Casco Bay Winter Ale

Casco Bay Winter AleEarlier in the year, I received Casco Bay Winter Ale (subtitled "Old Port Ale") from the Beer of the Month Club I was a part of; yes, it’s a very late review. This is a Winter Warmer, with 7.3% alcohol by volume.

Appearance: Deep amber in color with a thin, off-white head that fell quickly.

Smell: Brown malt with a steely tang in the nose… A bit of a sweet (brown sugar?) note.

Taste: Roasty, sharp and bitter notes… dry and nutty. Largely bitter aftertaste, I’m not sure if it’s the hops or dark-roast malts. Could be hops—slightly woody, plainly bitter without any green or floral notes.

Mouthfeel: Long, dry, and bitter finish… rather medium-bodied and prickly in the carbonation.

Overall: So-so. Not my favorite.

On BeerAdvocate, it scores an overall grade of B+. RateBeer is still down.