Edenton Winter Cheer Royal Stout
Edenton Brewing Company

Edenton Winter Cheer Royal StoutEdenton Winter Cheer Royal Stout
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From:
Edenton Brewing Company
 
North Carolina, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
8%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.9 | pDev: 10%
Reviews:
42
Ratings:
42
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Sep 18, 2007
Added:
Dec 09, 2004
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by bigbeerdrinka:
Photo of bigbeerdrinka
Reviewed by bigbeerdrinka from Germany

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a deep black color with mahogony hues and a firm offwhite head. Aromas are a mix of roasty malts, chocolate, and expresso. Flavors are nicely roasty with a mix of chocolate and coffee notes. There is a decent bit of creaminess in the mouthfeel with a light and easy carbonation. The finish to this brew is lightly bitter with a decent hop presence. Overall this is a very tasty drinkable stout from a brewery I have never heard of.. A nice offering.
Jan 15, 2005
More User Ratings:
Photo of TheManiacalOne
Reviewed by TheManiacalOne from Rhode Island

3.93/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Acquired from unclejedi courtesy of Little Guy BIF, so a big “Thank you” goes out to him. Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep dark brown color with a thin light brown head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of chocolate, coffee, roasted malts and a touch of dark fruit.

T: The taste is of dark chocolate, coffee, dark fruit and hearty toasted malts. There’s a very mild hops presence and the sweetness does not over-power you as it can in some stouts. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Very smooth with a good amount of crispness for the style, medium-to-heavy body, light-to-medium carbonation, slightly sticky finish.

D: Tasty, goes down pretty easily, slightly filling, very good representation of style, nice kick, this seems like one of the few stouts that you could drink for a very long time, most others will fill up and/or knock you out rather quickly. I think I could drink several over the course of an evening and enjoy them.
Sep 18, 2007
Photo of mmmbeer
Reviewed by mmmbeer from Massachusetts

3.33/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12 oz. brown bottle with no freshness date - served in my St. Feuillien chalice. The beer is deep black with a half-inch, dark beige head, and smells of espresso, dark chocolate, oats, and notes of black/blueberries. There are roasted/burnt malts, coffee, and oats on the palate, with citric/piney hops, fruity esters, a slight lactic quality, and maybe some sourness. The body is medium (a bit thin for a big stout), starts with a bit too much carbonation, and has a finish that borders on medium. Overall a drinkable enough brew with the flavors of an American stout, backed by an Irish body.
Aug 13, 2007
Photo of Atron67
Reviewed by Atron67 from Wisconsin

4.1/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A- pretty much a dark solid black, big foamy brown head that settled to about a 1/3 inch with big lacing within a short time
S- roasted scents, little chocolate, malty scents dominate.
T- the start is much as you would expect from the scent. the flavor slowly becomes a roasted bitter flavor that is also quite enjoyable
M-medium body, fine but strong carbonation
D- pretty solid enjoyable beer
Jul 28, 2007
Photo of MuddyFeet
Reviewed by MuddyFeet from North Carolina

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Nice beer. The ABV was a bit of a shock. Poured a near black with a slight white head. Nose was malty with some slight dark chocolate tones. Flavor has slight sweet chocolate tone balanced with some coffee bitterness. Medium body that gets a bit oily before it warms. Nice overall beer.
May 03, 2007
Photo of stereosforgeeks
Reviewed by stereosforgeeks from Virginia

3.53/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Jet black with mild red highlights. Mild head and minimal lacing.

Smell: Roasted malts, espresso beans, chocolate, mild molasses, and honey.

Taste: The espresso seems to overpower the rest of the flavors, but they are all still present from the smell.

Mouthfeel: Feels thin for a stout.

