Beer Review: Harpoon Winter Warmer – C-

Time for the winter warmers reviews to begin!

We start this season with a sad little ale that’s just trying too hard. Three important words here: too. much. cinnamon.

I’d never tried a Harpoon beer before, so I figured I’d start with their Winter Warmer. I cracked open bottle number one, poured the beer, and smelled Christmas. Nutmeg and cinnamon scents rise strong out of the orange/copper colored ale with a great big head that fizzles down to a small amount of lacing.

It has a good mouth-feel, maybe a little on the thin side, and not too much carbonation; really, just how an ale should feel. It starts kind of sweet and malty, but as it finishes, an enormous rush of cinnamon kicks you right in the teeth, and you’re left wondering whether the brewer’s hand slipped when he was adding that particular spice.

Ultimately, the overbalance of the nutmeg and cinnamon spice ruins this beer. I poured myself a second; maybe it was just one bad bottle. It wasn’t; I couldn’t make it through the second. Now there’s 4 more in the fridge, and I’ve no idea what to do with them. I might be willing to drink this again while consuming large amounts of sugar cookies and gingerbread men on Christmas day. Otherwise, this one’s a no-go. Avoid this winter warmer.

Grading Scale

• A – Superb Beer; would buy regularly
• B – Good Beer; might buy over an “A” beer if on sale
• C – Not So Good Beer; some good qualities, but I wouldn’t buy it again; would drink it if offered by someone, or if it’s the only option in a restaurant amidst “D” and “F” beers
• D – Bad Beer; if this were offered or the only option on tap, I’d just not drink beer that day
• F – Disgusting; unworthy of the name “beer”

Pluses and Minuses used to create a spectrum for each grade level.