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Beer Advent Calendar – Day 18: Schells Snowstorm presented by SODAK Beer

@sodakbeer

Beer Advent Calendar – Day 18: Schell’s Snowstorm presented by SODAK Beer

To celebrate the Holiday Season, 2Beerguys.com and Seacoastbeveragelab.com have teamed up with beer bloggers around the country to host the first annual beer bloggers advent calendar. This is the season of sharing and we intend to share our love of beer with you. 31Bloggers Blogging – click here for the running list of beers/bloggers.

• Blogger: Dale from South Dakota (SODAK) Beer
• Website: http://www.sodakbeer.com/

• Beer: Schell’s Snowstorm
• Brewery: August Schell Brewing Company
• Website: http://www.schellsbrewery.com/

Commercial Description:
Snowstorm — Much like snowflakes, no two Snowstorm beers are alike. Once a year, our brewmasters lock themselves in the testing room with a secret selection of fine malts and hops, only emerging when they’ve hit upon something truly extraordinary. Some of our past Snowstorm recipes, like Firebrick, proved so popular, we started brewing them year-round. Look for a special new batch of Snowstorm every season, available in November, December, and January or while supplies last.

Schell’s Wee Heavy pours a deep, rich mahogany color. It smells slightly sweet with hints of dark fruit. The brew has a smooth, velvety mouth-feel. The malty backbone produces notes of brown sugar. The presence of hop bitterness is very subtle. The clean alcohol flavor balances the malty sweetness of the beer.

Details:

• 2011 Snowstorm Beer Style: Wee Heavy Traditional Scotch Ale
• ABV: 7%
• Available: November-December
• Snowstorms of the Past:
  • 2010 Dunkel Doppel Weizenbock
  • 2009 Baltic Porter
  • 2008 Weihnachtsbier
  • 2007 Belgian Dubbel
  • 2006 English Stout (Schell’s Stout)
  • 2005 Dusseldorf Alt
  • 2004 Dark Cream Ale
  • 2003 Nut Brown Ale
  • 2002 Scotch Ale
  • 2001 Cherry Vanilla Porter
  • 2000 Braggot
  • 1999 Dunkleweizen
  • 1998 Vienna Lager (Schell’s Firebrick)
  • 1997 Plum Black and Tan*
  • 1996 Cherry Alt*
  • 1995 Raspberry Amber Ale*
  • 1992 Doppel Alt (Schell’s Schmaltz’s Alt)**
  • *1995-1997 Beers were called Blizzard Ale
  • ** 1992 Beer was called Xmas Brew”

Why I like Schell’s Snowstorm:

Snowstorm pours out deep amber into a pint glass with a light tan head. The aroma is mainly malt. The taste is malty and sweet with light hops. Alcohol isn’t prominent. There is decent carbonation. The mouth feel is medium, but not too sticky and heavy.

This beer is a sweet treat.  It is a great beer to drink by the fire on a cold winter night.

About South Dakota (SODAK) Beer:
Dale Miskimins from Brookings, SD has been beer blogging at http://www.sodakbeer.com for almost two years. He became hooked on craft beer after attending the 2008 Firkin Fest at the Happy Gnome in St. Paul, MN followed by the 2008 Great American Beer Festival in Denver. He dabbled with occasional craft beers prior to 2008, but has pretty much stuck with the good stuff since then. His epiphany beer was Pliny the Elder (Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA). He enjoys meeting craft beer people and talking, drinking and writing about beer. He is a veterinary pathologist that has been employed at South Dakota State University for over 20 years. He and his wife Sue live on a farm east of Brookings. They have three grown children, four grandchildren and two dogs. http://www.sodakbeer.com/

About August Schell Brewing Company:
The August Schell Brewing Company is the second oldest family run brewery in the US. It has been operating since 1860 in New Ulm, MN. They produce a line of craft beers, Schell’s Deer Brand, Schell’s Light and also bottle the well-known Grain Belt beers. Deer Beer was their original brand, and the stag still remains on their labels. Their Schell’s Pils was called the best US example of the Bavarian Pilsner style by the late world-renowned beer aficionado and writer, Michael Jackson. Their Bock Festival is the top rated beer event in the state.
The 2011 version of Snowstorm is a Wee Heavy traditional Scotch ale. This beer changes styles each year. A six-pack was $7.99 at our local Brookings Municipal Liquor Store.  http://www.schellsbrewery.com