Quivering Quail Winter Ale
E.J. Phair Brewing Company

Big pillowy, creamy head sits atop a dark ruby body. Lots of lacing. Pretty stuff.

Lots of piney hops on the nose with some bready malts and candy sweetness.

Malty and sweet up front with bread, caramel, and toffee. A little fruity with dark friuts mid-palate and a big earthy,piney, bitter finish which has nice length.

Creamy, heavy side of medium, and smooth.

There is some alcohol heat in the end, and it's near 8%, but all things considered quite drinkable. I am pleasantly surprised by this very good strong ale/winter warmer. Will definitely seek this out next year.

Poured into a glass and The brew had a dark brown color with a fruity smell with some raisin scents in it. There was no head in my bottle which was very peculiar so I don't know if it comes like this or I got a bad bottle but I will review anyway.The taste was actually not bad considering not too many bubbles. Mouthfeel was smooth. I am going to try another as I recieved this one in a gift pack.

12 oz. bottle – color of India ink – frothy thin white head , it dissipates fast – nose is sweet , milk chocolate , roasted malts, hints of sweet hopps , spruce , and juniper berry – taste of dark fruit , malt , and mild hopps- body is a creamy acidic one –s aftertaste bitter milk chocolate , and malty

I poured this beer into a pint glass and was shocked to see that despite my proper pouring job, the whole glass quickly filled up with thick fluffy head. Only about half an inch of beer. I thought that maybe I didnt do as good a pouring job as I though, so I grabbed another glass and repoured it. The same thing happened. I cant find a date on the bottle, but it is a Winter Ale, so I assume it is from last winter. The carbonation is quite surprizing. After about 10 minutes, the head is still quite present. It now takes up about half the glass. This beer pours a redish brown. The huge head is light brown. It has a decent hop aroma. Behind that, I detect some sweet caramel malty aroma. I also slightly detect alcohol. After giving the head some time to settle down, I take my first sip. This beer tastes spicy. I taste some nutmeg and cloves. The hops that were so present in the aroma are almost non existant. It has a slight fruity taste also. I can not detect the 7.75% ABV. This beer leaves a spicy aftertaste. I dont think this beer would make a good session beer. It is a little high in alcohol, and I didnt particularly like the taste. I doubt I will ever drink this beer again.

While dragging a freshly cut Christmas tree through the snow, back to the cabin, you think about the Quivering Quail awaiting your return. You know to let it sit a bit and warm up so the head doesn't pour too big. Otherwise, it is a nice, thick head that sticks around on top of the very deep, dark red of the beer.

Before taking a taste, you'll admire the slightly sweet smell of nutmeg, raspberry (almost not there) and cloves.

The waiting beer will be smooth as it hits your mouth. It'll feel and taste like mulled wine infused in the beer. So you don't forget that it is beer, the hops will remind you that it is a cold brew and not a warm drink from the stove. As it leaves your mouth, a gentle maple flavored aftertaste comes will glide in for just a second.

Yes, it'll taste good as you admire your new tree.

Pours a slightly translucent mahogany color with a huge merangue head on top that overflows the glass like a root beer float (you know, that ice-cream foam that won't go over the side of the glass, no matter what).

Aroma of head is slightly sweet, rich sweet dark fruity bready and very nice.

Flavor is very rich, fruity and winter spice- cloves and nutmeg and all those good wintery things. Tastes pretty nice, except it's a warm spring evening (trying to get through the winter beers before the hot summer gets here).

Mouthfeel is pretty full, however, with all beers of this style, the drinkability (to me) is pretty low.

12oz bottle obtained as part of BIF XMas from wezil. Thanks for the opportunity.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed an uneven "hardly there" beige head consisting of a few random areas of bubbles over the clear reddish amber brew. Head remains at the minimal level that it starts with, and not surprising, lacing is also minimal to non-existent. Aroma is deeply of dark malts and fruits, with spicing and a bit of alcohol apparent. Taste is malty, with spices and a touch of dark fruit, and closes with lingering alcohol notes. About what I would expect from a winter warmer. Mouthfeel is kind of disappointing, what with the lack of carbonation and the somewhat harsh alcohol on the outset, and drinkability is the same for the same reasons. Would probably seek this one again to make sure I didn't get an old/bad bottle, but as is, not something I would go out of my way for to revisit.

12/16/04- Given to me from my fiancee as part of a winter beer 10 pack purchased from Cost Plus in San Mateo, CA

Presentation- Just from seeing the label on this bottle I knew it was going to be a good beer. A very festive red, white, green and blue label with a Christmas tree in the middle. 12oz bottle with no expiration date, poured into my Full Sail pint glass,

Appearance- Poured with a frickin gigantic big ass head. Funny, I thought the head was actually beer until it overflowed all over my hands and the side of the glass. A nice dark amber color and above average lacing.

Smell- Mmmmm, lots of hops and spices intermingled with each other. Maybe even some fruity esters also.

Taste- Tastes like a good winter warmer and an IPA mixed together. High amount of hops with various spices swimming around. A nice sweetness to polish off the pallet.

Mouthfeel- Nice carbonation level, a fuller feeling beer. Kind of like a DIPA feels.

Drinkability- This is my favorite winter warmer to date. Kind of like a combo of OSA, Celebration and ones favorite IPA all thrown into one beer. I dig it!