale. I like some of whats going on but the syrupy quality and the balance aren't quite right for me. maybe some time would balance things out a little better.

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3.99/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

this to my homie jeremy for bringing this one over last night. its a cool take on the style, to not have a spiced winter warmer i think is uncommon, but i dig it pretty hard. it has a year on it, and some definitely oxidation has occurred, but it flatters this beer pretty well i reckon. some sediment in the glass, hazy and thick dark brown caramel color with a tall white head, real lively looking for what it is. past the wet cardboard oxidation up front, it smells like an english barleywine. heavy sweet malts, toffee, dried cherries, and maybe plum, its quite fruity in the nose, and all of these hops they boast on the label seem to be lost over time. surprisingly it is quite hoppy in the flavor, perhaps just the nose was muted, its bitter on the finish, still sweet too, but layered and good. lots of cherry here, semi artificial at times, but it resolves before its over. yeasty too, which i also dig, high gravity english strain maybe, its hard to tell with the oxidation, and then plenty of booze to back it up. a cool take on the style and a beer that probably shouldnt be cellared much longer than a year. an awesome beer to kick off an awesome night of beer drinking.

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4.18/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2010 vintage. 750ml bottle poured into a matching CCB snifter. The brew appears a dark mahogany color with ruby clarity and a khaki cap that fades leaving patchy lace.

Aroma is sweet with toffee, caramel, molasses and some toastiness. Raisony alcohol.

Taste is malty sweet like molasses, toffee, caramel and firm bitterness. A bit of burnt character and mild oxidation.

Medium to full bodied with modest carbonation. More bitter than I was expecting but still a solid brew with some of its age starting to become noticeable.

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3.78/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

22oz bottle into a tulip
2015 vintage

A: dark brown, opaque, 1.5 fingers tan head, dissipates slowly and leaves a good amount of lacing 4.25

S: sweet citrus, caramel, an almost tart character 3.75

T: surprising amount of citrusy hops, some sweet Malts; doesn't really taste like a winter warmer, more like a light American barley wine 3.75

M/D: fuller side of medium bodies, carbonation appropriate, ABV is well masked and drinkability is average 3.75

O: it's ok, more hoppy then I would have preferred but a decent beer 3.75

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4.5/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Clear light reddish brown with a 3” lacy, rocky off-white foam cap. Slight legs. Smell: Roast, fruit, sherry. Taste: Plum, sherry, a hint of coffee with sweetness lingering into the finish. Citrus rind bitterness provides balance. Mouthfeel: Creamy, luscious, slightly above medium body and above medium carbonation.

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4.19/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Fresh bottle 2014/2015: 4.25, 4.5, 4.5, 4.25, 4.5

3 years cellered 2014/2015: 3.5, 3.75, 4.25, 4.0, 4.0

Fresh bottle 2015/2016: 3.75, 3.75, 3.75, 3.75, 3.75

2 years cellered 2015/2016: 4.0, 3.75, 3.75, 4.0, 4.0

BA 2016/2017 El Catador: 4.5, 4.0, 4.0, 4.0, 4.25

adjusted score

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3.83/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Deep ruby, fairly clear, no head/lacing.

Aroma: Rich caramel/toffee, pretty boozy, piney hop character.

Flavor: Hot. Like I honestly would guess this was +12% blind. Big piney hops over a monster specialty malt backbone.

Mouthfeel: Booze gives it a drying, warming sensation.

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3.46/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Couldnt taste any hopps. Was hoping for more from their description. But it was strong and had (warming) qualities. Very bready with strong alcohol. No head, wasnt expecting one. If the hopps came through i would be crazy happy.

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4.15/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, red/brown color. One inch head of an off-white color. Great retention and great lacing. Smells of alcohol, sweet malt, hint of roasted malt, slight yeast, caramel malt, hops, hint of pine, and a hint of wood. Fits the style of an Old Ale. Mouth feel is smooth and crisp, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of sweet malt, yeast, alcohol, hint of roasted malt, slight hops, caramel malt, and a hint of wood. Overall, good appearance, aroma, body, blend, and decent complexity.

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5/5  rDev +27.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2013 vintage 750 ml bottle, poured into a goblet

Appearance: Pours a gorgeous, deep, dark, mahogany color, speckled with a few reddish highlights and a full two fingers of oatmeal-colored hand that dissolved into a thin lacing of foam that completely covered the top of the beer.

Aroma: Great!! Very aromatic!! Lots of toasted malt and dried fruit, such as raisins, prunes, plumbs, and figs. There’s quite a pronounced sweetness on the nose too, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla and cinnamon.

Taste: Spectacular!! Strong malt flavors up front, followed by tons of dried fruit, such as raisins, prunes, plumbs, and figs. Next comes some brown sugar and toffee-like sweetness, finished by some hops. Absolutely delicious!

Mouthfeel: Chewy and smooth, as there is no carbonation what-so-ever. With an ABV of 11%, there is a significant amount of alcohol on the palate, which imparts a pleasant warmth.

