In the spirit of “Finish All Remaining Winter 2010 Seasonals Week”, I crack open Samuel Smith’s winter seasonal ale, Samuel Smith Winter Welcome.
Samuel Smith Winter Welcome poured out a thick, lumpy cream head over a lightly carbonated, dark orange body. The nose was a curious mix of dried grains (think Cheerio’s) and flowers.
Samuel Smith Winter Welcome drank crisp and flowery up front, a little flat in the mouth, but faded into a highly enjoyable malty core. There wasn’t much as the beer faded out other than a semi-sweet toastiness.
Samuel Smith Winter Welcome fits squarely in with my limited experience of English ales… smooth, well developed malt profile, and flat and a little cloying in the hopping. It wasn’t bad (in fact, it was good), but it could have taken off it’s stuffy suit and shown a little more character..
