Day 16 of the 3rd Annual Advent-ure Calendar
Day 16: MadTree Brewing Thunder Snow
Even though MadTree is based in Ohio, they’ve only recently made their way up to Cleveland this year. We are excited to see them around and welcome them to the calendar! From their website: “The conditions have to be just right for the formation of Thundersnow. Ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, hints of cinnamon and a bready malt sweetness are the secret. When you find this rare occurrence, savor it as long as you can.”
REFLECTIONS
Beard & Broad
Beard: I tried this at our tasting panel for work and really enjoyed it, so I was excited for the rest of the gang to try it as well. But, this can is indeed oxidized from probably sitting on a warm shelf. The fresh version of this had a lovely balance of slight spice and toffee sweetness. The flavors went really well with the Scotch ale base. If you want a spiced beer that’s just a little bit different, I highly suggest seeking this out.
Broad: Oh man I think I REALLY like this beer but I’m pretty sure it’s oxidized. I can put that taste aside for a second and I get hints of ginger, nutmeg and other holiday flavors. It seems like it has the right amount of malts and the right amount of sweetness. I think this could be one of my favorite holiday beers if I had a fresh can. I will definitely try another one of these.
Adam & Alex
Adam: This one disappointed me but I think it might be a slightly old can that’s the culprit. I get the nice mix of holiday spices mentions and I like the bitey gingerness at the end but ours has that coppery-syrup aspect to it with this one. I’d like to try a fresh can bc madtree is already one of my favorite breweries.
Alex: I agree with Dashers review. I feel like this is probably really delicious but has that taste of an older can. I do taste the ginger but the aftertaste leans syrupy. I would like to try this again.
Scott & Christa
Scott: Here’s another winter brew from one of Cincinnati’s best breweries. I highly recommend anyone driving through Nasty-Nati to stop at Madtree Brewing’s 2.0 location for a very cool building, variety of beers and delicious pizza. Back to the beer. Thunder Snow is a nice winter ale with a pleasing aroma, spice-level and smooth taste. It’s not my favorite winter beer but it has enough of its own character to warrant picking up a 6-pack during the holiday season.
Christa:The last time I had this beer was during a beer tasting in Cincinnati, later in the evening, and I told everyone that the name Thunder Snow was inspired by what actually happens when thunder strikes snow. It was elaborate and magical and completely made up, thunder is a sound and can’t strike anything. In summary, this Scottish Ale is so good I invented a legend about it when I was drunk.
Tony & Megan
Tony: Oooo this one is good! this is a great example in my opinion of spices done right. You get cinnamon, nutmeg, and even a little vanilla and its all balanced really well. This tastes like a holiday beer should taste. It transports you right to your favorite bar on a cold winter night or to that cozy couch with a fire burning alongside. Can we talk about that name too?! How badass is “Thunder Snow”?! Cool name, cool can, really good taste. This is one of my favorite surprises so far.
Megan: What is thunder snow?! I don’t know but I like this one. It’s got all the flavors of my favorite Christmas cookies but again, isn’t over-spiced. Even though, this promises different flavors and spices, I would compare this to the Esther we had yesterday. It’s malty and warm and feels like a hug in the cold weather. It’s dark in color and smooth going down.
