Winter Lager
East Rock Brewing Company

A: crystal clear; deep reddish amber in color; 1+ finger finely pored tan head that receded to a skim cap; nice lacing;

S: sweet malt with nutmeg and clove;

T: follows the nose from start to finish; mild bitterness at the end that seems accentuated due to the dry finish;

M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation; moderately dry finish that continues drying out in the aftertaste;

O: nice, but the base beer got lost behind the spice addition;

Sampling a cellar temp 12 oz can poured into my .5L dimple mug. Purchased at the local beer shop today. Date stamp is best by 3/28/2025.
The beer pours a rich mahogany color with a dense creamy beige head of about 1.5 cm. This foam fades to a sturdy edge layer a couple minutes after the pour.
The aroma on this beer is some toasted brown malts and dark bread, mixing with very mild nutmeg notes, maybe a little orange note from the added peel. No hint of hops nor any ABV on the nose. Seems what I expected, but no vanilla that I can detect here.
First sip reveals a light body and very smooth texture. The beer drinks very easy and the carbonation is very fine and tingly on my palate.
Flavor is similar to the nose with some toasted dark bread and a bit of brown sugar sweetness and then some warming cinnamon comes through and finishes with just a bit of nutmeg and I think mild bitterness from orange peel or spicy noble hops. Tasty and balanced beer.
A nice winter seasonal beer from a local brewery that does a great job with lagers!

Poured into tulip pint glass from a 12 ounce can. The body of the beer is a deep amber in color, with a light caramel colored head about a finger wide. A nice malty sweetness arises from the glass. The first sip has the sweetness that comes from the malt, and the 'extras' such as vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg and orange peel that are listed on the label. Fortunately they don't overwhelm the beer with any sticky sweetness; just enough to make it tasty. I love the 'Bock Season' and this is a very good example of the style!