St. Bernardus Christmas Ale

Brewed by St. Bernard Brouwerij
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Watou, Belgium

un color rame con bel cappello di spessore bianco e persistente .. L’aroma è molto Potente. molto distinto il malto il Caramello e le spezie. Abbastanza Luppolata L’alcol è incredibilmente forte ma Ciò non Rende questa birra imbevibile, anzi ....

Awesome stuff, on tap at McGregor’s, didn’t ask the bartender, but I guess I believe Zach that it is 2008 vintage. Thin glass, orange appearance, slight haze, thick head, heavy lacing. Oranges and spices in the palate, and spicy. I didn’t detect a lot in the nose, might be it was shot from the prior beer. Syrupy mouthfeel, I thought the alcohol was disguised nice. Excellent.

Hazy copper color with a taupe head. Nice spice on the aroma, but not as much as i would like for a Christmas ale. This has a full mouthfeel that coats the palate and follows through with nice all-spice. Full flavor but not well balanced. I was surprised I did not like this - perhaps I should retry in in December instead of late February!

(draft @ MacGregor’s - Henrietta, NY - 2008 vintage) Muddy copper with a thick tan head. Aroma is very potent. Fruity and caramelly with lots of malt and spice. A lot of alcohol present. Flavor begins with dark fruits and spice that mix with a heavy caramel and yeast middle. No hops present. Just likes of fruit and malt. Alcohol is incredibly strong for an almost two-year old beer.

750 ml bottle on unknown vintage shared via Piscator34- pours with a decent ruby mahogony clarity with a frothy head. Nose- all spice and candi sugar. Taste- well balanced spicing of cloves, some cinammon. Quite sweet initially then dries quickly on the finish. Slightly boozy not bad for a 10% beer. A nice winter sipper.

Bottled sample, consumed with oakbluff. Dark red in colour with strong carbonation.Aromas are of berry fruit, coriander, juniper berries, other spices, and pale malts. Well balanced in the mouth between the spice, fruity yeast, and malt elements. Fairly light bodied considering the alcohol content, but that just makes it all the more drinkable. An enjoyable holiday brew, but nothing too mind blowing.

THOUGHTS: This one has Christmas written all over it — both literally and figuratively. Nice and warming, especially considering it was 19° with a wind chill of 7° the night I tried this. I could smell this as soon as I poured it. I’ve been waiting to try this for a long time. I finally picked it up this year and was not disappointed. Hid alcohol incredibly well. One of the best ABV hiders ever. It had one of the most persistent heads I’ve ever seen, too. The beer was hard to explain, but great. An incredible beer, really This will be a Christmas Eve beer for me next year. Nice. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a cloudy, medium to dark brown with red highlights and a small to average, creamy and fizzy, tan head that kept a nice blanket and was nearly fully lasting. The aroma was light to moderate caramel malt; moderate spicy and fruity yeast; cinnamon, and dark, sour fruit. The initial flavor was light to moderately sweet, spicy, acidic and ever so slightly sour; while the finish was lightly sweet, rather acidic ,k slightly sour and spicy. The was dar, sour fruit, dark candy sugar, light Christmasy spices, spicy and fruity yeast, maple syrup, molasses, hints of chocolate, cinnamon, caramel malt, some earthy yeast toward the end of the bottle and a bit of metallic notes at the end. The medium to full body leaned toward full was full and silky and then very dry with very fizzy carbonation and a moderately astringent and lightly alcoholic finish.

Pours a transparent rootbeer color with off-white persistent head. Aromas of dark fruit, caramel, spices, licorice, and alcohol. Sweet with a mild tartness and flavors matching the aroma finishing lightly dry and spicy. Lively carbonation with light to medium body. Very rich, but balanced and well-integrated. Overall delicious.