Baraboo Winter 1881

Baraboo Beers are a proprietary brand of the Hy-Vee chain of Midwestern supermarkets.  The beers are contract brewed by Stevens Point Brewery in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. This is their most recent release, a spiced Belgian-style ale brewed with ginger, cinnamon and orange peel. It is named after the Wisconsin Blizzard of 1881, which apparently was as unexpected as the taste of this beer, according to the bottle.

The beer pours black and deep, dark ruby. There is a half-inch of tan foam.  The aroma is rich, deep caramel malt, dark fruits, especially cherry, with the ginger and cinnamon apparent. The taste is dark roasted malt, approaching coffee, dark caramel, cherry, orange peel, with the spices there, but more mild in the flavor. It’s a bit piney on the finish, with a moderate bitterness. The beer drinks smooth, with subtle carbonation. The only thing I don’t like in this beer is a mouth sensation it creates like it has artificial sweetener.  The flavors are great however, and most of these Baraboo beers are better than average for store brand beer.