Drinkability: Not a bad just stout but it's not particularly memorable
Feb 24, 2007
Photo of ski271
Reviewed by ski271 from Pennsylvania

2.76/5  rDev -29.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Almost pitch black with a very large, light tan, pillowy head with potholes forming as the head slowly diminishes. Smells sweet, toasty and earthy, but slightly medicinal as well. The taste is more of the same along with coffee and some berry. The finish is moderate-length and lightly dry. It has a medium-full body, dry texture, and soft carbonation. Something with this beer, probably the light medicinal characteristics, didn’t sit well with me. Not a bad beer, just nothing special.
Feb 06, 2007
Photo of dedrinker
Reviewed by dedrinker from Kansas

3.87/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Very pronounced smell of coffee/chocolate. Hop aroma follows politely. Flavors of roasted malts and baker's chocolate well balanced by the hops. Carries its high alcohol content gracefully, but the body is more like a porter, which does not detract from its flavor, but actually scored a higher drink-ability factor with me. Still, it would be nice for it to have a little more meat on its bones. At $7.99 a six pack, I think it is a great deal and well recommended on the whole.
Feb 05, 2007
Photo of warriorsoul
Reviewed by warriorsoul from Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Thanks to hoppedup for this one...first snowfall of the season as far as I'm concerned...decided to spread some Winter cheer.
Jet black with a 1/2" of tan head...very little lacing as it fades.
Roasted malt, caramel and a generous portion of dark chocolate in the aroma.
Taste is pretty good. I'm real surprised to see this one pushing 8%...very well masked. Milk chocolate up front with a heft dose of bittering, floral hops...drying up the finish, along with a touch of coffee.
I'd prefer a hint more sweetness, but still a tasty brew.
A tad thin and the carbonation high.
Really like the Big Boss...this one falls a bit short for me.
Jan 23, 2007
Photo of malcontent
Reviewed by malcontent from Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Tan head recedes into a solid ring of lacing atop a pitch black body. Good-looking stout.

Good chocolate and coffee themes with enticing toasted aromas and a slight cola scent as well.

Mmm, that's pretty yummy! Nothing out of the ordinary here; deep toasted malts and slight hop bitterness enhanced by the coffee and chocolate nuances. However, the excecution of the standard flavors is a cut above. Very pleasant to drink.

I'd like a touch more thickness and a little less effervecence from my stouts. Nevertheless, it's still a very drinkable stout and if I find myself in N.C. I'll absolutely order/buy it.

Thanks Lhasa!
Jan 21, 2007
Photo of rsyberg01
Reviewed by rsyberg01 from Oregon

4.07/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
S - 12 oz. bottle, another little treat from doppelmeup. The best way to spread christmas cheer is by cracking open a fresh cold beer.

A - Chocolatey head is beautiful, and looks delectably tasty. Pour is black with a deep ruby twinge in the shallows.

S - Red licorice, chocolate, coffee on the back burner. Really quite a significant scent, I am really digging it.

T - Sweet with a touch of tartness up front, burnt coffee, dark chocolate, fruit tucked in the middle, possibly raspberry, bitter speaks up near the end, very nice.

M - Quite nice, slick then dry, hoped for a bit more viscosity but it isnt very detrimental to the beer because what it does have is good.

D - Quite palatable to say the least, I would say three in a sitting is about the fatigue rate. Thanks again dave for this tasty carbonated alcoholic beverage.
Jan 05, 2007
Photo of orfeu
Reviewed by orfeu from New Mexico

3.9/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Bottle courtesy of oberon, one of many great North Carolina beers he handed over to me in trade -- many thanks! A nice looking beer -- even nicer-looking than the cutie on the label! -- with a glossy ebony body and a dense, medium-strength dark khaki head. Dark berry notes in the aroma, with some floral hops and a bit of anise; mild alcohol vapors give off a scent not unlike that of Scotch Magic tape (I know that sounds unappetizing, but it's really not so bad). Quite a mellow taste with some earthy and floral hop flavors enveloping a darkly roasted malt middle. Some sweet dark cherry and licorice flavors emerge at the finish, which is dry and noticeably astringent from the high alcohol content. The finish is the only aspect of the taste in which the alcohol reveals itself, which is quite an accomplishment I'd say. Sour, almost vinous aftertaste. Slightly slick mouthfeel, with a medium body. Becomes chewier as it warms. An interesting stout to say the least; not big enough in flavor or body to be of the Imperial variety, but the abv is certainly larger than the style usually allows for. Very glad to have had the opportunity to try this one.
Jan 03, 2007
Photo of daliandragon
Reviewed by daliandragon from Maryland

