Kern River Brewing Winter Ale (2013)

Discussion in 'Pacific' started by 395er, Sep 28, 2013.

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  1. 395er

    395er Initiate (0) Apr 29, 2011 California

    So I hit Kern River Brewing for my exit meal after a backpack trip last week. I was already hyped to be able to have some JO fresh, and then saw "Winter Ale" DIPA on the seasonal board. I missed Citra by a week after a trip last year, so I was beside myself. The word I got was that it was a take on the 5th Anniversary, and heard maybe but not positive Simcoe, Amarillo and Falconer's Flight were in the mix. They said they'd entered it in the comps this year instead of Citra. So, ignoring the fact that I'd been eating freeze dried meals for three days and drinking Crystal Light, this beer was f*cking amazing. Smelled unreal, amazing hop aroma but not super dank. The flavor was balanced with an obvious but not obnoxious up front hop bite, super smooth, and dangerously drinkable at 8%. I obviously can't compare it to fresh Citra as I've never had it. I called it the love child of Pliny and Nelson to a friend. I know the previous Winter Ale had rye, so maybe the Nelson was subliminal. I bought a growler and drank it two days later and it was still delicious. The booze and malt became a little more prevalent as it warmed a bit. I think I might have finally been at the right place at the right time for a ghost.
     
    #1 395er, Sep 28, 2013
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  2. Wowcoolman

    Wowcoolman Pooh-Bah (1,660) Sep 25, 2010 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Hopefully we'll see bottles again. Loved last year's.
     
    #2 Wowcoolman, Sep 28, 2013
  3. mrcraft

    mrcraft Grand Pooh-Bah (3,396) Dec 15, 2012 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I had a pint today at 38 degrees. Delicious! They ran out of the same beer on cask yesterday; heard that was even better.
     
    #3 mrcraft, Sep 28, 2013
  4. drewone

    drewone Pooh-Bah (2,283) Sep 18, 2006 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    In my foggy memory I enjoy 5th more than citra
     
    #4 drewone, Sep 28, 2013
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  5. grilledsquid

    grilledsquid Initiate (0) Jul 10, 2009 California
    Trader

    I had some 5th Anniversary at Surly Goat the other day and found it to be more malt forward than I remembered. It was still a great beer but if you want something dank, you're looking in the wrong place.
     
    #5 grilledsquid, Sep 28, 2013
  6. jmgrub

    jmgrub Initiate (0) Nov 20, 2010 California

    Winter ale used to be a rye beer, but is now the beer formerly known as 5th anniversary. It caused quite a bit of confusion when they released 5th anniversary as winter ale last year without really telling anyone. I've had 5th/Winter side by side with Citra, and I decidedly prefer 5th/Winter ale.
     
    #6 jmgrub, Sep 28, 2013
  7. getinked

    getinked Initiate (0) Feb 21, 2012 Ukraine

    Citra is supposed to be back in November....for all those interested. I'm really enjoying this year's Winter. Picked up 4 bottles a couple weeks ago.
     
    #7 getinked, Sep 28, 2013
  8. UnknownKoger

    UnknownKoger Pooh-Bah (1,895) Jul 9, 2010 California
    Pooh-Bah

    Hopefully the Winter ale makes it down to socal. Picking up JO yesterday was like seeing an old friend
     
    #8 UnknownKoger, Sep 28, 2013
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  9. huadog

    huadog Initiate (0) May 13, 2009 California

    Nice, we are heading to the brewery on Friday on our road trip to GABF. Looking forward to this!
     
    #9 huadog, Sep 28, 2013
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  10. mentalish

    mentalish Initiate (0) Sep 28, 2013 Afghanistan

    Does.Not.Compute
    How did you pick up 4 bottles when it hasn't been bottled since last year? So far, it's only been draft and growler fills with a limit of two fills.

    They also have a wet (100% simcoe) hop pale ale on tap right now, along with Class X.
     
    #10 mentalish, Sep 28, 2013
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  11. dcgunman

    dcgunman Pooh-Bah (2,682) Jul 1, 2009 California
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Somebody I know has a growler of this delightful beer.
     
    #11 dcgunman, Sep 28, 2013
  12. FrogOut69

    FrogOut69 Initiate (0) Sep 24, 2013 California
    Trader

    This was one of my favorite beers from last year. Hopefully a few bottles make it to distribution again!
     
    #12 FrogOut69, Sep 28, 2013
  13. 395er

    395er Initiate (0) Apr 29, 2011 California

    This, to my understanding, is a different beer. Perhaps significantly. Not malty at all.
     
    #13 395er, Sep 29, 2013
  14. getinked

    getinked Initiate (0) Feb 21, 2012 Ukraine


    HAHA for some reason I was thinking Winter Ale, but it really was Dirty Hippie. It was in my beer frig so I hadn't actually looked at the label in a couple weeks. I get so many beers from them I guess I wasnt paying attention to detail when typing.

    I stand corrected kind sir!
     
    #14 getinked, Sep 30, 2013
  15. 395er

    395er Initiate (0) Apr 29, 2011 California

    Oh man. To be able to lose track of the Kern beers in my fridge. Ha!
     
    #15 395er, Sep 30, 2013
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  16. bnelson997

    bnelson997 Initiate (0) Jun 4, 2013 California

    A little tidbit of info is that KRBC sent this year's Winter Ale to be judged at GABF instead of Citra. Kyle said on his Twitter that they liked it better than the last batch of Citra they brewed, so they sent it instead to be judged.
     
    #16 bnelson997, Sep 30, 2013
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  17. FrogOut69

    FrogOut69 Initiate (0) Sep 24, 2013 California
    Trader


    Great, now everyone is going to go crazy about it like Citra.
     
    #17 FrogOut69, Sep 30, 2013
  18. Earlycsquid

    Earlycsquid Initiate (0) Jan 7, 2013 California

    No kidding. Citra winning was the death of me being able to find Just Outstanding... or any KRBC beer on the shelf as I use to.

    The release of the 5th anniversary was so damn easy when I drove up for it. No wait in lines or anything for an equally, if not better beer than citra.
     
    #18 Earlycsquid, Sep 30, 2013
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  19. getinked

    getinked Initiate (0) Feb 21, 2012 Ukraine


    Yeah my parents have an extra house in Kern. So they are up there every other weekend. They fill my growlers and grab me bottles every time :slight_smile:
     
    #19 getinked, Oct 1, 2013
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  20. schuey1010

    schuey1010 Initiate (0) Jun 18, 2009 California

    they have a brewery in Kern?
     
    #20 schuey1010, Oct 4, 2013
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