Brooklyn Winter Ale | Brooklyn Brewery
Brewed by:
Brooklyn Brewery
New York, United States
brooklynbrewery.com
Style: Scottish Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.10%
Availability: Winter
Notes / Commercial Description:
Brooklyn completely changed the recipe in 2006. Its now a Scottish-style ale. Brewmaster Garrett Oliver explained to us that: There are no spices at all. Good British floor malts and hops along with our yeast strain account for all the flavors. It has a Scottish-style cooler fermentation, which pushes malt to the forefront rather than fruitiness. It was brewed with Scottish Floor-malted Maris Otter, English crystal malts, Belgian Aromatic malt, American roasted malts, American oats and hopped with Willamette.
Added by dedrinker on 11-03-2006
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 1,121 | Reviews: 479
Reviews by LarryMyers:
3/5 rDev -17.4%
LarryMyers, Dec 23, 2013
More User Reviews:
3.88/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at the Buffalo Brewpub,poured a rich amber with a thin but well retained tan colred head,picked up some cherry and deep brown sugar notes in the nose with hints of cinnamon and clove.Quite drinkable for the abv% I have to say lighter dark fruit and brown sugar notes up front with that pear note that a few others have noted not overly sweet just about spot on.A highly quaffable winter ale has nice flavors and is easy going down,recommended.
450 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at the Buffalo Brewpub,poured a rich amber with a thin but well retained tan colred head,picked up some cherry and deep brown sugar notes in the nose with hints of cinnamon and clove.Quite drinkable for the abv% I have to say lighter dark fruit and brown sugar notes up front with that pear note that a few others have noted not overly sweet just about spot on.A highly quaffable winter ale has nice flavors and is easy going down,recommended.
450 characters
3.71/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.35/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A-dark brown with a thin white head
S-some nuttiness and burnt toasty notes
T-nutty flavor at first that segued into a dark fruits and caramel with a clean sweet finish
M-thin body with medium carbonation
O-pretty good brew. Nice as a nightcap for a cold winter's night. One of the better efforts from the brewery.
318 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A-dark brown with a thin white head
S-some nuttiness and burnt toasty notes
T-nutty flavor at first that segued into a dark fruits and caramel with a clean sweet finish
M-thin body with medium carbonation
O-pretty good brew. Nice as a nightcap for a cold winter's night. One of the better efforts from the brewery.
318 characters
4.33/5 rDev +19.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Presentation: It was poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a pint glass. The bottle has a "Best Before" date of Apr. 2010 printed on it. The label has the abv listed at 6.1% and there is also a very brief description of the beer on the neck label.
Appearance: The body has good clarity and a deep reddish amber color. On top is a light off white which rises up about two fingers tall before slowly fading down to a thin cap. This thin covering hangs on well and leaves some slick lacing on the glass.
Smell: It has a fairly light nose with nice notes of bready, doughy and lightly toasted malt. Hop aroma also adds a light spicy note as well.
Taste/Palate: The flavor has a good sweet bready and ginger bread cookie like maltiness with light caramel notes. Hop flavor is modest and adds light leafy spicy bitterness to just give some balance to the finish. The palate has a solid medium feel with soft yet active carbonation.
Notes: This is a very solid example of the Scottish ale style and a great winter treat.
1,016 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Presentation: It was poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a pint glass. The bottle has a "Best Before" date of Apr. 2010 printed on it. The label has the abv listed at 6.1% and there is also a very brief description of the beer on the neck label.
Appearance: The body has good clarity and a deep reddish amber color. On top is a light off white which rises up about two fingers tall before slowly fading down to a thin cap. This thin covering hangs on well and leaves some slick lacing on the glass.
Smell: It has a fairly light nose with nice notes of bready, doughy and lightly toasted malt. Hop aroma also adds a light spicy note as well.
Taste/Palate: The flavor has a good sweet bready and ginger bread cookie like maltiness with light caramel notes. Hop flavor is modest and adds light leafy spicy bitterness to just give some balance to the finish. The palate has a solid medium feel with soft yet active carbonation.
Notes: This is a very solid example of the Scottish ale style and a great winter treat.
1,016 characters
3.28/5 rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
12oz brown bottle with a freshness date.
LOOK: Dark amber, healthy looking lace.
SMELL: Buttery toffee, over ripe fruit, toasted dark bread, faint alcohol, herbal
TASTE: Buttery, smooth, dry toasted bread, nutty, husky, faint roasted malt, herbal hop, fallen fruit, warming esters, semi-dry finish
The yeast has certainly made its mark on this brew, bit of a butter bomb ... the core maltiness is secondary. If by chance I have this one again perhaps it would go better paired with a hearty stew or a sharp cheese to contrast.
530 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
12oz brown bottle with a freshness date.
LOOK: Dark amber, healthy looking lace.
SMELL: Buttery toffee, over ripe fruit, toasted dark bread, faint alcohol, herbal
TASTE: Buttery, smooth, dry toasted bread, nutty, husky, faint roasted malt, herbal hop, fallen fruit, warming esters, semi-dry finish
The yeast has certainly made its mark on this brew, bit of a butter bomb ... the core maltiness is secondary. If by chance I have this one again perhaps it would go better paired with a hearty stew or a sharp cheese to contrast.
530 characters
3.97/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at the Hop Devil in NYC, this recent Bklyn offering poured pretty typical darkish amber, tan head, with decent retentive powers showing. Lacing is stringy and splotchy. Malty, slightly smoked nose. Straight forward Scottish style ale, smooth malts, slight smoke, background fruit and sugars. Nice creation, easy drinking wintry brew, well worth a try.
