Now here is a place I've been wanting to go to for years. I've passed Boonville, California more times than I care to admit on 101 without stopping. One of these days, and it wont be long! For now, I will take my trip via the Anderson Valley beers. So, fasten your seat belts, keep your hands and arms inside and let's go! The Winter Solstice has arrived....
It pours a dark amber with a medium head.
It has a subtle sweetness to the aroma with a general freshness.
The taste is creamy. It is a medium/full body and very silky. It has a roasty malt flavor, but is in no way heavy. The spiciness keeps it a little light on the palate with a graham cracker-esque flavor. It is well-balanced in that neither the malt nor the spice controls the flavor. It has several dimensions to it and definitely evokes the winter season! There is a nice spiciness in the finish.
The aftertaste is a creamy spiciness that lingers nicely.
I love this beer. Though I strive to be objective in my beer tasting, I decided to be a little more subjective in my winter beer tasting - even as much to make a Winter Beer Rating on the side of the blog. This beer takes #1 (so far) and I HIGHLY recommend seeking it out. I found it at the wonderful Belmont Station (beer store) in Southeast Portland, but on the Anderson Valley Brewing website, there is a beer tracker map that allows you to find distributors of their beers. Do it!
It is 6.9% with Caramel and Crystal malts and a "private" spice blend. It should be kept in the refrigerator.
Cheers!
