Barleys Christmas Ale

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

Serve in Lager glass, Tumbler

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One of the most popular beers this brewery offers. Pours out a nice copper/amber color. Nice aroma of spice and slight citrus. It has a very interesting flavor and hides it’s alcohol content very well. Of course this can come back to haunt you later.

Warm Holiday goodness! This is fantastic beer! For the first time in a long time I actually had two glasses of the same beer in a row! A grand mix of different spices; nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, allspice maybe? This is a beautiful beer - if you have a weekend free - make the trip to Barley’s for this one.

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.

12/28/02: on tap at the smokehouse. small rim of head which diminishes quickly (lipstick may have been the culprit here!) minor amount of carbonation. no lacing. light cinnamon nose. very light, clean taste with evidence of lots of spice- cinnamon and orange in particular. in my opinion not a bad beer, but no comparison to Barley’s Winter Warmer! cheers.

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..

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 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.

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.

Looks like a ESB, orangish brown. Maybe not as spiced as last years was decribed. Flavors were malt, with notes of orange, coriander and nutmeg. Balanced finish. Good spice ale.

Ginger and honey stand out in the aroma. Amber color, thin white head (that is the exact description I’ve used for most of their beers). All three spices stand out - honey, ginger, and orange peel - in the sweet malty flavor. Medium-full body. Very similar to Great Lakes x-mas, although I like the sweeter balance in this beer better.