Breckenridge Christmas Ale

Bottle: Deep amber hue with a frothy off-white head and okay lacing. The aroma has notes of piney and grassy hops, clove, coriander, pepper, caramel and crystal malt and a touch of butterscotch. Nice layer of flavors with a subdued spicy and bitter character supported by citric notes. Bready and mocha malt background prior to a finish of ginger. The feel is lively and crisp, very refreshing indeed. I like this very much, this lastest batch seems a major improvement over the Xmas ale of old.

Clear amber, little head. Fruity aroma with some alcohol and cocoa. Fruity caramel flavor. Some alcohol burn. Ok body. Somewhat one dimensional.

12oz bottle pours brown with a frothy offwhite head that stays pretty well and laces decently. Aroma of caramel malts, some cinnamon and cloves and a touch of ginger. Flavor is mostly malts. Caramel, chocolate, some clove sneaks in with a little ginger and some smoke. Some pine-like hops finish off each sip. Palate is medium bodied but leans a little towards the watery side. Very drinkable. Not bad..

12oz - Aroma is slighty hoppy, sweet malt, and a touch of cinnamon. Pours a garnet with a small head that dissapates to leave great lacing. Flavor is carmel malt followed by some hops and not much spice. Palate is thin and watery. Not bad, but nothing special.

I tried this a few years ago and remember a somewhat thin, but tasty and cola-like, beer. The second time around, I realized this is actually a hop-driven beast, with a toasty, spicy body barely containing the big piney (Glacier?) hops. As the beer warmed there were hints of anise on the palate. Not exactly what I remembered, but not terrible. Nonetheless, I was a bit disappointed.

Pours amber with a small off-white head. Strong pine scent reminescent of a christmas tree. Malty flavor with earthy and pine hops and some ginger to accent. I could see drinking this with the family while opening gifts on X-mas day.

Appearance is brown, wiht a skim of creamy white head. Aroma is malty, hint of hops, citrusy, not spicy. Smooth palate, but not creamy. Very malty flavory, warming alcohol, hops on the finish. Not bitter. Very good, great use of hops in this brew. Not bitter at all, but great hints of it. Good hop burp, if you like that sort of thing.

This has a really nice pour, a clear reddish-brown body with a creamy, beautiful lacing, tan head. The aroma is a rich malt with plums, alcohol, some ginger, and other spices. A bit thin in the mouth, it’s got a malty, rooty, gingery, peppery, alcoholic flavor that follows with a sweet, warm finish. Not remarkable, but eminantly drinkable.

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