Name: Winter’s Bourbon Cask Ale
Brewed By: Michelob
Brewed In: St. Louis, MO
Type: Winter Ale
ABV: 6%

What they say: “During even the coldest of weather, warm up to the smooth, robust taste of our Winter’s Bourbon Cask Ale. Full of rich aromas that you find in the winter months, hints of vanilla and flavorful hops, this is a beer that is great for pouring into a large tulip glass and enjoying with friends around a fireplace.”

Website: Standard enter-your-age thing. There’s an embedded video on the start page, which is essentially a commercial for one of the beers, but it thankfully doesn’t loop. These are continued in the “Tasting Sessions” link. Since Michelob is trying their hardest to be as “microbrewery” as they can (which is an interesting campaign against macros like Miller and Coors), there are “Appreciating Our Beers” and “Understanding Our Craft” sections of the website, both with lots of links. The “Explore Our Beers” link is clean, and I found this beer with a click on the “Seasonal” link in the drop-down menu.

Why this one, Show? While home for the 2009 Thanksgiving holiday I happened on this beer picking up some survival gear for my combined parents-and-in-laws Thanksgiving dinner. Cask ale from Michelob? Sure why not. Also, I’m a sucker for vanilla.

First Thoughts:
Head: Comes and goes with nary a whisper of lace.
Nose: Vanilla, but the too-sweet kind.
Color: Rich, dark red.

Presentation (5): The brown 12 oz. bottle is adorned with a snowman offering you his beer, with “Winter’s Bourbon Cask Ale” in a nice red font above it. Usually I only see this kind of mass-produced winter whimsy from Saranac. 5

Originality (5): For an American macrobrew, there’s a lot that’s new here. Winter ales tend to have some sort of flavors to them, so the idea of a spicy winter ale isn’t all that new. But for a macro to age something in oak, and on a secondary (Madagascar vanilla beans, in this case)…well that’s getting some originality points from me. Based on their ad campaign for the last year, Michelob is trying to position themselves as “beer guys” on par with Sam Adams. Doing stuff like this will get you there, guys. 4

Body (10): This beer isn’t too heavy, isn’t too light. The flavors spread out as you sip, but the beer never feels cloying or too heavy. There’s definitely a presence there, so those looking for a light beer with just some flavor will be disappointed. Those like me looking to be pleasantly surprised, will be. 8

Taste (10): This beer tastes good. That said, this beer is too sweet. The vanilla is way too strong and the rest of the flavors aren’t robust enough to balance it. There is the slightest hint of the wood in which this is aged, but anything that emerges in the front of the sip is washed away by the vanilla finish. It goes without saying that there is next to no hoppyness to this beer. It’s sad, because with just a little bit more dryness to this I could drink it all night. 7

Efficiency (10): This is kind of split. If you’re the kind of person that hates the “taste of beer,” then this is right up your alley. It’s an easy-drinking beer that clocks in at a respectable 6% ABV. If too-sweet is not the way you roll, this may wind up being something you can do only two, maybe three of in a sitting. 6

Versatility (10): Good for having on hand, or bringing to a gathering, but that’s about it. Michelob’s web site gives a cheese compliment of chevre cheese and a food pairing recommendation of lobster w/ peppercorn sauce—two sweet things on their own. I’d have to pair this with a dessert course, something like apple pie with caramel sauce. 6

Final Score: 36 – Really Good Beer

Related posts:

1. Friday Beer Snob: Saranac 12 Beers Of Winter 2009 – Winter Lager
2. Michelob Irish Red
3. What You Didn’t Drink This Weekend: Rogue John John Ale
4. 12 Beers Of Winter 2008 Series: Saranac India Brown Ale
5. Friday Beer Snob: Samuel Adams Winter Classics 2009 – Winter Lager

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