Icelandic Winter Ale
Einstök Ölgerð (Einstök Beer Company)

Pours a dark, reddish brown, although surprisingly translucent. Foam is modest, beige but lacing persists for quite some time. Smell is malty, with a bit of toast and pine resin. Taste starts with bread and toasted malt before resin and a little smoke come on. The aftertaste is dominated by toast and resin, with alcohol appearing at the very end. Mouthfeel is very balanced in the beginning and middle, with the carbonation and resin keeping the alcohol in check, leading up to a pretty dry finish. Overall, this is a very tasty beer that masks its alcohol content well. It's a very different take on a winter warmer, with the roasted malt, pine and smoke providing a unique flavor that's different from the usual holiday spice potpourri. This feels like a much older approach to a winter ale.

 

 

 

Pours clear dark brown with a ruby tint when held to the light. Thick long-lasting tan head, nice lacing. Aroma is dark bread, stone fruit and spruce. Flavor follows the nose, smoky roasted malt, a hint of caramel and a touch of alcohol join the forementioned aroma flavors. Feel is medium bodied and well carbonated. Overall, a fine example of the style.

 

 

 

RB transfer

Copenhagen 15/12 2019. 33 cl bottle from Irma, Smedetoften, Kbh. NV. Dark red label in Einstök’s usual design. The Helmet on the viking seen in profile is replaced with a Christmas cap though.

Pours slightly unclear dark maroon with a small white head. Settles as thin patch of foam unable to cover the surface of the beer. No lacing.

Aroma is herbal, sweet with lighter sourish notes and a sharp edge of alcohol. Dark sweet fruits, caramel, brown sugar. Spur grains and spruce.

Light carbonation. Medium thick, soft, lightly tingling texture.

Flavor has a strong sweetness followed by a rough, medium strong, bitterness. Lingers for a while. Light boozy burn in the finish.

A fine winter warmer with the sufficient ABV and sweetness to enable me to survive the dark months.

Look: deep brown, creamy tan head, little lacing
Smell: toasted malt, spruce tips, smoky
Taste: toffee, sweet malt, spruce tips, chocolate, smoky
Feel: med plus body, low carbo
Overall: 8% abv on the can. Well, this brew is nine months old but still pretty good. She's a bit on the sweet side but that could be the aging. Tasty notes of toffee, chocolate, smoke and spruce tips make this a nice winter warmer, in the summer. Will look for this fresh in the winter to re-evaluate. But that's my business. Until then, pair her up with December by Collective Soul.

 

 

355ml can poured into a Spiegelau wheat beer glass.
PKG 19SEP24

L: Dark brown and clear, ruby highlights, one inch khaki head, dense foam has good retention.
S: Light earthy nose, hints of dark fruit and spice.
T: Dark fruit esters up front, toasted malt, smoked malt is subtle but there, earthy hops with a bit of pine, has a spicy and moderately bitter finish.
F: Medium-weight body, carbonation is high enough to give a crisp bite.
O: Nice winter warmer, alcohol character is well masked.

 

 

 

 

 

Mine was canned in October, enjoyed in April, so it's no spring chicken.
Pours red with a thin tan head. Aroma is spruce and malt with a hint of toast. Taste is caramel, bready with a pine sweetness in there too. Feel is good, nice and rich. Overall an interesting brew that doesn't shout 8% at all.