Bottle: 2008 recipe Very dark Brown with a foamy, beige head. Touch of cinnamon and fruitcake. Brown spirits and very sweet mince pies. Almost watery but very warming. Smooth and sweet finish with something of burnt pastry. I really like this. It has flavou’s similar to those found in HopBack’s Pickled Santa but paired with this darker style of ale it works a charm.

12oz bottle. Real dark mahogany color, almost black, with a tan head. Smells a little like potpourri, just not so powerful. Some spicy, bitter flavor. Pretty good.

2008 Batch. Pours dark with some translucence around the edges. Fairly stout-like appearance. Aroma is pine and a bit of ginger with some malty sweetness. Flavor is underwhelming. Some bitterness but not much flavor.

Bottle at the Coney. Pours black/brown with amber hues. Nose is cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger with mild chocolate sweetness. Caramel and chocolate notes with gingersnaps and clove. Slightly water with some fruity esters. Nice beer.

Pours a dark reddish brown with a thick, tan head. Aroma of spice : clove, cinnamon, pines. Flavor is tart and spicey with some berry notes, and finish like chewing on a cinnamon stick. This still tastes like a christmas tree in a bottle, though maybe a bit muted from what I remember from last years. I’m going to drink a couple, save a couple, and give thedude one.