UPDATED: FEB 21, 2021 Old rating from 21-12-14 - 355ml bottle dark brown with a large off white creamy head. Aromas & tastes of caramel, apple, cinnamon, raisins, bread, hints of spice & malt. Medium body. Soft slightly sweet finish

UPDATED: FEB 18, 2020 Keg at The Brooklyn Brewery on 05/04/2008. Full flavoured and big on the malt, with some nice spicy notes.

UPDATED: JAN 19, 2020 Nez: Malté, caramel, fruits secs Bouche: Maltée, caramel, pruneau, épicée, aqueuse Une Winter Ale marron et trouble avec peu de mousse et une carbonatation modérée. Au nez, ça fait panier de fruits secs avec des notes maltées et de caramel. En bouche, l'attaque est maltée avec des notes de caramel et de pruneau. Le final, aqueux, est très bref avec des notes épicées. Avis: Une bière sans caractère.

UPDATED: MAR 14, 2019 Wasn't too impressed with this. I usually like winter ales more than summer sessions, but I may prefer their summer brew over this. Labeled as a Scottish Ale, but a little light for that. Still has that sweetness, but has more of a lager texture to it. Grabbed on tap at a local taproom, so maybe compromised a bit. Might try colder in a bottle, but don't think it would matter much.

UPDATED: DEC 11, 2018 Pours dark brown like a stout with a very thick coffee colored head. Intense aroma of spices. Taste has dark earth notes as well as a full compliment of herbs and spices. Palate includes dark cherry, spice, rosemary and others. Good.

UPDATED: DEC 9, 2018 12oz bottle. 9/11/18 bottle date. Appearance: Deep dark brown, opaque, with ruby red highlights and a thick frothy head. Great lacing. Aroma: Rich roasted malt, with some caramel and chocolate. Taste: Light Roasted maltiness with a slight touch of caramel and toast, and a fairly strong bitterness. Mouthfeel: Lightbto Medium bodied with a moderate carbonation. Finish: Dry, Light roastiness lingers long after the swallow with a touch of bitterness. Overall: A clean, crisp winter ale that leans closer to a schwarzbier than a stout. Beautiful appearance and lacing, with an all malt aroma and flavor that is roast dominant, but still very drinkable and not as intense as a stout. Really nice for a cold winter night

Bottle. Clear amber with foamy large beige head, spicy caramelized malt aroma, medium carbonation, sweetish caramel malt taste with toffee, spices, thin body, medium caramel finish. Spicy and sweet.

Familiar toffee from Maris malts; perhaps raisins a slightly toasty, slightly herby quality. Smooth, clean body – surprised this has no wheat in it. Mild bitterness; feels a little hollow for a winter beer; slightly sweet end (like Nutella) - and just a hint of speculoos mild ginger biscuit. Altogether bready. Very bready. Bread upon which Maris Otter malts have been spread. Bread with a little Nutella at the end. Thinly sliced bread, though.

On tap @ Linko, Helsinki. Pours fairly clear copper with a medium-sized, dense head with good retention. The aroma features toasty, nutty maltiness with a touch of dark fruitiness. Taste is medium sweet, containing mostly malty notes but with some fruitiness also appearing; bread, nuts, raisin. The palate is medium-bodied and very smooth. Mild hoppiness. Quite decent sweetish winter ale.

Draught @Oljenkorsi, Helsinki. Copper color with a thick off white head. Caramel malty, bready aroma. Flavor has caramel, sweetness, nutty notes, bread. Basic. Thin.