Day 24 of the 5th Annual Advent-ure Calendar
Day 24: Southern Tier Brewing Company Old Man Winter Ale
We’re all generally big fans of Southern Tier, especially since they opened a location in downtown Cleveland. It’s a bit surprising that no one picked up their other holiday offering, 2XMAS, which usually makes its way on our calendar. But, we’re happy to have this in its stead! From the brewery: “Our winter offering is here to quell your shivers and get you through the coldest of nights. A rich marriage of hops and barley to cast light upon the evening and melt your mind out of the snowdrifts. Old Man Winter’s earthy hue and thickness lace around the glass, inviting you to linger in its warmth and share the spirits of the season with your friends and family. A deceptively strong brew, it’s best to sit and ponder with this old man, sip by sip.”
Reflections
Beard & Broad
Beard: This is ok. It’s not bad, it’s not great. It’s described as a winter ale and that would be the only season I could really foresee drinking it. It’s pretty rich and has a bit of a scotch ale feel to it, without the toffee notes. The richness is almost just booze and and not-very-flavorful malt character. This would definitely not be my first choice for a winter beer but I wouldn’t kick it out of my glass.
Broad: This beer is…fine. I don’t love it and I don’t hate it. I’m pretty sure it’s on the calendar every year and I never remember it. There’s nothing that stands out about it. It’s slightly malty and hoppy. I don’t taste any Christmas spices or anything else that reminds me of a holiday ale. This could be drank any time of the year.
Adam & Alex
Adam: This is going to be a weird review because I can’t pick out any particular spice but I just really like this beer. It’s warming with the heavier booze content but overall it’s just really balanced and delicious. Looking back I wish we’d been drinking this all season because it’s extremely easy to enjoy. Some of the beers we’ve had are tasty but you only want one. I feel like I could pout through an entire browns game knocking these back.
Alex: I don’t know what it is about it, but I really liked Southern Tier’s Old Man Winter. It just hit the spot for me today. Nothing truly stands out about it but it was very easy to drink and I think I got a taste of holiday spices in there. I would definitely drink this again.
Scott & Christa
Scott: Southern Tier Old Man Winter is unfortunately my least favorite beer of this tasting tour. It had a very unpleasant aftertaste and I just don’t find anything redeeming about the flavors of this beer. It’s one of my favorite breweries so I can’t wait to drink more of their brews, but this one is permanently off my list.
Christa: My thoughts on this beer: Buzz, your girlfriend…woof. The first sip was pleasant, I got the staples of the season: vanilla and cinnamon but it finished really weird. I’m getting the copper taste we seemed to miss on Moerlien’s winter warmer and honestly, something else unpleasant I can’t quite place. Not a fan.
Tony & Megan
Tony: T’was the night before Christmas and……this beer is really good. Lighter in color than our previous few, this one is more of a light amber, bronze color. Smells like spices and hops. I feel like the flavor is very well balanced. It’s got spices, hops, and a little bitterness. It all works great together and creates a really tasty beer!
Megan: Old man winter is a nice switch up from the cinnamon and cookies we’ve had lately. This is a clean and crisp ale. It’s slightly hoppy so you do get a tad taste of bitterness but it’s just enough. This beer is super drinkable so you can easily spend all night drinking it. Other than some citrus, I’m not getting a lot of Christmas flavors but I like it and would suggest it.
Brad & Heather
Brad: Southern Tier never disappoints. It’s funny to me that I’m drinking a beer brewed in Lakewood, NY while sitting at a bonfire in Lakewood, OH. I really enjoy Old Man Winter every year. It’s got a great holiday flavor mixed with the typical Southern Tier hops. I usually buy a 6 pack every year and will continue to do so. Solid brew!
Heather: Too hoppy for my taste, but I can see how people love this one. I am a huge fan of Southern Tier, and I dig the branding, but as with most hoppy beers, I’ll leave this one to my hubs.