Southern Tier Old Man Winter

The Stats
Style: Old Ale
ABV: 7.5%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 3.68/5
- Untappd: 3.49/5
- RateBeer: 3.46/5

"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."

Pours deep ruby red with a finger of off-white head.

The aroma is full of light roasted notes, sawdust, and oak. A malty sweetness with black pepper and flowers/potpourri round it out.

The taste is full of earthy hops and a mild bitterness. It begins with mossy grass, but quickly transitions to sweet molasses and wood. It has a bitter, dark chocolate taste while the hop flavor remains subdued. Moments of dark fruits, plums, and raisins add complexity while it stays true to it's earthy notes of pine and tree bark. A sedated cherry flavoring emerges on the finish and compliments the other dark fruits, but the back end is also full of more molasses and some tree sap.

Mouthfeel is medium and calm with little carbonation. The earthy flavors don't fatigue the palate and it remains drinkable with that hidden 7.5%.

Old Man Winter was a solid Old Ale. The style itself is not known for blowing people away, and while I can say the same for this offering, I can also say that this was full of flavor and had high drinkability.

Rating
7.9/10

Dogfish Head Burton Baton

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 10.00%
Current Beer Advocate Rating: 4.23/5

Burton Baton is a mix of an English old ale and an imperial IPA and then aged in oak barrels. Needless to say, this blend of styles is a first for me.

It pours a dark orange/amber with a relatively clear body. Got a one finger white head.

I definitely get a lot of the old ale characteristics on the aroma as dark fruits are up front. The oak barrel is subtle, but resinous, piny hops make themselves known.

The taste yields not only the dark fruits and pine, but the oak is stronger and with it comes some caramel and vanilla. It's somewhat syrupy in the mouthfeel and the finish is pretty bitter, but not a turn-off.

Dogfish Head is known for some unusual brews and Burton Baton falls into that category. I wouldn't rave about it to friends, but my indifference is not based on the fact that it is poorly made, because it isn't. It is most definitely an acquired taste. The old ale characteristics are dominant, so those who like that style will enjoy this beer. Personally, I just didn't find the combination of the two vastly different styles of beer to be something I would go back to.

Rating
7.1/10