papajohn (1054), San Diego (Mira Mesa), California, USA Dec 12, 2007 Pint on tap@O’Brien’s: Dark reddish brown color with a small, fading off-white head. Aroma is light with a hint of fruit. Flavor starts with some weak black coffee then some toffee and light fruit followed by a light dry bitter finish. Light bodied and watery with moderate carbonation. badlizard (2325), Berkeley, California, USA Dec 11, 2007 350 ml bottle from Holiday. Reddish brown with a fizzy white head. Malty bready aroma. Slightly metallic bitter taste. ChazMania (408), Pasadena, California, USA Dec 7, 2007 Bottled. Nice malty brown color. Small head. Good chewy texture with flavors of fig, oak and brown sugar. Nice beer and good change to my palate from things I have recently been drinking. beerbrat99 (119), Portland, Oregon, USA Dec 6, 2007 On tap. Deep rich brown hue. Nice tan head with some lacing. Aroma of red fruit, leather and roasted malts. Toffee flavor with mild bitterness and a bit of a harsh alcohol note in the finish. highlandlad (1258), Sydney, Australia Dec 6, 2007 The third and best of a flight of three US Xmas ales generously supplied to Ecze’s Sydney RB bash 2007 by the esteemed Linc, who has access to beers well beyond the average schmo (ie, me). This was my pick of the bunch by a whisker - the others were Bridgeport’s Ebenezer Ale and Sam Adams Holiday Porter. It was the best-looking, ruby with a short head that lasted til Christmas. Nice aroma of treacle scones and sherry - clean. Thinner bodied than the others but not to the extent that it felt like a flaw. Very fruity aroma - cranberries, I wrote, but that may just be the suggestibility power of an Xmas ale. Strong crystal malt toffee notes and a resinous US hop finish. Quite astringent. Sweet and sticky. ZiggyG (131), Gladstone, Oregon, USA Dec 5, 2007 Bottle. Pours dark brown, almost black. Nice 2 inch tan head that leaves lots of lacing. Smell is strong roast coffee malts and chocolate. Taste is mellow coffee with a nice integrated hops bitterness at the end. A hint of skunkiness spoiled the flavor a bit. Mouthfeel is full with medium-low carbonation. Leaves the mouth feeling coated with a nice tingle in the throat. clong83 (243), San Diego, California, USA Dec 2, 2007 Interesting beer. Sweet nose, mildly fruity and floral. Dry finish, with a full mouthfeel. Lightly fruity and rich caramel malt flavor, some hop bitterness. Low carbonation. Cletus (5001), Connecticut, USA Dec 2, 2007 Pours brown with a tan head. Smells of ripe fruit, earth, some spice and chocolate. Tastes of cherries, raisins, some earthy flavor and hints of spice. Mouthfeel is rich with a tea like finish.
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