August Schell Snowstorm Ale

Much like snowflakes, no two Snowstorm beers are alike. Once a year, our brewmasters lock themselves in the testing room with a secret selection of fine malts and hops, only emerging when they've hit upon something truly extraordinary. Some of our past Snowstorm recipes, like Firebrick, proved so popular, we started brewing them year-round. Look for a special new batch of Snowstorm every season, available in November, December, and January or while supplies last. 2011 Snowstorm Beer Style: Wee Heavy Traditional Scotch Ale. Alcohol by Volume: 7.0%
 
    
  
Flavor/Color Profile: Schell’s Wee Heavy pours a deep, rich mahogany color. It smells slightly sweet with hints of dark fruit. The brew has a smooth, velvety mouth-feel. The malty backbone procudes notes of brown sugar. The presence of hop bitterness is very subtle. The clean alcohol flavor balances the malty sweetness of the beer.
 
Beer Review from Beer Advocate:
Appearance: Pours a deep brownish amber orange with a little ruby red and lots of rising bubbles. Big five fingers of off white slightly tan head with good retention. Lots of sticky lacing around the glass.

Smell: Smells very sweet and fruity. Sweet and bready caramel and toffee malts up front with some wheat grains. Big presence of dark fruits with hints of raisins, plums, and dark cherries. Smells kind of like a berry jam. Also some hints of scotch and molasses.

Taste: Like the smell leads, a pretty sweet taste of malts and dark fruits. Caramel and toffee malts give a sweet bready biscuit taste. Big hints of dark fruits with notes of dark cherries, plums, and raisins. A little funky yeast provides some spice. Light hints of scotch and molasses. The bready malts take over again towards the finish. Tastes sweet but there is some balancing bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate level of carbonation. Slightly chewy and very smooth.

Overall: A very tasty and interesting take on a Scotch ale. Forward with the sweetness but well balanced. Its kind of like a dark Belgian ale with a bigger malt presence.
 
Snowstorms of the Past:
2010 Dunkel Doppel Weizenbock
2009 Baltic Porter
2008 Weihnachtsbier
2007 Belgian Dubbel
2006 English Stout (Schell's Stout)
2005 Dusseldorf Alt
2004 Dark Cream Ale
2003 Nut Brown Ale
2002 Scotch Ale
2001 Cherry Vanilla Porter
2000 Braggot
1999 Dunkleweizen
1998 Vienna Lager (Schell's Firebrick)
1997 Plum Black and Tan*
1996 Cherry Alt*
1995 Raspberry Amber Ale*
1992 Doppel Alt (Schell's Schmaltz's Alt)**