358 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at the Hop Devil in NYC, this recent Bklyn offering poured pretty typical darkish amber, tan head, with decent retentive powers showing. Lacing is stringy and splotchy. Malty, slightly smoked nose. Straight forward Scottish style ale, smooth malts, slight smoke, background fruit and sugars. Nice creation, easy drinking wintry brew, well worth a try.
358 characters
4/5 rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: 1/4 inch head, clear, amber, high carbonation
Smell: toasted malt and caramel
Taste: toasted malt, caramel, hops, and a little spice
Mouthfeel: smooth, sweet start bitter middle and a sweet end, crisp, light bodied, high carbonation
Drinkability: A highly drinkable malty beer. This one reminds me of their Octoberfest with different spices--at least in the maltiness. I could have several.
407 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: 1/4 inch head, clear, amber, high carbonation
Smell: toasted malt and caramel
Taste: toasted malt, caramel, hops, and a little spice
Mouthfeel: smooth, sweet start bitter middle and a sweet end, crisp, light bodied, high carbonation
Drinkability: A highly drinkable malty beer. This one reminds me of their Octoberfest with different spices--at least in the maltiness. I could have several.
407 characters
3.48/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The beer pours a reddish-amber color with an off-white head. The beer is very clear.
The aroma is toffee with some dark fruit and a little bit of peat character. The beer smells fairly sweet and very malty.
The flavor is very heavy on the toffee with some caramel and grassy notes mixed in. I don't get any smoke or peat character in the flavor. Very clean tasting. Easy to drink. Not too complex or exciting, but there is really nothing wrong with the beer.
Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.
504 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The beer pours a reddish-amber color with an off-white head. The beer is very clear.
The aroma is toffee with some dark fruit and a little bit of peat character. The beer smells fairly sweet and very malty.
The flavor is very heavy on the toffee with some caramel and grassy notes mixed in. I don't get any smoke or peat character in the flavor. Very clean tasting. Easy to drink. Not too complex or exciting, but there is really nothing wrong with the beer.
Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.
504 characters
3.88/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Serving glass: Poured into Brooklyn Imperial Pint. Best by April 2012.
Appearance: Rich reddish-brown with nice light tan head and intermittent lacing.
Smell: At first there was almost no smell, either due to the colder temp or the head blocking it. Then it opened up to include caramel, toffee, bread, cherry, other dark fruit and spicy earthiness.
Taste: Barely sweet caramel, toffee and bready malts are the focus. Not as fruity as the aroma. Ends a little drier with spice and some earthy notes.
Feel: Fairly smooth body that is a little fuller than medium. Moderately low carbonation with a semi-dry finish.
Overall: Very well done Scottish Ale. This is the kind of beer that beer geeks tend to ignore. They shouldn't.
728 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Serving glass: Poured into Brooklyn Imperial Pint. Best by April 2012.
Appearance: Rich reddish-brown with nice light tan head and intermittent lacing.
Smell: At first there was almost no smell, either due to the colder temp or the head blocking it. Then it opened up to include caramel, toffee, bread, cherry, other dark fruit and spicy earthiness.
Taste: Barely sweet caramel, toffee and bready malts are the focus. Not as fruity as the aroma. Ends a little drier with spice and some earthy notes.
Feel: Fairly smooth body that is a little fuller than medium. Moderately low carbonation with a semi-dry finish.
Overall: Very well done Scottish Ale. This is the kind of beer that beer geeks tend to ignore. They shouldn't.
728 characters
3.49/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.71/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
On the nose, this doesn't appear to be anything special; that is, I can't pick up a distinct or significant bouquet (such as spice, sugar, etc.) that would lead me in any certain direction--it just smells the way I expect a standard ale to.
Luckily, in the mouth this proves to be a much different brew, and is full of unexpected and delightful flavors. The bottle's label notes that this is brewed from "heirloom Maris Otter malts," and the result is a malty concoction with definite fruit flavors, caramels, and just a touch of earthiness--like the incarnate scent of peat moss. Contrary to what might be perceived, this is not a "spiced beer," as no spices were added to the mixture. There are subtle hints of spices, but those come from the brewing process itself. There's also just a hint of yeast in the mix, and the palate is finished off with a well-balanced smattering of hops.
Overall, this is a wonderful winter brew, and despite its lack of added spices, would go down well on a cold December night, especially if that entails snuggling in front of the fireplace with a loved one.
1,096 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
On the nose, this doesn't appear to be anything special; that is, I can't pick up a distinct or significant bouquet (such as spice, sugar, etc.) that would lead me in any certain direction--it just smells the way I expect a standard ale to.
Luckily, in the mouth this proves to be a much different brew, and is full of unexpected and delightful flavors. The bottle's label notes that this is brewed from "heirloom Maris Otter malts," and the result is a malty concoction with definite fruit flavors, caramels, and just a touch of earthiness--like the incarnate scent of peat moss. Contrary to what might be perceived, this is not a "spiced beer," as no spices were added to the mixture. There are subtle hints of spices, but those come from the brewing process itself. There's also just a hint of yeast in the mix, and the palate is finished off with a well-balanced smattering of hops.
Overall, this is a wonderful winter brew, and despite its lack of added spices, would go down well on a cold December night, especially if that entails snuggling in front of the fireplace with a loved one.
1,096 characters
3.24/5 rDev -10.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Brooklyn Winter Ale from Brooklyn Brewery
3.63
out of 5
based on 1,121 ratings.