Winter Warmer

I needed to make sure that I got this in before winter was officially over. I have fallen in love with the guys down at Fountain Square Brewery. Their mainstays are not my favorite but I am always very impressed with their limited release beers and their seasonals. When we start getting snow and stuff gets cold and dreary, I really appreciate a good winter warmer, it lifts my spirits and warms the cockles of my frozen heart. I was not sure what to expect when I ordered up the one at FSB, but it totally hit the money shot. They listed the abv as "a lot" and the IBUs as "not very much" but the internet told me it was 6.5% abv and 34 IBUs.

There was basically no head when they poured it out for me and the beer was a beautiful red / brown mahogany color. The aroma reminded me of Christmas movies, fires in the fireplace and Santa. If you can't translate that, it was cloves, mulling spices and bready malts.

There was a big sweet malty flavor up front. It reminded me of a cinnamon raisin bagel. It had a lot of big caramel flavors with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and something that reminded me of when you go to a fancy restaurant and get a flower on your food. There were light hints of citrus fruits on the back end of each sip. It was well blended and balanced, where nothing was the rockstar for too long. The mouthfeel was nice and thick without being syrupy. It was heavy but in all the nice comforting ways that you look for in the winter.

This totally turned into one of my favorite winter warmers. I give it a 4