Augusta’s Farmhouse Winter Ale is balanced but doesn’t “wow” | Mehmet’s Brew Review

Banner, Mehmet's Brew Review, Opinion — By Christopher Spencer on January 16, 2010 at 4:07 PM

By Mehmet Kadiev

Augusta Brewing Company is new to me, but from what I gather it dates back to the turn of the century.

Located in the hills of the Augusta Wine Country, about an hour outside of St. Louis, this brewery offers just a handful of beers and a couple seasonals.

The pictures of the actual place look beautiful, and I might have to make a trip up there on of these days.

This Belgian Dubbel-style Winter Ale was bottle conditioned in a 750 mL, corked and caged brown glass bottle. According to the label, it was spiced with clove, star anise, and vanilla. On further investigation, their Web site also indicates sweet orange peel was added to the mix. I picked this up at Macadoodles in Missouri for $7.97 plus tax.

Before guzzling down this 7 percent’er, I allowed it to warm to a Belgian friendly 58 degrees Fahrenheit and decanted into a brandy snifter.

On uncorking, there was a generous amount of CO2 released, expected of bottle conditioned ales, especially brews fermented with Belgian yeast strains. Augusta’s Winter Ale pours a reddish brown with a light tan head that produces two fingers of head.

The head quickly lowers, leaving little lacing, providing a release of aromas.

This ale is very effervescent, providing a taxi for the caramel maltiness to make its way to the olfactory system. On second inhale, there is a defining presence of the anise, with the clove in hot pursuit and the orange peel providing a faint citrus.

After taking a sip, the first thought that comes to mind is “balance.” The spices meld together nicely and are present without being too ostentatious. Light caramel malt is the predominant flavor along with the yeast characteristics. Hops are an afterthought in a style like this and this example complies; here it is used to balance without detection.

Alcohol presence is minuscule if non-existent, but 7 percent is quite easy to hide in a brew such as this.

Mouth feel is extremely light considering the 7 percent alcohol by volume; almost too light as it finishes fairly dry with little residual flavor left behind. The flavors are carried away on a cloud of carbonation, which makes an easy drinking brew, but hides much of the flavor.

That could possibly be a result of bottle handling (probably on my part) more than beer production.

Overall, I liked this brew from Augusta, as it is my first time sampling any of their beers. It did not “wow” me, but I think the brewers achieved what they set out to do: Brew a wonderfully balanced Dubbel with holiday spices for the winter season. Yes, I am a mind reader as well.

I look forward to trying more from this brewery.