Magi Winter Warmer
Martha's Exchange

On tap at the source.
Comes to the table in a glass I've never seen before, looks like a slender shaker pint that flares wider in the middle but still remains skinny. Dark brown color. Rich caramel and chocolate with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon. Big sweet beer, but nice to sip on for a while.

Received a mahogany glass with some slight head and light lacing.

Nice nutmeg and spice aromas, not overpowering, tied to toasted malt. A whiff of spice is enough.

They got this right. Burnt sugar bittersweet with quick spice flavor (spice is gone quickly). Flavors revert to roasted malt and long bitter finish. Not over sweet. Just right.

Thinner than I'd like. Typical for Martha's.

Easy drinking, not overdone. Nice for the style.

Poured into an imperial pint glass. Color was a nice dark mostly opaque brown color with a chocolate head that didn't last long. Aroma was sweet, some honey flavoring. Taste was malty, a small bit of spicyness. Not as spicy or flavorful as I usually expect for a winter warmer. Coated the mouth well, not overly carbonated. Very easy to drink, not overly spiced.

Into a pint glass on tap @ Martha's Exchange.

Espresso-dark...tight ginger head - not too much activity but imposing.

Lots of winter dried fruit - figs, plums, almost coffee texture - deep, dark caramel molasses and chocolate.

Wow - dry austerity. Huge molasses and malt with good hop pine. Slight brown sugar spice. Dry sour cherries and prunes. Solid.

Very comforting feel - not too dry on palate...a bit on the tangy side. Fruity with deep, rich dark oak and clean yet strong finish.

This is a good sipping beer - alcohol is not too prevalent, either. Very well done.

This beer pours dark red closer to brown with maroon highlights as the light breaks through this brew. It leaves a beige head that hangs on top. The aroma is cocoa powder, birch beer, very spicey(nutmeg, cinnamon,cloves, allspice). The taste actually starts hoppy, followed by a caramel sweetness and finishes with a bitterness similar to fruit rind. This is a smooth beer, one that I will have to purchase every winter.

I was intrigued by the fact this particular winter warmer was made in the style of a porter, so of course I had to give it a whirl. Its actually quite a handsome beer, very dark brown-to-black in appearance with a sturdy, creamy, tan head that is impressive in itself. I get a mix of cocoa, cinnamon, and tobacco in the nose. Its surprisingly light-bodied in the mouthfeel, quite unexpected from the looks of it. I get pronounced cinnamon and nutmeg notes that remains spicy with some clove remnants, all the while over a chocolately background. Some hop bitterness clings in the mouthfeel, giving it good traction. Finish is very roasty with bitter chocolate notes and quite dry. Well crafted and pleasantly surprised.

A first-time sampling for this bier at Marthas for me. Poured a luscious, deep mahogany color, with some ruby thrown in to entice you. Head was tan, creamy and fine, and left A-1 lacing in the glass. Nose gave off some malty sweet notes, with a hint of spice, yet it was a tad subdued. It was just about medium as far as body goes, but relatively smooth on the tongue. As far as flavors go, I picked up a good malty-sweet foundation, with some cinnamon and nutmeg lurking around. The spices did not overpower you, as I like it, and lingered long and hard in the aftertaste. Not bad at all! Prosit!

overall: 4
appearance: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | mouthfeel: 4 | drinkability: 4

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