Breckenridge Christmas Ale

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

Hazy dark brown body with small beige head. Aroma is medium sweet, roasty/burnt caramel, some nutty, light sour cherry. Taste is medium sweet, nutty, some caramel, roasty, light astringent. Creamy medium body with low carbonation.

12oz bottle acquired in trade with OhioDad (thanks!). Pourd a medium and clear copper color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, light spices, toasted malts and some citrus. Tastes of caramel, sweet malts, and some toffee. I found the tastes to be on the weaker side compared to the aromas. The body was also thin and watery.

(Bottle) Pours a dark amber-brown color with hardly any head. Descent tasting seasonal ale, but not overly impressive.

First smell is a bit of ashtray, then turns a bit of sweet maple and raspberry liquor. Mundane flavors... light cherry or wood or something, it’s not important... lacking any holiday-like spices, it has a little sweet scotch and plum flavors, but nothing tremendously impressive... drinkable though.

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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Dark copper color with a moderate fluffy light tan head. Quite a few floral hops evident in the nose, with just a touch of malt in the background. Aroma maybe a touch weak, but certainly not offensive. Unbalance is the first thought to pop in the mind after the first swallow. Heavy light roasted malts, with dark chocolate and heartily roasted nuts. Just strong flavors with no balance or real purpose. Sound like this is somewhat better than some past renditions, but I would say only marginally.

Bottle: Pours a pretty ruby mahogany color. Little head, nice lacing. Nose of light spices and caramel malts, I’m surprised it’s not jumping out at me more. The flavor is lightly sweet, nutty, some fig and bread, nice dried fruit; apricot, plum, mango. Clean finish. About what you’d expect from a winter ale for drinking pints of. I usually don’t see these as big drinking beers, but I could get a nice buzz off this one. Nice.

Bottle. Poured dark clear brown color with an average off-white head that diminished slowly with fair lacing. Moderate spicy chocolate aroma. Medium body with soft carbonation. Medium sweet flavor with a medium spicy sweet finish of moderate duration.