3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Bottle. Moderate grain and roasted for the malt, light to moderate perfume and citrus for the hops, musty for the yeast, with candy sugar, coconut, fruit wine and faint vinegar in the background. Head is average size, frothy turning creamy, off-white with excellent lacing, and is mostly diminishing. Color is slightly hazy copper. Flavor starts slightly sweet, lightly acidic and faintly sour, then finishes lightly acidic and lightly to moderately bitter. Palate is medium, slightly creamy and has a soft carbonation and a lightly astringent finish. A bit of Belgian flair in this Spiced Beer. It has both qualities of a savory English Strong Ale and a refreshing Belgian Ale.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
My Bottom Line:
Almond caramel and wooden hop resins merge in this pleasant Winter Warmer, as hints of orange zest and dried berries are suggested here and there.
Further Personal Perceptions:
-A healthy head of foam laces all around the blood-red tinged brown.
-The comfortable effervescence makes the portly sugars feel lighter.
-If there are spices in there, they are very well integrated to the hop bill.
-The lengthy bitter aftertaste never gets bothersome.
-Alcohol is well hidden throughout.
Bottle.
3.5 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 14/20
THOUGHTS: Fairly Christmasy in appearance, flavor and aroma. Not bad, but not great. The hops and spice clashed a little. A little more hoppy than I was expecting.
TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a clear, medium to dark, amber with an average, off-white head that kept a decent sheet and left excellent lacing. The aroma had light to moderate, toasted malts; caramel and chocolate; hints of mild and strong coffee; moderate to heavy orange hops; and Christmas spices. The initial flavor was moderately sweet and acidic; while the finish was moderately sweet, lightly acidic and light to mod bitter. There was caramel malt, roasted malt, chocolate malt, hints of coffee, orange citrus hops, Christmasy spices and some piney hops. The medium to full body was syrupy and then fairly dry with tingly carbonation and a dry, slightly chalky and slightly metallic finish.
3.2 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Bottle. Pours a murky brown with a medium, tan head. Malty aroma with pine or juniper and spices. Roasted malt and caramel flavor with some nuttiness. Hints of orange and spices and maybe a touch of chocolate.
3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
(22oz bottle) Pours a clear amber body with a medium beige head. Aroma of mustiness, roasted malt, juniper, and spices. Flavor of roasted malt, caramel, chocolate, nuts, orange, and spices.
2.9 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 13/20
Dark fruit with a slight alchohol finish. Aroma is hint of fruit, and hops. Fairly drinkable for the abv, but not overly remarkable. Decent warmer.
3.1 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
22oz bottle. Rating #70. Dark reddish amber color with an off-white head. Light spice aroma wirh a dark sweet fruit aspect to it. Mild flavor, slightly hoppy and a little metallic. Decent. (2074)
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
Pours brown with good retensive beige head. Big fruity molasses nose with hints of spice. Malts supercede the palate chocloate/roasted, molasses, spice, nice dry finish. not as fruity and sweet on the palate as is described. Solid winter brew with a warming alcohol.
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