Remember Left Hand’s Snowbound Ale? It’s a spiced seasonal ale Left Hand released around Christmas time each year. Well Snowbound is no more. Left Hand is officially no longer producing spiced ales. Much of the thought process is that Christmas Ales, and spiced ales don’t seem to have much appeal after the holidays.
The replacement? Introducing Fade to Black. (Note the Metallica implications…) Left Hand’s description of the name is a little more artful —
“It’s that time of year when the day seems to fade away. Drifting further into the darkness with each passing day. Yes, we’re letting loose, from the noose (spiced beers), that’s kept us hanging about.”
Fade to Black will appear from October through March each year. The packaging will remain the same, but the style will change each year. This initial offering is an export stout at 8.5% ABV. (Export stout is pretty much like it sounds. Stout brewed stronger than normal for a long trip/exportation.)
Fade to Black is available in all states that currently carry left hand. Available in 12 oz 6 packs/kegs.
Hop City 6 pack — 9.99
Tasting Notes – Just tasted FTB for the first time. One word comes to mind – COFFEE. Nice coffee taste on the palette, with a little alcohol finish. To be perfectly honest, it has a lot in common with the Terrapin/Left Hand Collab brew – Depth Charge. If you enjoyed Depth Charge, you will enjoy 2009 Fade to Black. I bet this will cellar well. Worth keeping for a while.