Overall: Goddamn, this is a spectacular beer!! Awesome flavors of malt, fruit, and sweetness all wrapped up in an absolutely spectacular beer!!

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4.04/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours a clear light brown, more dark copper color with off-white head. Dark fruits, caramel, biscuit, and toffee on the nose; follows onto the palate. Finishes with some warmth and spice.

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4.23/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Found this one in the cellar that I COMPLETELY forgot about, was quite a little surprise. Doesn't have a year on it, but I know I got it in a trade 4(ish) years ago.

750 ML bottle that was poured into a Duvel Tulip style glass. Coming out of the bottle it's sort of muddy puddle brown but collects in the glass and rises up to be dark brown/amber/red color with more red highlights along the sides. Particles floating around in there, they settle at the bottom after a while. Nice creamy kaki colored head with various sized but mostly small bubbles. Really nice in the lacing department. Overall a pretty good looking beer.

Smell is really good. Lots of citrus, and it runs deep. When cold it's definitely noticeable and gets stronger as it warms up. Lots of toffee, molasses, dark dehydrated fruit, and even some leather and tobacco. Bready, malty, hoppy, spicy, and a little earthy all in one.

Taste is on par with the smell, deep and complex. Citrus is strong while being both sweet and natural flavors. Slightly citrus bready and maybe even some marmalade. There's strong flavors of toffee, molasses, chocolate and I'd say even some maple. Still pretty hoppy after all these years which I'm most impressed by. Not sure what the combination is but there's the above mentioned citrus and some pine notes.

Mouthfeel is good. Has a strong, nice lingering flavor. As well carbonated as it is, it's incredible smooth. The flavors mesh together perfectly hitting both the sweet and bitter taste buds equally. Alcohol content is present to the tongue but for a 10% beer it's well masked by the other big flavors which is ok, I think this beer was intend to be a sipper. Nice drinkability, I like this one a lot. Really cellarable I've had it fresh and aged and both are awesome. Another impressive brew from Cigar City.

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3.78/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

~25ml portion of a 2013/14 bottle served in a Belgian snifter. Bottled on date: 8 Nov. 2013.

Pours a murky dark brown, leaving hardly a trace of sediment in the bottle.

Aroma: sweet and roasted grains, alcohol esters, cooked peaches and other fruits.
Flavor: sweet, bordering on too sweet, with plenty of soft and dark fruits, some alcohol esters, dark bread, chocolate, fruity hops, and hints of toffee and brown sugar.

O: Distinct, complex and interesting. Would likely benefit from some further aging.

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4.73/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

2011/2012 bottling

Pours with a huge ruby/tan head into my Bruery tulip. This raisin colored beauty takes a while to fade down and leaves just spots and touches of lacing hanging onto the glass. Amazing legs that stick like honey to the sides of the glass and drip away slowly. Killer carbonation for an Old Ale.
Rum soaked raisins, brown sugar, molasses, toffee and caramel, dried cherries, little hints of orange zest, all spice, star anise, cinnimon and fruit cake. If I didn't want to sip this so badly, I could keep my nose deep inside this glass all night. This is sooo rich and delicious. Little hints of mint, basil and pine.
Exactly like the nose tells you. This is Grandma's Rum Raisin Fruit cake in a glass. Brown sugar, molasses cookies, Dried cherries covered in caramel and dipped in milk chocolate and zested with fresh blood orange rind. This is a BIG beer, and it's damn near perfection for the style. It's so rich, sweet, and unbelievably delicious. I wish I had some Oatmeal Raisin cookies right about now.
It has a nice touch of tingle on the tongue, but that could just be the 11%abv. Not completely oily, but really coats the tongue nicely. This is an Old Ale/English Barleywine at it's finest. Great caramel feel with a subtle citrus/spice zing.
I need more of this!!! This was a perfect bottle to open on this winter night. Amazing in every aspect.

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4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Decadent sweetness and layer upon layer of bold complexities gives this larger-than-life beer an allure that will talk any hop-head to the malty side of the fence.

Ok, sometimes the grass is greener on the other side, if for only a beer or two- the ale pours with a viscous but creamy pour. As the lavish mahogany-hued ale slowly settles into the glass, a slow rise of ultra-dense foam eventually caps the beer in what looks like creamy meringue. Hazy and rusty beneath, the ale is redish-brown and nearly opaque. Its foam stance is persistent and sticky with lace while the beer trails.

Rich aromas of toffee, maple and molasses evoke mouthwatering stimulation while a savory toasted caramel character gives something a bit more robust. Heavily bready, the deserts of coffee and rum cakes seem to rise from the malty matrix. Seemingly spiced like rum as well, light cinnamon, allspice and clove seem to rise from the sting of alcohol and wraps around its dark fruit esters seamlessly.

As as that savory malt sweetness greets the early palate, its that coffee cake richness that clings to the taste buds. Hearty molasses, toffee and maple seems slightly buttery, heavily caramelized and very bready. Dark and dried fruits resemble plumb, raisin, cherry, apple and prune in somewhat fruitcake-like fashion. Sometimes coating the mouth like heavy whipping cream, the spicy alcohols slice right through all that richness with that same spiced rum character that the nose relied upon.

