Zipline Winter Ale

As I discussed in the last article, winter ale, aka winter warmers, are a broad category and cover a lot of ground. Zipline opted to go back to basics and present a stripped-down, no frills version of this winter favorite. They added rye to the malt and let that and the hops give the illusion of added spices...brilliant! The brew pours a hazy nut brown, with a scanty head. Floral/piney hops predominate, but dark fruit peaks out shyly from behind the IBU's. Zipline has never let me down, and this ale is a definite keeper for the cold nights around the Winter Solstice. Check it out if you see it on tap somewhere.