Winter Solstice
Imperial Stout
Review Date 11/23/2001
Try?
Re-buy?
Deep in the heart
of Holyoke, Massachusetts, a bit beyond Springfield in the western part of
the state, there exists a brewery churning out some of the finest craft brew
in the land today. The name of that brewery is Paper City, a moniker that
reflects the community’s industrial heritage as a producer of writing and
printing stock. In due fashion, the brewery itself is located in an old mill
as many microbreweries are today. It’s a bit off the beaten path and
somewhat hard to find, and once you get there you’ll take an interesting
ride on a freight elevator to reach the floor on the mill where the brewing
is done. It’s a trip worth taking to find Paper City if you’re in the area,
however.
Paper City is a small brewery and their beers are very hard to find outside of Massachusetts, and are sometimes even difficult to obtain within the Bay State itself. Currently the company produces a respectable line of brews including Holyoke Dam Ale, a pale ale; Cabot Street Wheat, an authentic Bavarian style hefeweizen; Ireland Parish Golden, a lighter bodied ale; Goat’s Peak Bock; Indian Pale Ale; and a smoked specialty called Fire House Smoked Ale.
Paper City actually produces two winter seasonal beers, both rich and hearty brews perfect for warming your bones with on a cold winter day. Winter Palace Wee Heavy is an authentic and delicious domestic version of a strong Scotch Ale, also known as wee heavy. Their second special beer sold this time of year is the beer I’m reviewing today, Paper City Winter Solstice. This is an imperial stout by style and is sold in beautiful painted glass bottles that feature a quaint winter scene on the label.
Imperial stout is one of the biggest and boldest styles of beer out there. Whereas most beers average an original gravity of around 1.05 or so, imperials routinely top 1.1, meaning they will have twice the body of a normal beer. They usually have more of everything: more malt, more hops, and more alcohol, often 9% or more by volume. They were originally exported from England to Russia for the Imperial Court (hence the name) and were a sort of IPA of the north, in that they were brewed to be a much more hardy beer to survive their journey intact. In the case of imperial stout, that journey was by sea to the Baltics then overland to Moscow.
Paper City Winter Solstice pours to a jet-black color with a light tan head formation and a firm licorice nose. The palate is thick, rich and malty with a full mouthfeel and absolutely huge notes of licorice, chocolate, and espresso all leading to an attention-getting roasty bitterness and big alcohol warmth in the finish. Some fruity esters make a brief appearance in the finish too, contributed by the higher alcohols present here.
A wonderful beer for the winter season, and a great version of an imperial stout. I prefer it alone as a nightcap, but it could also be enjoyed with rich desserts and chocolate.
Paper City is a small brewery and their beers are very hard to find outside of Massachusetts, and are sometimes even difficult to obtain within the Bay State itself. Currently the company produces a respectable line of brews including Holyoke Dam Ale, a pale ale; Cabot Street Wheat, an authentic Bavarian style hefeweizen; Ireland Parish Golden, a lighter bodied ale; Goat’s Peak Bock; Indian Pale Ale; and a smoked specialty called Fire House Smoked Ale.
Paper City actually produces two winter seasonal beers, both rich and hearty brews perfect for warming your bones with on a cold winter day. Winter Palace Wee Heavy is an authentic and delicious domestic version of a strong Scotch Ale, also known as wee heavy. Their second special beer sold this time of year is the beer I’m reviewing today, Paper City Winter Solstice. This is an imperial stout by style and is sold in beautiful painted glass bottles that feature a quaint winter scene on the label.
Imperial stout is one of the biggest and boldest styles of beer out there. Whereas most beers average an original gravity of around 1.05 or so, imperials routinely top 1.1, meaning they will have twice the body of a normal beer. They usually have more of everything: more malt, more hops, and more alcohol, often 9% or more by volume. They were originally exported from England to Russia for the Imperial Court (hence the name) and were a sort of IPA of the north, in that they were brewed to be a much more hardy beer to survive their journey intact. In the case of imperial stout, that journey was by sea to the Baltics then overland to Moscow.
Paper City Winter Solstice pours to a jet-black color with a light tan head formation and a firm licorice nose. The palate is thick, rich and malty with a full mouthfeel and absolutely huge notes of licorice, chocolate, and espresso all leading to an attention-getting roasty bitterness and big alcohol warmth in the finish. Some fruity esters make a brief appearance in the finish too, contributed by the higher alcohols present here.
A wonderful beer for the winter season, and a great version of an imperial stout. I prefer it alone as a nightcap, but it could also be enjoyed with rich desserts and chocolate.
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
(G)=Growler
