REVIEW: Anderson Valley Winter Solstice

So, let's get this out of the way right up front. The world is not ending today, the Mayans were wrong. Sorry if I'm bursting anybody's bubble. This reminds me, I remember watching a movie about the Mayans in spanish class in I think it was the second or third grade. There was a bit in there about how the Mayans predicted that the world would end in 2012. All of this was accompanied by this giant stone clock grinding to a halt. It kind of freaked me the hell out. But now I'm older and wiser, well at least older, and I know that the apocalypse is not yet at hand. What today actually is, is the first day of winter, the winter solstice. And what better beer to check out today than the winter seasonal from Anderson Valley, Winter Solstice! It checks in at 6.9% ABV and only 6 IBUs. To the beer!

As Winter Solstice pours it builds up two fingers of sturdy resilient off white head. The head sits atop a beer that is a beautiful, deep, ever so slightly hazy scarlet in color. Lovely looking especially with all of this gorgeous looking lacing going on.

Notes of vanilla bean and deep caramel malts are the first, and most pronounced aromas to come wafting up from the glass. Bits of a ginger like spiciness join a faint roastiness and a slight molasses-like character. Sweet and inviting.

A vigorous blast of carbonation hits the tip of the tongue on each sip. Once the carbonation recedes a bit I'm left with a beautifully creamy, very full bodied, hearty beer. Just like on the nose caramel and vanilla are the predominant flavors. Theres also a faint biscuity/ bready molasses character. So they say this beer is only 6 IBUs which ought to leave a big malty beer like this just cloyingly sweet. It really isn't though. There's a bitterness here that keeps things balanced nicely, but it doesn't really taste like a traditional hop bitterness. I can't quite put my finger on it. Theres a bit of an herbal character there but also some very faint roastiness perhaps? Whatever it is, it's very interesting.

I quite enjoyed this one. The vanilla and that interesting bitterness make Anderson Valley's winter offering a unique one. I have had a blast looking at all of these Christmas beers. Keep your eyes over here next week. I'm not quite ready to be done with all of this holiday merriment and I've got some cool stuff planned for next week.

HD