Winter Warmer Amber Lager
The Spencer Brewery

From the bottom of the can: "10/20/21 BD89"

Appearance: The body is a deep brown color with dark reddish-brown hues. It has pretty good clarity and allows for dark shadows to be seen through it. It has a short off-white head with a hint of yellow-tan. The head doesn't last long or leave any lacing.

Aroma: There is a light scent of tea and lemon with a light bit of toffee.

Taste: Up front a light tea and toffee flavor comes through with a touch of sweetness. Towards the center of the mouth there is a light hint of citrus. More of the toffee character comes through in the middle, and it is joined with a bit of twiggy character. The back of the mouth has a light spicy hop note that comes across as thyme and rosemary. There is a light lemony aftertaste. It is a pleasant tasting beer.

Mouthfeel: It is medium-bodied with carbonation that sits on the low-end, which works for this beer. There is very light bitterness but mostly the citrus-like lemon flavor cuts back the sweetness that is present in the beer.

Overall: From the text on the can, the name of the beer is "Winter Warmer" and they style is indicated as "Amber Lager" with notes that it is "Brewed with Honey & Spices" without any information on what the spices are. It does have a bit of a spicy hop character and a bit of citrus but it doesn't have what most people would probably consider typical spices in a Winter Warmer style of beer. The citrus character in the beer is interesting and it makes one curious if it is from the hops or possibly a citrus peel added as a spice. It would also be interesting to see if the honey could have possibly contributed something to the citrus character. As a whole the beer tastes very good and it will likely please those who enjoy a range of beers from English Milds, Vienna Lager, or in this case Amber Lager. I wouldn't pick it up as a Winter Warmer style of beer but I would buy it again if I was looking for something to pair with pub grub. It is worth checking out.

 

L: Pours a slightly hazy mahogany, with about an inch of light brown foam, slowly fading away, with no lacing.

S: Big spicy nose of allspice, clove and nutmeg up front, with underlying aromas of dark fruit (plum) and caramel/treacle/molasses.

T: Dark caramel comes through the most, with ample hop bitterness to keep the sugars in check. Spices evident, but not as strong as in the aroma. Alcohol provide some warmth on the tongue. Long-lasting aftertaste of dark sugar and spice.

F: Medium to heavy bodied, silky and slightly syrupy on the palate.

O: An excellent example of a winter warmer - malty, dark, spicy and warming.

Canned on 10/19/21; consumed on 12/16/21

Pours a muddy, brownish mahogany body topped with a finger of creamy, off-beige head; sub-par head retention leaves a spotty veil of paper-thin cap, a moderate, frothy collar, and a modest display of wavy, webby lacing layering the walls of the glass.

Aromas of caramel and outdone by sharper fig as cocoa enters over the middle; some distant clove presents toward the back end, with a prickle of nutmeg and dark Belgian candi sugar pronouncing on the close.

Taste brings passive undertones of fig, caramel, and dates upfront to a charry roast presenting through brown bread over the mid-palate as Belgian candi sugar takes prominence on the back end, somewhat watering down into the finish.

Mouthfeel features a medium body with a soft, moderate-low carbonation and a developing texture hinting toward a distant stickiness before drying entirely over the mid-palate and thinning to an almost watery tone into the back end and finish.

Seems there's a crisis of style here, with caramel richness leaving a sloppier Vienna lager as the honey and spices additions prove too passive to compensate with any fitting richness; a hybrid ingratiating itself to neither of its individual components.

This is definitely a beer I would buy again, especially during the Christmas season. Poured from a can into a tulip glass. Beautiful amber color with good initial head and good lacing. Pleasant smell of sweet spice and honey. Flavors of nutmeg, cinnamon and coriander along with some caramel. Nice rich feel. Comforting beer!

 

 

 

 

Pours clear, amber in color with one third inch head. Taste is cinnamon, clove, dark cherry and leather. Medium body and carbonation, sweet. Made for an excellent fireside beer. Nice and tasty, I would pick this up again.

From a 16 oz. can dated 10/19/21. Sampled Nov 12, 2021.

Gorgeous looking amber colored pour with cranberry red hues shimmering on the edge of the glass and a modest, fading head.

An array of aromas capture my nose including toasted bread, honey, clove, coriander, allspice, and a bit of nutmeg. Inviting.

Medium mouthfeel and smooth.

Easy to drink. It begins sweet with honey, toasty, and then all those spices come up from behind and take things over in a delightful fashion. I liked it.

 

 

 

Pours like a red ale, awesome tan head that lasts just right. Pretty reddish brown, crystal clear.

The smell is pretty faint, but definitely some winter warmer-ish spice notes in the clove and nutmeg vicinity.

The taste is pleasant enough, but a little vague to me. The spice shows up more in the aftertaste. Pleasant, fun, but saying understated would not do it justice. Some Belgian candy sugar flavor, moderately bitter.

It seems quite a bit thin on the feel, fairly drying.

I see one review from @jlindros and it is almost like I am drinking a different beer. It is a good looking brew, but it heads down slope from there. To me it is mild where I think it could be much bolder...

Canned 10/13/20

Pours a light fizzy off white head, little lacing, med retention, clear but darker auburn ruby color

Nose holy spice Batman, tons of holiday spices, everything you can think of for spices, a bit of sweet candy malt, tart dark fruit like cranberry

Taste brings more spices, mulling spices and holiday spices, a bit more if the tart dark cranberry like fruit, a bit of sweet candy malt, candy syrup, med bitterness, drier finish

Mouth is med bod, a little syrupy

Overal meh, it's basically a mulled beer that's not even a beer anymore, just way overboard on spices