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Tipple
Moonlight Brewing Company
- From:
- Moonlight Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- Winter Warmer
Ranked #10 - ABV:
- 6.7%
- Score:
- 89
Ranked #10,550 - Avg:
- 4.03 | pDev: 9.43%
- Reviews:
- 18
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 06, 2024
- Added:
- Dec 22, 2003
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 1
Adjective in front of the name changes each year.
2023: Wet Hop Winter Ale. A rich and toasty dark ale aged on our Homegrown wet hops for an amazingly complex, cool weather warmer.
2023: Wet Hop Winter Ale. A rich and toasty dark ale aged on our Homegrown wet hops for an amazingly complex, cool weather warmer.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Offa:
Reviewed by Offa from California
4.63/5 rDev +14.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
4.63/5 rDev +14.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
I had this finally on tap at Toad in the Hole, Santa Rosa. This is an excellent, complex, full-bodied, but balanced winter-warmer type.
Deep, deep red-brown, almost black, it has a fairly big, dense, creamy dark tan head that shrinks very, very slowly to a permanent, creamy top about 1/2 inch thick, leaving excellent rings of rich lace down the glass.
Aroma is a but subdued, but has firm toasty, character with burnt grapefruit, molasses, caramelised fruit.
The taste is similar, rich toasty-burnt fruit qualities like a stronger stout but not quite so roasty, with burnt orange, caramelised fruit (prunes, etc.) hints of molasses, bittersweet chocolate, and toast. It has excellently balanced sweetness and bitterness throughout, nice well-wounded, well-integrated, balanced and complex character, very consistent and drinkable. It is solid and full-bodied without being overly heavy.
Dec 18, 2009Deep, deep red-brown, almost black, it has a fairly big, dense, creamy dark tan head that shrinks very, very slowly to a permanent, creamy top about 1/2 inch thick, leaving excellent rings of rich lace down the glass.
Aroma is a but subdued, but has firm toasty, character with burnt grapefruit, molasses, caramelised fruit.
The taste is similar, rich toasty-burnt fruit qualities like a stronger stout but not quite so roasty, with burnt orange, caramelised fruit (prunes, etc.) hints of molasses, bittersweet chocolate, and toast. It has excellently balanced sweetness and bitterness throughout, nice well-wounded, well-integrated, balanced and complex character, very consistent and drinkable. It is solid and full-bodied without being overly heavy.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by RyanK252 from California
4.03/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.03/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
On tap at Spokeasy Public House
A: Pours rich mahogany brown with a frothy khaki head that settles to a thin layer and leaves a little nice lacing.
S: Peppery spice, roasted malt, char, espresso, a hint of chocolate, pine, a little dark fruit, toffee and burnt sugar.
T: Roasted malt, char, espresso, and a little bittersweet chocolate, peppery spice, resinous pine, hints of dark fruit, cherry and plum, and a touch of toffee and burnt sugar.
M: Medium body, moderately lively carbonation, slightly creamy/chewy.
O: Scratches that winter dark beer itch, but also satisfied my hop head side.
Jan 06, 2024A: Pours rich mahogany brown with a frothy khaki head that settles to a thin layer and leaves a little nice lacing.
S: Peppery spice, roasted malt, char, espresso, a hint of chocolate, pine, a little dark fruit, toffee and burnt sugar.
T: Roasted malt, char, espresso, and a little bittersweet chocolate, peppery spice, resinous pine, hints of dark fruit, cherry and plum, and a touch of toffee and burnt sugar.
M: Medium body, moderately lively carbonation, slightly creamy/chewy.
O: Scratches that winter dark beer itch, but also satisfied my hop head side.
Rated by verge from California
4.38/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.38/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Based on the label, I wasn't expecting this to pour so dark and have so much roasty-style flavors. Very nicely balanced, excellent beer.
Dec 30, 2023Reviewed by laquebrada from California
3.75/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Pours with a big tan head, which persists nicely, opaque dark brown color. Spicy, malty aroma. Flavor is similar, but long roasted finish. Definite hop bitterness component in the flavor, but hop flavor is muted. As it says on the label "Homegrown wet hops. Get Lost in this beer!"
Jan 06, 2021Reviewed by jvgoor3786 from Arkansas
4/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a medium brown with a very thick, soapy tan head and tons of sticky lacing.
The smell is bright orange/citrus hops and milk cocoa. It's a really delicious, unusual nose.
The taste is burnt caramel, orange, chocolate, a hint of spiciness, and a lingering leather finish.
There mouthfeel is medium body with medium/high carbonation.
Overall this is fun dark beer with a nice splash of citrus hops.
Dec 24, 2020The smell is bright orange/citrus hops and milk cocoa. It's a really delicious, unusual nose.
The taste is burnt caramel, orange, chocolate, a hint of spiciness, and a lingering leather finish.
There mouthfeel is medium body with medium/high carbonation.
Overall this is fun dark beer with a nice splash of citrus hops.
Reviewed by RaulMondesi from California
4/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Not bad. Not bad at all. Like grabbing some fast food and them getting your order right, not bad. It’s not the best, but it will do. Slight roast with a lil Christmas-y essence like Aunt Becky from Full House in a Hallmark holiday film before she got sent to the clink. Ok, I’m outta here.
Peace.
Dec 22, 2020Peace.
Rated by bret27 from California
4.42/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.42/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
2020 version. Very complex and tasty.
Dec 21, 2020Reviewed by John_M from Washington
4/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at Barclay's tonight.
The beer pours a blackish brown color with good head retention and lacing. The aroma profile is intense (typical for moonlight brewing), with coffee and dark chocolate, completely dominated by licorice and some underlying mint. The flavor profile replicates the nose, with once again, the licorice and coffee really dominating. Mouthfeel is medium bodied to full, with a fairly long, smooth, slightly creamy, licorice dominated finish. The beer starts out with some sweetness, but there's some underlying hoppy bitterness that counters that sweetness very well. Alcohol is hard to gauge in this beer... I guess the 6% makes sense, but it could have been 8% or 9% and I'd have never been the wiser.
Not sure this beer is exactly my cup of tea, but there's no denying the quality of the product. Just another well made, well crafted effort from the folks at Moonlight brewing.
Feb 05, 2012The beer pours a blackish brown color with good head retention and lacing. The aroma profile is intense (typical for moonlight brewing), with coffee and dark chocolate, completely dominated by licorice and some underlying mint. The flavor profile replicates the nose, with once again, the licorice and coffee really dominating. Mouthfeel is medium bodied to full, with a fairly long, smooth, slightly creamy, licorice dominated finish. The beer starts out with some sweetness, but there's some underlying hoppy bitterness that counters that sweetness very well. Alcohol is hard to gauge in this beer... I guess the 6% makes sense, but it could have been 8% or 9% and I'd have never been the wiser.
Not sure this beer is exactly my cup of tea, but there's no denying the quality of the product. Just another well made, well crafted effort from the folks at Moonlight brewing.
Tipple from Moonlight Brewing Company
Beer rating:
89 out of
100 with
34 ratings
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