Alaskan Winter Ale by Alaskan Brewing CompanyThis is one of my all time favorite beers.
The only question I have is: if this is a winter seasonal beer then what is it doing in stores at the beginning of fall? This is the earliest I have seen it released. I guess the beer market must be getting really competitive because I have noticed other winter ales being released already. (Seasonal beers seem to be having longer and longer "seasons.") Please don't get me wrong, however. I will drink it.
Alaskan Winter Ale is brewed with spruce tips and this year I can really taste them. In 2004, the flavor of the spruce tips was strong; in 2005, the flavor was slightly less; in 2006, the spruce tips are at the forefront. This beer is less hoppy and more malty than many of the beers I favor, but the earthiness of this ale, along with the taste of spruce really makes it a great beer. Highly recommended.
2 comments:
They released it this year in June. The spruce tips were very muted. I like it too, but with the earlier summer release, I'm having to ask if "Alaskan" shouldn't change their name to "Hawaiian."
The seasonal releases are no longer tied to their respective seasons. They suffer from "Christmas creep." Pumpkin ales and Oktoberfest beers start appearing in early summer. Winter ales start appearing in September. It can make it difficult to find some seasonal releases, especially if they are sought after by many.
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