Breckenridge Christmas Ale

Brewed by Breckenridge Brewery
Style: American Strong Ale
Denver, Colorado USA

12 oz bottle. Pours a nice dark mahogany color with an average head, and little lacing. Smells like a variety of breads, mainly a dark russian rye, and some sourdough thrown in for a certain funkiness. The flavor is all about the malt. Nutty, toasty, and lots of dark rye flavors abound. Hops? Not in this beer! Not much of a caramel or chocolate presence like the description says, just lots of bread and nuts. It’s a real nice taste, but not complex. Alcohol is well hidden, and the beer feels med/light, with med carbonation. Decent stuff, this is what their incredibly weak Autumn Ale should have tasted like.

Pours deep nut brown with orange highlights and a medium off white head. Florals and alcohol combine with a bit of a buttery aroma. I taste the chocolatey roast and mild bitters, very much like a scottish, but with a bit more on the palate. More mellow. Not as syrupy as other warmers. Very good.

2007 version (draught) - A clear dark brown with a slight head, medium body, early hoppy flavor and biterness, full mouthfeel, moderate CO2, slight molassas character. 12-ounce brown bottle notched for the 3rd week in October, year unstated but likely 2006. Dense dark brown color, with moderate white head. Pronounced hoppy aroma and flavor combined with other complexities. Big malty sweetness. No distracting spices. The brewery claims " An Ameican style Strong Ale of 7.4%". A reasonable winter warmer.

Bottle (12oz). Clear mahogany, decent foamy beige head. Grainy malty aroma, hint of roast caramel and chocolate, soft mild lightly spicy hops. Taste is similar, less grainy, a little spicier and roastier, alcohol and hops come in a bit in the finish. Decent body, a little astringent, slightly flat, quick finish - pleasant, a little strong, would have liked more alcohol, malt and spice.

Breckenridge Christmas Ale 12 oz bottle Bottled 11/05, imbibed 07/06 Medium pour in a tulip glass Poured burnt umber with 1/2" foamy thin head that dissipated into a ring. Smelt of spices and sweet maltiness. Slowly starts off with nice soft hop instantly balanced by spices, pleasantly decending into a balanced blend with a sweet raisin maltiness that intertwine nicely, although sweetness lingers a bit too long. Caresses the palace too softly. Mouthfeel is soft but light, with slightly overdone effervescence. Overall, an intruguing yet alluring color, and a very pleasantly balanced albeit subtle taste.

12 oz bottle, assuming a bottle of 2005 since the label is not dated: Chestnut brown body w/ a lasting creamy off white head. I thought I smelled a bit of ginger initially, but as it warms it gets toasty and roasty w/ toasty being dominant. HInts of clover honey and dried light fruits like pears and apples and pney aromas in the nose as well. Some herbal hop notes late in the nose as well as some grainyness. Well balanced, toasted and herbal hops up front. Medium ginger flavor and some grainy malts mid palate Lightly estery w/ pear fruitiness. Finish is on the dry side w/ an aftertaste of toasted malts and light spices. Medium body, smooth m/f, well hidden alcohol, low medium carbonation. Not a bad beer. Not heavily spiced (may have to do w/ a bit of age as well) which I prefer. Fairly enjoyable!

Clear copper body, thick light tan head. Aroma is a light blend of corn, grain, hops, and sweet spice. Flavor is sweet and unexpectedly unobtrusive. A little too sweet, and has a stale cardboard component in finish... also some piney hops are lingering. Easy and soft on palate.

A light spicey aroma and a reddish brown pour. The head is tan and of decent size. The taste is dominated by a spiceness.