4.35/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Attractive if somewhat impure label pours silky and jet black into my pint glass with impressive brown head and ready lacing. The head dwindles to a half finger after about a minute but the lace remains sticky and binding. Nose features roasted coffee malt and chocolate tones. This would be a five for smell if it was about double the strength. As is, this is still an appetising stout.

Taste is powerful enough, with heavy waves of coffee malt and a hop tempered but generally sweet flavor that finishes with enough bitterness to satisfy. Tasty, and without a rumor of alcohol, which is impressive at 8% abv. Almost dangerously easy to drink. This is a terrific winter stout and I''ll be picking up more soon.
Dec 11, 2006
Photo of wedge
Reviewed by wedge from North Carolina

3.81/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours very black with only the slightest hint of light at the edges. Small creamy tan head on top quickly drops an retains as a bubbly layer. The aroma is unfortunately faint…hops and creamy roasted chocolate and coffee malts are pleasant but difficult to find until it warms up. The taste is thankfully a bit more forward. Roasted, bittersweet malty flavors mix cleanly with a fresh hoppiness. Medium, slightly creamy mouthfeel with a solid bitterness. No hint of its strength anywhere. Seriously, this stuff has dangerous drinkability for an 8% abv brew.

I like the balance of this stout. Definately let it warm up awhile before you pour it though. Too cool and the subtle flavors and aromas won't come through. I'll be returning to this throughout the winter.
Nov 30, 2006
Photo of ByTor2112
Reviewed by ByTor2112 from North Carolina

3.72/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
This was very carbonated. Poured a thick dark brown, no light passing through. Thick espresso looking head. Sweet aroma that was roasty/toasty. There is something sweet in there, fruitish, almost like Cherries! Moving on, Nice bitterness hits the palate then the chocolate and dark roasted malts come into play, Sweet flavors with a dry hop bitterness on the finish. At 8% this Stout does not give up the alcohol essence. A great Stout that combines sweet and dry and bittern flavors.
Oct 11, 2006
Photo of Vancer
Reviewed by Vancer from Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
After staring at the buxom babe on the label, I headed into this one. Good start – coal black pour with an ice cream dollop of brown head floating merrily on top. Lacey lil brew.

Burnt toasts, malts, chocolate in the aroma. A malty quaff with notes of the previous along with hints of raisons, possibly some red currants.

Body is fairly weak and thin, but still a sharp and dry brew. I guessed 6%abv, see it’s 8% - well hidden. It just needs the body and taste pushed a tad. Very drinkable as is.

Merry Xmas to Beerbeing for this one.
Jun 13, 2006
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Ebony with a glimmer of reddish pecan at the bottom edge of the glass. For a non-Double, non-Imperial, this stout is impressively photophobic. The 'buttered wheat toast brown' head is thickly creamy, persists nicely and looks like it will deposit a respectable, although not an abundant, amount of unsticky lace.

Exceptional aroma. I've read that nine different malts are used in Winter Cheer and it's apparent that they've been used to great effect. The nose is hugely roasty and massively bittersweet chocolate fudgy with a glimmer of freshly-ground coffee beans. I don't appreciate any other accessory aromas, but relative simplicity isn't always a negative. Can the flavor measure up?

It's still good, but the beer falls a little short in a few areas once it hits the taste buds. Most damagingly, the body isn't full or creamy enough. As a result, the flavor never really has a chance to sink in and allow its drinker to mull over the various contributions from what should be, but isn't, a massive malt profile. Nine varieties is impressive, but I'd have settled for a lesser number if it meant a greater amount.

