Winter Warmer
E9 Brewing Co.

Served in a pint. Dark garnet brown, no head but nice lacing. Minimal aroma, some sour and oatmeal scents. Taste is light, minimal coffee and some hop bittering, very dry. Kind of like a thin esb with an alcohol boost, the bitterness kind of takes from the beer. Drinks smooth but not great for the style.

Visually, Engine House's Winter Warmer works quite well. The beer is served in an oversized pint glass showing its cherry-amber color and elegant carpet of thin white duff. Striated lace forms early in the pint while big splotchy lace fragments emerge near pint's end.

But the smell and taste of this winter ale betray a slight measure of spoilage as of mid-February. The beer is alt-like with stern wooden bittering and is almost entirely uncarbonated. The yeasted aroma is a bit shy of clean and the taste also suggests that it was served past its prime. The mouthfeel is full, but there's no fruitiness or festive character to the beer except for a perceived measure of alcoholic strength. This one just ain't working for me.