Snow Day Winter Ale from New Belgium Brewery looks the part. It is almost ink black, with rich red highlights--the sort of thing that suggests warm hearths on shivering winter days.

Better still, it invites you into this setting with aromas of dried orange peel, dusky spice and bitter chocolate, as well has fresher hints like pampa grass and palm. On the tongue is feels almost silky.

Of course, taste is the true measure of any brew. This one hits the palate with a bitter punch that rounds quickly, revealing smoother notes like caramel, spice, toasted white bread and roasted grain over a generous and deep earthy character--like bark. All of this plays around a consistent quality, similar to espresso: rich and bitter, with a swirling and mesmerizing cast.

This is especially evident on the finish, which seems to link the sharp opening--a crescendo that reminds one of where a long and winding story began.

New Belgium has a well deserved reputation for turning out intriguing and worthwhile beers. Simply put, Snow Day Winter Ale is a very good brew. It carries enough heft to counter cold days, yet it’s not heavy. It is, rather, a contemplative brand.