Gosh, this is good. Coming in at 10.30% it’s a big hitter, but the drinkability is still astonishing.

Ruby red which is cloudy in a chill hazed manner, but it looks like a lot of sediment rather than a temperature effect. Attractive, thin espresso type film on the top of the body, with a minimal amount of lacing.

Heavy with raisins, plums and sugary alcohol, this is an enormous malt, fruit bomb. It has some port character too. It manages to pull all of those dispirate threads together in a delicious manner.

A tiny bit of hop bitterness, and yeast in the short finish, but nothing to speak of.

Interestingly, the brewery describes this as a “Barleywine Style Ale”, but I think the Winter Warmer designation is much better, even with some doppelbockcharacter! It’s a big beer no doubt, but it pulls it off deliciously.