Another first from a brewery I just discovered from Ponderay, Idaho. The Laughing Dog Brewery offers the Cold Nose for their winter ale. I bought it on a whim at Belmont station - I've yet to find it anywhere else.
It pours opaque with a thick off-white head.
The smell is caramel and malt sweetness. There is also detectable vanilla.
The sweetness of the smell worried me that it might be an over-sweet beer - but that is far from the case. It is smooth and roasty. The malt gives a full body, but there isn't really much sweetness at all. It is slightly nutty. There is also a slight hop bitterness, but it is rounded off by the malt delivering a well-balanced ale. It is a hearty winter warmer.
The aftertaste is roasty - there is a slight sweetness at the very end. It leaves a nice warmth.
This is an EXCELLENT winter warmer and one which I will definitely seek out again. I am looking forward to trying some of Laughing Dog's other brews.
From their website:
Roasted Barley and Carmel malts
Cascade, East Kent Goldings and Tettnanger hops
6.9 % with 66 IBU's
