So way back in 2010 (can you remember so long ago?) I tried this winter brew from Colorado’s New Belgium Brewery called Two Below Ale. I found it to be an average beer, drinkable and enjoyable, but not remarkable or exceptional.  I wrote a review of same that you can read by clicking the link above. Perhaps New Belgium did, for they didn’t release the brew again in 2011.

They did, though, give us a new Christmas present in the winter of 2011 called Snow Day Winter Ale. I first sampled this beer on draft during a leisurely afternoon of football at Taco Mac. I was curious about it, since I was expecting the Two Below to make a return, and was very pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. This was during the first week of Decemeber, 2011; as I type its February of 2012 and I’m on my second six-pack of Snow Day. Yes, I like this beer, so let’s see why.

New Belgium Snow Day pours to a dark mahogany color with a thick creamy head formation and a big resiny pine hop nose. A thick layer of Brussels lace clings to the sides of my glass as the liquid descends. There’s some tasty dark roasty malt up front with a hint of caramel and a bit more chocolate, and a decided cookie-ish malty component. The hops quickly take over though in all their resiny glory, depositing a big piney aroma on the tongue all the way into the finish and leaving a long, dry lingering bitterness.

There are some serious hops going on in this beer.  That pinet hop aroma really dominates, and works together wonderfully with the slightly dark brown ale notes. If you need more convincing on the hop hype here, just look at the specs from the brewery website:

ABV - 6.2%

IBU - 55

Calories - 190

Hops - Styrian Goldings, Centennial, Cascade

Malts - Pale, C-80, Midnight Wheat

OG - 17

TG - 2.35

Curiously enough for me, both Ratebeer.com and Beeradvocate.com have Snow Day  listed as a Black IPA. I disagree completely. No, the soft dark malty notes call forth more of a brown ale to me, albeit a hoppy American Brown.  It reminds me of a bigger, badder version of those pioneering American browns the likes of Brooklyn Brown and Pete’s Wicked Ale. The malt here is not dark enough, the alcohol content is a bit too low, although the IBUs are within range.

Whatever you call it, I’d be happy to be snowed in with Snow Day anytime. It may just be one of the best beers I’ve ever tasted from New Belgium, and I’ll be looking for this one again next year for sure.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

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