I’ve reached my 100th beer review for OpenCraftBeer, and I dare say I picked a good beer for the mark.   Ovila Sasion is Farmhouse Ale created by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in collaboration with the Abbey of New Clairvaux.  It’s a tangy ale, with a yeasty nose and orange in the middle.   It’s a lighter ale, with a light to medium body and a flavor that’s more refreshing than full.  I’m no expert in Sasions, so I can’t speak to how it represents the style, or any uniqueness it brings, but it’s a nice, light, refreshing ale, and I’m enjoying every sip.

Harpoon Brewery hasn’t messed about with the name.   They call this beer “Winter Warmer” which to me, means it’s a Winter Warmer.  That said, to me, everything from the nose to the middle to the finish screams “Pumpkin Ale.”   The nose has a bit of pumpkin, the middle is most predominately pumpkin and pie spices, and the finish is sweet pumpkin.  A good recipe for a winter warmer?  Sure, I suppose, and it’s a decent pumpkin ale, but I’d feel more at home drinking this beer in November rather than deep in winter.   If you like spicy pumpkin ales, this might be a beer you’d want to try.

Wassail is a Winter Warmer from Full Sail Brewing in Oregon.   It’s a medium bodied ale with a fruity, caramel scent.  The flavor is excellent, with a fruitiness that reminds me of Belgian yeast, but not too sweet.   It’s some spice, of indeterminate variety, and the finish is bitter with piney hops.   This has been one of my favorite beers this winter.