Winter's Warm Welcome by Ghost Hawk Brewing Co. is being evaluated as an American Strong Ale (2021 BJCP Guidelines Style 22B).

Hops are dominant in the aroma with new-school tropical/stone fruit characteristics -- ripe cantaloupe is most prominent. Any malt presence is buried beneath the hops so much so that if experiencing this aroma without prior knowledge, one might think they had an IPA in front of them. This beer is a dirty blonde color with excellent clarity and a strong dense white head that you could probably rest a quarter on.

The 2021 BJCP guidelines list this style beginning with medium amber but also list a starting SRM value of 7, which is approximately deep gold making their ranges contradictory so I will not be deducting any points for color. The flavor focuses on hops, which follow the aroma and are delicious but there is not enough bitterness to be representative of the style. Likewise, the malt richness is lacking caramel and/or dark fruit in a significant way, resulting in this beer having more in common with an American IPA than an American strong ale. The alcohol is well-hidden and doesn't contribute any harshness whatsoever to the beer.

American strong ales should resemble something close to a "baby American barleywine" and while this beer is well made and enjoyable it is probably closer to an imperial IPA.