Snow Day
New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins, Colorado, United States 🇺🇸
IPA - Black / Cascadian Dark Winter|
Score
7.00
|
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Winter Ale
In 2003, we had a massive 37-inch snowstorm over two days in Fort Collins. Everything shut down for a couple days – no work, no school, no cars. The only way you could get around was by ski or toboggan. When we began brewing Snow Day, we looked to this one storm for inspiration. The dark characters of the malt bill reflect the dark stormy sky at the beginning of the snowfall. But on the third day, the sun broke through and everything was glorious! The name Snow Day evoked joyful freedom. Everyone remembers waiting for the school report as little kids. When you heard your school was closed, you suddenly had all day to play in the transformed, white landscape. Well, that’s the kind of emotion we put into this beer.
Pleasantly hoppy, Snow Day carries the subtle chocolate and caramel flavors of a new brewing malt known as Midnight Wheat. The Styrian Golding, Centennial and Cascade hops bring the backbone of hoppy bitterness to complement the roasty undertones. This beer is the deep garnet of a roasted walnut and presents a creamy tan head, floating artfully atop. Snow Day is bold and hoppy, drinkable and strong. It reminds you to enjoy the unexpected.
In 2003, we had a massive 37-inch snowstorm over two days in Fort Collins. Everything shut down for a couple days – no work, no school, no cars. The only way you could get around was by ski or toboggan. When we began brewing Snow Day, we looked to this one storm for inspiration. The dark characters of the malt bill reflect the dark stormy sky at the beginning of the snowfall. But on the third day, the sun broke through and everything was glorious! The name Snow Day evoked joyful freedom. Everyone remembers waiting for the school report as little kids. When you heard your school was closed, you suddenly had all day to play in the transformed, white landscape. Well, that’s the kind of emotion we put into this beer.
Pleasantly hoppy, Snow Day carries the subtle chocolate and caramel flavors of a new brewing malt known as Midnight Wheat. The Styrian Golding, Centennial and Cascade hops bring the backbone of hoppy bitterness to complement the roasty undertones. This beer is the deep garnet of a roasted walnut and presents a creamy tan head, floating artfully atop. Snow Day is bold and hoppy, drinkable and strong. It reminds you to enjoy the unexpected.
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6.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Bottle. Dark brown beer with a tan head. Malt and caramel aroma with toffee and light spice. Toffee and earth lingers with light spice. Medium bodied. Tolffee and earth lingers with light backing hops.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Dec 2011
at 10:23
7/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Pours a slightly cloudy ruby-brown color with a medium bright white head that diminishes steadily. Stringy lacing on the glass. Roasted malt, caramel and hops in the nose. Medium body with flavors of caramel malt, piney hops and a bit of citrus. The finish is malty up front with a mildly bitter hops aftertaste. Decent overall.
Tried
on 14 Dec 2011
at 17:07
6.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Draft at Lemon Tree, Downers Grove. A black IPA? Looked more to me like a cousin to Goose Island Mild Winter. A brown pour, I say, though darker in the glass, with a fine-bubbled brown foam. Smell is of toasty malts and a bit of wheat spice. Taste carries on with dark nutty malts and a spicy note. And I got no hop hit that made me think of an IPA. Instead I thought of an earthly English style hop profile. Warming feeling from malt more than from alcohol. A fine walking-home beer.
Tried
from Draft
on 13 Dec 2011
at 14:56
6.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Many thanks to Dan B. for yet another beer from this brewery. Used a shaker. Deep mahogany in color, decent head, light lace. The flavor is similar to the aroma. Lots of roasted malt and chocolate notes, as well as a good amount of pine hops. The bitterness is low to medium. Medium body, creamy mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A good brew.
Tried
on 08 Dec 2011
at 19:19
6.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Location: 12 oz bottle from Colonial Wine and Spirits, 12/5/11
Aroma: The nose has some roasted malts, caramel, chocolate, pine. resin, and a little spice
Appearance: This one pours a brown, cola-looking, color, with a thick, foamy, off-white head
Flavor: It tastes fairly roasty up-front, with some light sweetness, and a later pine/resin hop bitterness
Palate: The body is medium, the carbonation is average, and it has a somewhat dry finish to it
Overall Impression: I thought this was a solid winter seasonal. Good stuff from New Belgium. I could see myself drinking this one again.
Aroma: The nose has some roasted malts, caramel, chocolate, pine. resin, and a little spice
Appearance: This one pours a brown, cola-looking, color, with a thick, foamy, off-white head
Flavor: It tastes fairly roasty up-front, with some light sweetness, and a later pine/resin hop bitterness
Palate: The body is medium, the carbonation is average, and it has a somewhat dry finish to it
Overall Impression: I thought this was a solid winter seasonal. Good stuff from New Belgium. I could see myself drinking this one again.
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 Dec 2011
at 19:22
6.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottle. Pours a dark amber with a small frothy beige head leaving spotty lacing. The aroma is a roasted malt with raisin and bread. Thin mouthfeel with a raisin malt and nice light hop finish. A good black IPA from New Belgium.
Tried
from Bottle
on 03 Dec 2011
at 02:38
7/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle. Deep garnet body, thick puffy light cream head. Hoppy nose of pine needles and fall leaves. Toasty, caramely body, sweet and slightly vinous, backed by bitter piny, leafy hops. Solid.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Nov 2011
at 12:22
7.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
12oz bottle. Thinnish brown-black. Massive beige head, quite steady. Big hop aroma, some bitter chocolate as well. A little different hop bill than a typical Black IPA, I’d say the Styrians give it a quite barky, bitter, peppery resin taste. The dark specialty malts are also quite chalky, adding some bitter chocolate tones. A unique creation, a pretty good Winter Ale.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Nov 2011
at 21:03
6.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7
Bottle from the Strawberry Street vineyard, Richmond. Mahogany with a big, off-white head. Hoppy aroma, with a touch of caramel. Flavour had some sweetish, grainy malts, toffee and a big, dry finish. Unusual.
Tried
from Bottle
on 18 Nov 2011
at 13:22
6/10
Tried
on 18 Nov 2011
at 12:28