Barleys Christmas Ale

Brewed by Barleys Brewing Company
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Columbus, Ohio USA

Serve in Lager glass, Tumbler

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400 beers and no end in sight. Tasted at Barley’s 10th Anniversary Party on November 21st. I have been waiting awhile to try this one, especially since I have heard tales of people visiting family in Columbus over the holidays just to get this beer. While I was a little let down, it was still a very good seasonal. Dark amber color. Spiced aroma of ginger with some hops. A little thinner than I would have hoped, and I think I should have let it warm a little to let the flavor come out more. Either way I will get another shot because I took home a growler.

The beer pours an orangy copper color with a light white head, light carbonation. The aroma is light nutmeg, cinamin, pine and alcohol. The taste is light and delicate which is good because with the aromas this beer could be really overwhelming. The taste you get are a lots of tart pine and alcohol dominating with nutmeg mixed in there. The beer is too watery and not very drinkable. Overall a decent spiced winter beer.

On tap at the Smokehouse. Pours a clear amber with a minimal off-white head. Spicy aroma of cinnamon, clove and ginger. Lots of cinnamon flavor mixed with a bit of tartness, followed by the ginger and clove flavors. Medium finish.

On tap. Pours a coppery color with a smallish white head. Aroma is ginger, ornage peel, clove, cinnamon, Flavor is again orange zest, clove, ginger, cinnamon, light caramel. Palate is medium bodied, medium carbonation, finished spicy and sweet. Not very well balanced, soso.

Had a night of debauchery out with Robert and Rick. We started at the Smokehouse. This was my second selection, actually I finished Robert’s, he didn’t like it. Toasty nose of butterscotch and caramel - very appealing. The brew is clear copper. The NO2 off white head is of course uber creamy with a sheet of lace. The flavor is very toasty with moderate spice and acidity. The finish is long and very pleasant. The full body is creamy and very soft. The finish feels clean.
Earlier Rating: 11/28/2002 Total Score: 3.7
Had this off the tap. Stellar nose of predominately ginger and cinnamon. Pours a clear ruby with a thin but creamy white (tap) head. Tastes very complex and warm with no shortage of sweetness and spicyness. Acidity is moderate with a strong citrus presence. Finishes overwhealmingly cinnamonish. The medium oily body is fizzy and finishes alcoholic.

Draft at the alehouse. Pours clear, ruby red with a nice white head. Classic christmas aroma - ginger, gingerbread, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. Well done. Taste is all the same spices, medium body with a honey finish. This is very similar to a fresh Great Lakes Christmas. Certainly a very good example of the style.

Had on draft at the Alehouse. Poured a nice clear amber color. Sweet smell of nutmeg and cinnamon. Taste was a wondeful blend of sweet malts, with cloves, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. I found this beer to be very drinkable and enjoyable.

Draft at Alehouse 2. Poured hazy reddish brown color with an average fizzy white head that was mostly lasting with good lacing. Moderate allspice sweet aroma. Medium to full body with a sticky texture. Medium spicy balanced flavor with a medium sweet spicy finish of moderate duration.

On tap at the Ale House: Dark copper colored pour with an off white head. Aroma, some spice, caramel malts. Flavor, caramel, malty, brown sugar, some slight bitterness.

UPDATED: DEC 27, 2007 On tap at #1. Clear copper with minimal head. Quite a bit of ginger in the aroma that, other than the underlying malt, is all but overpowering. Not saying there isn’t anything else, it’s just that the ginger is hard to get around. The flavor is a nice bit of sweet caramel and candy like malt. Spices like ginger and ?. Again, ginger dominates. Though it is not bad in any way (which to me means there is more going on behind the scene). Semi-sweet with minimal hop presence (noticeable only in light bitterness). Medium, slightly slick body. Good Christmas brew.

Tried again 12/07. Don’t know if my tastes have changed but I really enjoyed this years. Did not re-rate but I will be bumping up my score.

On draft at the smokehouse - pours bright ruby/amber with a nice tan head that doesn’t stay very long. Aromas of honey, yeast, orange, ginger, and a bit of nutmeg. Flavor is a nice blend of citrus, orange mixed with honey and topped with ginger, nutmeg and just a dash of cinnamon. Palate is medium bodied and the mouthfeel is great on this one. Low carbonation but oh so smooth. This is the best Christmas ale I’ve tried this year.. Good stuff..