December 18 - Anderson Valley Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale


Winter is only a few days away................ "officially", apparently, but today's beer is the Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale by Anderson Valley Brewing Co. out of California, a very solid brewery, so hopefully this beer can help me deal with the bah humbugs a bit!

Appearance: Solstice Seasonal Ale pours a cherry reddish amber ale. Minimal beige head that laces against the side of the glass.

Aroma: A bit of a carmelized fruit aroma, a bit of plums and apples, and a hint of brown sugar. Some toffee.

Taste: Hard to put my finger (or more like tongue) on, a rich caramel sweetness with yet again.. some carmelized fruitiness in it, reminds me of carmelized apples in brown sugar for a fresh made apple pie.. that time of year again huh?! Not much of a hop presence, which surprised me as the only other beer I've had from them was Hop Ottin.. an insanely delicious hoppy IPA. A bit of vanilla and a sweet aftertaste that's dancing on my palate, pretty thoughtful.

Overall Thoughts: A very sweet and surprisingly wintery themed beer. The sweet carmelized fruitiness and the brown sugar presence remind me of a freshly baked apple pie right after xmas dinner, sweet, filling and you know you can't finish it until the last bit (or in this case, sip) is done because it's too good to waste. At first I thought it was average, but the carmelized flavours really come out as it gradually warms up.. kudos to AVBC! 6.9% ABV

avbc.com/our-beers/winter-solstice-seasonal-ale/

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