Heavy and dense, the beer's chewy mouthfeel lays a thick coat upon the mouth with a slow and lumbering finish. Its utter creamy texture is slow to separate its creamy carbonation and leads to a bready-sweet mouthfeel even deep into finish. Spicy warmth is the ale's only balance as the ale trails with dark rum once again.

Warmer Winter is the epitome of cold weather beer- it's hearty, rich, and most importantly- potent! ...and stacked inside a 22oz bottle, a warm up is on the way!

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4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This poured with a very rich color of chocolate brown with a thin layer of tight knit foam. The nose was strong with barley malt and sweet chocolate with a underpinning of dried fruit. The flavor was a barley bomb with huge amounts of dry yet sweet barley malts. The sweetness eased into chocolate with a soft prune finish. The feel was slick and full with almost no carbonation. Very good barley wine, maybe not BCBW but really good.

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4.27/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from Florida for Christmas. From notes.

A - Copper colour with a tight beige two finger head. Bright. Mild carbonation, spotty lace, film retention.

S - Dark fruit, lot's of hops, leather, nice barleywine-esque quality.

T - Dark fruit, rich malt and a wallop of hops, alcohol, citrus.

M - Nice carbonation, full body, bitter finish.

O/D - This was pretty solid. Nearly a barleywine and very pleasant. Complex and enjoyable while being way too easy to drink. Hops weren't too harsh in the profile and the malt complexity was nice. No complaints here.

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3.98/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

2011 release.

Deep dark ruby with a coarse mount of fluffy beige head. Looks like a delicious sipper.

Caramelly malt with toffee sugar, raisin, hints of oxidized apple, and punchy booze. Notes of milk chocolate and dried fruit.

Sweet caramel malt with big mallow and toffee flavors. Very sweet, almost cloying. Rich grain and evolving flavors. Date, raisin, and milk chocolate. The body of the beer is just shy of syrupy. A little carbonation leftover causing some sizzle. Trailing behind all the beastly malts and high gravity is a tinge of citrusy hops. Very nice.

Tasty old ale with a sweet caramelly bent. Recommended.

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3.55/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle pour at the DTLA bottle share held at Beer Belly in Los Angeles, CA.

Thanks to sportstsar for sharing this one.

Pours a hazy orange-brown with a foamy khaki head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Foamy streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, brown sugar, candied fruit, citrus zest, and alcohol aromas. Taste is much the same with dark fruit and caramel flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of toasty bitterness and an alcohol kick on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and sticky mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that is quite rich and boozy.

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4.21/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2012-2013 Vintage
750ml bottle poured into a snifter.

Pours a completely opaque deep deep dark reddish brown color, mahghony, a thick creamy light tan yellowish head with a good 1/2 inch or so of retention, thick sticky lacing. Looks nice.

Smells pretty rich and sweet, all about the malt and the dark fruits. Plums, raisins, dates. A bit of an olive juice component is in there. A bit of alcohol comes in as it warms.

Thick and sweet, all about the malt. Lots of them same dark fruits, a nice nutty flavor, rum soaked and candied dark fruits, maybe even a hint of wood. A bit of hop bitterness in the finish, but it doesn't stand up against the big sweet malts and is quickly overtaken.

Almost syrupy sweet, a fine carbonation, heavy bodied.

One of the better straight up old ales I've had. This in any kind of barrel would most likely be amazing. I've yet to have a bad beer from CCB.

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3.95/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Look: A great caramel color. Definitely a prelude of things to come. The head was about one finger, that went down to a constant thin layer, that leaves some decent lacing.

Smell: My first thought was olive. There was a clear olive smell, but then it transitioned into a smokey caramel. Maybe bits of coffee in there as well.

Taste: Again, like the smell, it was one thing, then moved onto another. At first I definitely tasted the citrus. After that, the citrus gave way to a very sweet caramel. Smokey caramel at that.

Feel: This to me, is a very sweet beer, so my initial reaction is to not keep it in my mouth very long. Carbonation is medium, and it has an overall thickness to it. I wasn't head over heels about the feel myself. It wasn't terrible, but just felt odd.

Overall: I'm not experienced in Old Ales, but this one will keep me trying others. It might be just a bit too sweet, but in moderation I don't think it'd be a problem with me. I loved the changing of smells and taste, I found that to be one of the fun moments of the beer.

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3.83/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

a dark amber, opaque, with 2 fingers of creme colored head causing lots of great lacing. smells of caramel, toffee, dark fruit notes (raisin, date). lots of sweet plum, raisin, dates in the flavor. sweet malty profile making it very sugary and heavy on the abv (though not notable). full body with low carbonation.. a nice warmth in the chest.

this is a pretty nice beer, but not overall that impressed. maybe some wood aged variants of this, or a bourbon barrel aged one could be more up my alley. a little too sweet, but it is definitely a nice dessert beer - as far as old ales go, it's a bit different for the style.

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