Icycle Winter Warmer
Crank Arm Brewing

 

 

 

Bringing a little spice to the cold, Crank Arm brewers are warming things up with subtle winter spices on a bed of brown malt and a strength that's sure to get us through the cold weather.

Icycle Winter Warmer comes to the eye like any other brown ale would, dark brown, coffee-like and capped off with a creamy light tan froth. As its scent drifts about the rim, that's when things change. Citrusy, spicy, soft and vanilla-like, the nose is more than just nutty, chocolaty and coffee impressions alone. Sweeter in taste, the early palate gets back to brown with caramel, toffee, chocolate and pecan in true form.

As its sweetness coats the middle palate, its rich flavors and textures suggest a bolder brown ale impression that's just off of imperial status. As the spices of orange peel, ginger and cardamom provide a holiday and tea leaf collection of flavors, the session slowly dives into a rounded and broadly bitter, woodsy finish to give balance to the lingering malts and to accompany the warming whisky-like heat that follows.

Full bodied, creamy and smooth, the spicy ale is reserved in its spice additions, careful not to overwhelm the base brown ale underneath. Easier to drink than it should be, this Winter Warmer is enough to get the tastebuds and the sanity through the muck of winter.

Subtle spicing chocolate orange deep brown/copper ale. Warm thick and delicious

Pours a deep brown in color and gives off a dark tan head, but that quickly fades. Nose is malty as is the taste. The backend is slightly bitter that also fades quickly. Good beer.

Look: It pours brown and clear with a tan head. Head retention is good.

Smell: It has strong aromas of cardamon and ginger. There is very low nut and slight cherry.

Taste: It has nut flavor up front with cardamon and ginger. There is a bit of orange and low cherry in support. There is an additional spiciness to it as well.

Feel: It has a medium body with light alcohol warming. It is bitter and zesty in the finish.

Overall: A winter warmer it is with the prominence of the nutty flavors with the cardamon and ginger.

A: Pours a clear almost opaque deep mahogany brown in color with light to moderate amounts of active visible carbonation rising along the edges of the glass and moderate garnet red colored highlights. The beer has a three finger tall dense sudsy foamy tan head that slowly reduces to a large patch of thick film covering the entire surface of the beer and a thick ring at the edges of the glass. Significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of dark + toasted + roasted + caramel + nutty malts with a moderate amount of caramel sweetness. Slightly less than moderate aromas of orange zest citrus and spices (cardamon + ginger). Hints of spicy hop aromas.

T: Upfront there are slightly stronger than moderate flavors of dark + toasted + roasted + caramel + nutty malts with a moderate amount of caramel sweetness. That is followed by just shy of moderate flavors of orange zest citrus and spices (cardamon + ginger). Hints of spicy hops. Light amounts of bitterness which lingers through the finish.

M: Slightly heavier than medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation.

O: Slightly reminiscent of Russian tea in the flavor/aroma combination. Drinks pretty easily and hides the alcohol well. Enjoyable and a style that I just don't come across often but still enjoy.

 

Poured on-tap at the brewery, the beer is a dark, nut brown coloring, with a halo of bubbly, off-white head. Nose of rich toffee, nutmeg and spice blend, a solid dose of ginger, and some earthy notes. Flavors of ginger forward, sweet and spicy, with an underlay of toffee and nut sweetness. Smooth, but light in mouth, with a sweet and herbal/spiced aftertaste. Spice blend lingers on the toffee notes in a smooth, light finish. Big palate, and damn tasty.