5 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 10/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 20/20
Wonderful. And so proud of yet another Cleveland brewery for making such a wonderful northeastern Xmas ale. Spicey. Cinnamon. Sweet but smooth. So impressive.
---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone
3.7 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
On tap at brewpub
Tis the season for Christmas ales and Fat Head’s gets into the act with a solid version of a winter staple. This one is more like a dessert table then a winter warmer. Of the options on tap right now it is one of the best.
Aroma / Appearance - Deep rosy red bubbles warm up the table with a glow like candlelights. Off white fringes of head wrap the edges. Spiced pumpkin pie, nutmeg, and whipped cream blend well along with cherries and an alcoholic glaze. The warmth of a fire hides in the background.
Flavor / Palate - Thick and chewy like a half melted candy bar the mouthfeel is dense. Chocolate, cherries, and sift warm embers are smooth as they roll across the palate. Robust and filling this is the ideal seasonal. Cleveland might have a new best Christmas ale.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Orange-brown with an off white cover. The aroma is orange peel, caramel, spice bread. Taste is similar, bready, some additional honey.
3.2 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
Aroma: Brown sugar with hints of spice.
Appearance:Cloudy dark amber with minimal head.
Taste: Light-medium sweetness with a slight spicy sourness in the finish.
Palate: Medium body, thick, creamy texture, flat carbonation, long spicy finish.
Overall: Really unimpressed. The spices are so overwhelming as to be cloying, and there’s little development beyond that.
3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 13/20
On tap at Pizza Plant. Nice looking head on grapefruit body. Lace down the glass as I drain a nutmeg, cinammon mix, cardomon mix. Sweet and a little light mouthfeel. Not tremedously drinkable but hits the style.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
Pint at the Pittsburgh location. Clear copper pour with a medium beige head. Aroma of ginger, cinnamon and dark malt. Flavor is lots of ginger, some cinnamon, a bit of honey sweetness and bready malt along with a touch of nutmeg and a crisp finish.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 13/20
Enjoyed via draft in an English pub glass at the Pittsburgh location. The beer pours a very deep amber color with a small to moderate off-white head. The nose initially gives some nice crystal malt character, leading into the obligatory notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and perhaps another odd holiday spice or two. Hops come in at the end of the aromatic experience, showing a noticeable but subtle and fairly refined melange of west coast American hops. Both the nose and palate seem to have been modeled after Great Lakes’ excellent Christmas beer. This is especially true with the beer’s flavors. Malt character comes up front, and stays throughout the beer. The spices come in about the mid-palate, and lead to a gentle but assertive and balancing hop bitterness, ending with a semi-sweet finish. Overall, a nice seasonal.
3.4 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
On tap, poured a slightly cloudy deep auburn with a thick white head. Spice aroma, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Smooth malt flavor with restrained spices, nice and balanced with an overpowering hop kick. Seemed a bit hoppy for the style and although the spices were balanced with the maltiness, the hops were just a bit out of place. Overall a nice winter warmer, if not a bit boring. I guess in Cleveland, Christmas Ale means spiced amber ale....
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
On tap at Fat Head’s pours clear amber color with tan head. Aroma is cinnamon, nutmeg, and some clove. Average mouthfeel. Flavor follows the nose and has a spicy finish from the spices. Overall not a bad beer and was actually easy to drink. Pretty smooth.
3.2 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Had this one at the Fat Head’s in Pittsburgh PA as part of their Christmas in July theme......Sampled on draft this beer poured a ruby-chestnut color with a medium sized tan head. The aroma was very strong nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. The flavor was robust with dry spices - cinnamon, nutmeg and candied ginger predominantly with dry nutty malts and light floral hops underneath. The finish was long and spicy. Medium body. Solid.
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