Red Hill Christmas Ale

Brewed by Red Hill Brewery
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Red Hill, VIC, Australia

Serve in Trappist glass

Very carbonated ale mity deep orange colour large creamy head aronas dried fruit spice alcohol yeast the flavours a good yeast and alcohol taste citrus dried fruit nutmeg clove star of anise peppercorn slight doughy taste tangy sharp tastes fizzy the finish sharp fizzy aftertaste spicy alcohol yeast tangy lovely stuff on the palate

Bottle from Mane Liquor. Murky orange-brown pour with a small white head. Aroma picks up sharp citrus bitterness and spices with a nice backing of belgian yeast. Spice and citrus surround the mouth with light belgian yeast and a hint of pepper. Quaffer. Nice enough

Honey amber, cloudy with a thick white head. Spicy citrus aroma. Lovely tangy flavour, yet soft and unoffending. Warming going down, this is a very good beer.

Bottle from a friends trip to melbourne. Pours a dark copper colour, with a small off white head. Aroma is fairly laid back, just a light hop and spice on the nose. First thing i noticed on tasting is that it is highly carbonated, feeling like a sodastream has gone off in your mouth. Taste is fairly limited at first, but once warmed up a touch there are strong pine, grass, cinnamon, orangepeel, cola, berries, chocolate, toffee and a strong hit of alcohol. Did like this quite a bit once it warmed up, although I’d find it more appealing if they hid the alcohol a bit better. Overall a solid warming beer, good in the unseasonable weather we seem to be having!

Bottle. Pours a hazy orangeish amber with a fluffy, lasting beige head that leaves plenty of lacing. Aroma is on the sweet side with notes of toffee, cola, berries and molasses. Flavour is very similar ot the aroma but with hints of mineral and aniseed, as well as a stronger suggestion of raspberries, cherries and blueberries. Mouthfeel is light and quite dry with fairly high carbonation and a lingering bitter finish that becomes sweeter. Nice brew and an interesting, appropriate Australian version of a christmas ale.

Bottle, 8.3%. Cloudy amber with a fat coat of light beige head that lasts pretty well. Aroma of raisins, caramel, quinces, spices, flowers. Creamy mouthfeel with prickles of carbonation. Alcohol not very noticable. Taste is mellower than suggested by the aroma - dried fruit, light caramel, poached pears, quinces, peaches. Mildly spiced. Slightly spiced fruity finish drying out after a while. Not sure I’d call this a tripel (it’s a little dark) but it’s fine and would work for an Australian Christmas dinner if it doesn’t get too hot.

Tried on tap at Red Hill. 2010 vintage. 8.3%. Murky orangey straw body with lasting head. Some spice in the taste, cinnamon and ginger along with orange and mandarin also in the aroma. Fairly full in body but could drink a couple at least. I think this was the first day of release so could still mature well. Didn’t notice the alcohol at all.

Pours hazy dark amber with a medium-sized persistent head. Nose shows lots of malt, with golden syrup and some spicy cloves, as well as grassy/spicy hops. Similarly malty flavours, but with a somewhat floury note. Some grassy hops shows through. Not great. Carbonation is way too high and prickly.