3.4 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
The 2009, from the tap at Mudvile 9. Pours a dark brown with a medium beige head. Nose of sweet malts. Caramel predominates in th flavor, with the strong malt character lurking around the outskirts. Only a faint sense of bitterness. Medium bodied and relatively smooth. Not too bad.
2.1 AROMA 4/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 7/20
An okay Red/Amber that does little to distinguish itself. There are no real faults, except that it’s kind of boring for a Christmas Ale. It a nice enough looking beer, pretty much middle of the road for the style. The aroma is fairly malty with some citric hops. It’s a relatively well-balanced beer, I guess. I’m not sure how much that matters to me. The citric hop flavors and nutty, toasty malt don’t quite blend together well for me, neither flavor is particularly interesting. It’s an easy beer to drink but doesn’t leave me wanting more.
3.2 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Reddish/amber pour. Off white head. Toffee, light spice and maybe a hint of dark dried fruit. Flavor is lightly spicy, reminds me of some type of christmas cookie with a light hop background.
2 AROMA 4/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 3/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 8/20
Way too heavy on the toasted amlt and does not give any balance with either hops or sweet malt.
2.5 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 4/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 9/20
The aroma has some pine, caramel, chocolate, toasted malt, and a bit of nuts. The appearance is light brown with an amber hue and a two finger head. The flavor is like the aroma but weak and a bit astringent. The palate is a bit thin. Overall not a bad beer but nothing special.
2 AROMA 2/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 7/20
Amber nice white head. Aroma is spicey, carboard, alcohol, dog hair, old orange juice. Taste is lightly malty, caramel, light spice, blah. Aroma was terrible, bad, horrible- taste was very bland.
2.8 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
12 oz bottle. Pours clear amber. Aroma was mild toasted malt. I tasted a brief sweetness along with nuts and malt. The finish was crisp and dry, kind of watery. Not very spicy, I expected more nutmeg or something. The bottle I had was a few years old i think so that might be why.
2.8 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 10/20
Pours a dark amber with no head. Aroma of malts, some nutmeg and hops. Similar taste. Slight hop finish. No flavors really stand out, different than most Christmas seasonals, old bottle perhaps mellowed this one out.
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