Yulesmith Winter Ale

I almost forgot to post on a beer that is not forgettable. Alesmith's winter Yulesmith is a Holiday staple. It is an Imperial Red Ale that is brewed the same every year. The brewers at Alesmith get this beer right consistently, year after year. (I have noted before that Alesmith has two Yulesmiths, the winter one that is an Imperial Red Ale and the summer release that is a Double IPA.) The winter Yulesmith is a malt lover's beer. It has a strong hop bite as well, but the malt is the force in this beer. It has huge foam and strong carbonation. The alcohol is 8.5%, but the beer's balance mutes the alcohol taste, which is impressive for a beer with this high an ABV. This is a rich, approachable beer.

I had this beer in early December and wanted to post on it before Christmas. I go back and forth on what release is my favorite Yulesmith. I used to prefer the summer release, as I am partial to a good IPA, but am now leaning towards the winter Yulesmith. It's a great Imperial Red Ale and I have had some lousy red ales this year to use as a benchmark. There are several Double IPAs that match up to the summer Yulesmith. If you like red ales, you'll love the winter Yulesmith.