2° Below
New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins, Colorado, United States 🇺🇸
Bitter - ESB / Strong Bitter Winter|
Score
6.42
|
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Pull on your wool socks and crack open a 2° Below Ale. This tasty winter warmer started life as a small batch beer brewed for the Al Johnson Uphill Downhill – a telemark ski race in Crested Butte, Colorado. The Uphill Downhill celebrates the exploits of Al Johnson, letter carrier extraordinaire, who delivered mail by ski in the late 1800’s. Dry hopping during fermentation creates a floral nose with a hint of pepper and spicy, subtle undertones. 2° Below provides a bright, hoppy palate and a cheery warm afterglow.
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6.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Bottled. pours dark but with a whole lot of head. Smell is smoky, nutty and malty. Taste is similar with a touch of hops.
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 May 2025
at 00:46
6.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Honey color with a large head. Bitter with caramel, floral & fruity hops. Medium finish and body.
Tried
on 31 May 2021
at 02:05
Tried
from Can
on 28 Feb 2021
at 23:15
5.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 4
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
From Dec 2005
I had this on tap at the local Old Chicago:
Poured a nice reddish gold colour with a small head that dissipated before it even got to me.(Nitro-CO2mix)
The smell was hoppy and sort of fruity.
The taste was a mix of fruit and hops up front with more of the fruit in the middle and huge hop bitterness in the after taste that lingered like forever. The latter part of the drinking experience I liked muchly but....I've tasted better winter ales and since this is a draft only product, there's no need for me to seek it out.
That makes only 2 brews from New Belgium that I'm not really pleased with.(the other is the Loft)
I had this on tap at the local Old Chicago:
Poured a nice reddish gold colour with a small head that dissipated before it even got to me.(Nitro-CO2mix)
The smell was hoppy and sort of fruity.
The taste was a mix of fruit and hops up front with more of the fruit in the middle and huge hop bitterness in the after taste that lingered like forever. The latter part of the drinking experience I liked muchly but....I've tasted better winter ales and since this is a draft only product, there's no need for me to seek it out.
That makes only 2 brews from New Belgium that I'm not really pleased with.(the other is the Loft)
Tried
from Draft
on 16 Oct 2017
at 16:46
Tried
on 23 Nov 2016
at 17:11
7.3/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Backlog. From bottle in 2007. Aroma of flowery hops, with aromatic hops, caramel malts and some fruit and herbs retronasal. Flavor is light caramel malts, but hardly sweet. Medium bodied. Moderate bitter finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Dec 2014
at 09:54
6.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
From bottle to chalice. Slight spice and minimal perfume. Clear and copper with white head. Taste is spice and moderate bittering.
Tried
from Bottle
on 08 Nov 2014
at 22:19
6.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
12 ounce bottle from the Folly Pack, opened 11/23/13. Pours a clear amber color with a thin tan fizzy head. Decent head retention. Aroma of piney hops, pale malts, nutty notes. The taste is toasted malts, piney hops and a mild bit of fruitiness. Medium bodied, good balance, lingering bitterness. Solid beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 01 Jan 2014
at 16:41
10/10
Tried
on 19 May 2013
at 22:25
3.6/10
—
Appearance 4
Aroma 3
Flavor 4
Texture 4
Overall 3.5
12oz bottle poured into a shaker. Pours a clear amber with minimal head. Aroma of basement funk and light hops. Taste is light hops and a lot of skunk. Light bodied and light textured. Lively carbonation and not much of a finish. Overall, not that good. Glad the snow day replaced this because this is probably the worst seasonal New Bel has had.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Nov 2011
at 17:31