When it comes to the actual flavor, black coffee has now pulled into a virtual dead heat with bittersweet chocolate. In addition, grapefruit citric hops are noticeable without being pushy, shining brightest on the finish. In terms of flavor sensations, sweet is favored early while bitter is favored late. Warming brings about increased flavor intensity without changing the basic profile.

As noted above, the body could use a little work. It does manage to get into my good graces by the bottom half of the bottle since it firms up nicely, but an even bigger, more expansive mouthfeel would do wonders for what is already a fairly tasty American stout.

I may have given the impression that I'm disappointed with this beer. That may be true in one sense since my expectations were on the high side, but I've still found it to be a delicious, highly drinkable offering that does Edenton proud. Nothing like a little Winter Cheer on a warm, sunny day in May.
May 17, 2006
Photo of Oxymoron
Reviewed by Oxymoron from Colorado

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
What do you cheer about in the winter? Pours a black color with definite red hues around the edges. Good depth with some thickness to it. A good foam that didn’t last through the tasting, but left some lacing.

The smell is very good with a roasted barely smell being the major player. Some background notes of chocolate and lighter earthy hop notes. Kind of like a roasted brownie.

The taste has a roasted flavor that mixes with a more noticeable chocolate flavor. The there is good mix between the two throughout the taste. As the beer warms, some coffee notes become more noticeable as well, but are more subtle. Also there is a hop finish a the end which caps off a more creamy feel to the beer.

The body is good and creamy. Carbonation is expectable. There is a little bit a wispy feeling, that is slightly watery, but also hides the astringency well. A surprise at 8%. Overall a good stout.
May 14, 2006
Photo of Metalmonk
Reviewed by Metalmonk from North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Can't decide if the label is cheesy, subtly sexy, tacky, all 3, or none of the above. Well, doesn't matter, let's pour this sucker and see what happens...

Pours an oily blood-red black...looks like black ink spiked with blood. When in the glass it's an impenetrable capital-B Black. Frothy tan head unfortunately settles to a thin layer quickly. Lots of bubbles slowly crawl to the top, and abstract lace splotches dot the glass.

Abundant aromas: earthy, fruity, hoppy, plenty of chocolate/coffee aromas swirling together with everything else.

At first sip I'm reminded of Storm King in terms of complexity, having that bitter/rich/sweet/fruity/tingly combo happening. Add a distinct soy sauce zing to the mix and you get a complex profile. But that soy sauce flavor sticks around in the aftertaste while all the other flavors fall away too quickly, and it bugs me. Would've scored higher if the balance was better.

Although it seems just a degree off in terms of the flavor balance, I found this to be unique and incredibly flavorful. This was my first Edenton offering and it won't be the last.
May 03, 2006
Photo of kmpitz2
Reviewed by kmpitz2 from Tennessee

4.23/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
12 oz bottle. Pours an incredibly deep brown to black colot with a 2 finger lighttan head over top. Clarity is hard to determine but a cascade of bubbles continues up the sides of my glass at a very fast rate. Good looker. Nose is a great ballance between malt and hop aromas. There is solid chocolate and roasted characters, with a moderate citrusy hop that really brings the beer together. Excellent. Flavor is just as nice. It starts out as a smooth mocha coffee, but moves to a full on chocolate after swallowing the beer. On the start, there is just a hint of dark fruit that gives it a nice somewhat sweet character to it, and this really becomes more prevalent as the brew warms. It finishes with a kiss of citrusy hop and a moderate bitter that doesn't really persist too long. This is a tasty beer. Feel is thick and creamy, with a light carbonation of fine bubbles that help give it a velvety character to it. This is a damn fine beer. All the aspects are in harmony and its just really easy to drink, with 8% ABV not anywhere to be found. I will definately check into finding this one when I am in NC in a few months.
May 03, 2006
Edenton Winter Cheer Royal Stout from Edenton Brewing Company
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 42 ratings