3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Light hop & malt aroma emanates from a light frothy head. The beer is a clear amber brown. Light maltiness in the front and middle with hop bitterness towards the end. A bit dry and light body for what one would expect from a holiday ale. But still a nice quaffable ale.
3.6 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
SLight malt aroma. Body is a little light for typical christmas ale. Finishes with a slight hop bite and a little to the dry side. Quite drinkable otherwise.
2.9 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
UPDATED: JAN 6, 2005 re-rate-one of my first ratings on the site-needs an update-bottle at DIA airport Dec 20, 2004. pours a copper hue with a small white head. mostly ginger in the aroma and flavor-slight cinnamon note as well. pretty basic, but with good lacing.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
This stuff knocked my socks off! I was really surprised at how good this tasted, with a rich dark color and full flavor. This will definitely catch up to you after a few in front of the fireplace.
4.2 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
This is a very pleasant beer. I had the 33 oz. bottle. The head wasn’t too impressive but seemed to have two stages. It has a juniper-ish aroma, and a sweet, malty taste with a warm (alc.?), long finish. The hops are in the background, but still quite noticeable.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
UPDATED: MAY 12, 2003 Pretty good Christmas beer. Very dark ruby color with a small white head. Aroma of cinnamon. Flavor is sweet, malty, cinnamon and maybe tea?
3.4 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
It’s the only Christmas beer I get around here so how can I
say anything bad? ;^) No really, not super spiced up like most of the winter’s and for me,
that’s a good thing. This is a very attractive and quite nice to drink ale.
3 AROMA 4/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Malty brown ale with a soft, white head. Kind of dead in the nose and palate. Slight caramel flavor. Full-bodied mouth-feel. Nothing that great or ’Christmas’y about it ,save for the above average alcohol count. The alcohol doesn’t enter the flavor, judge for yourself if that’s a good thing.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
A nice winter. The alcohol is VERY well hidden, I was surprised to see the abv. Sweet without being overpowering; just slightly less so then the St Arnold Xmas.
2.9 AROMA 4/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
UPDATED: NOV 26, 2007 12oz. bottle. Malty aroma of dark bread and brown sugar, some light raisin, cocoa and citrus noted as well as a faint, unfortunate whiff of trash. Clear, deep red-brown color, the head quickly fading. Flavor is sweet, fruity and lightly spicy, with hints of dough, pine, tangerine and a lingering toffeeish sweetness mingling with a light-moderate dosage of hop bitterness for the finish. Mouthfeel is smooth, very gently warming and just a tad thin, body is medium. I certainly recall this being a bit more refined, hoppy and just plain enjoyable in times gone by. So it goes.
Original rating - 11/13/01:
Some sweet, dark maltiness and obvious Chinook hops in the aroma. Mahogany color. Appropriate carbonation and head for this style, which is to say somewhat understated. Fruitiness and sweetness of the darker malt selection blends with the spicy hop flavors, balancing rather well. Hops are quite evident throughout, but really come through on the aftertaste, which is quite good, and something that I look for a decent Winter or Strong Ale to have. Somewhat smooth palate and a full-bodied brew. All in all, this is a pretty tasty beer. I’m someone who really likes this style a lot, though. Score: 3.5
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