put a glow in your cheeks

It's still winter out there, although less today than earlier in the week.  At least it isn't raining, which is probably why it was a bit warmer yesterday.  A nippy evening is a good time for a winter ale, though, and Flying Dog is a trustworthy place to get one from.  It's been quite some time since I've had any of their products, but they are one of the more visible and respected small beer companies of our times.  The label looks practically Christmasy with that warm bright red, and the green K-9.  The riff on Shakespeare with "Now is the winter of our content" gives a chuckle.

Now, there's a nice, dark ale!  It looks very much like some brown or red ales I've tried, although it definitely has a fruitier smell.  The taste is surprisingly bitter; the spices on the front aren't always candy sweet, but it's an awfully heavy and thick effect for vanilla and cocoa.  Cardamom maybe shouldn't be exactly bitter either, but I don't think of that as sweet.  Maybe the flavors settle a little as you sip, because I seem to be getting a more complex, spicy-peppery flavor after a few minutes of sipping.  I wonder if there's a little cardamom on the bottom or something.  There's also a development in the smell, with a little more peppermint than in the beginning.  That's not in the ingredients list, but maybe it's the cardamom again.  Whatever the spice content, I do feel warmer than when I opened the bottle, so I call this beer a success.

Supplier: Cervecissimus
Price: €2.75