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St. Bernardus Christmas Ale

St. Bernardus Christmas Ale - Belgian Strong Ale

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 Percentile 
98
overall
Brewed by St. Bernard Brouwerij
Style: Belgian Strong Ale

Watou, Belgium

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  Seasonal  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in 
3943.86/5.03.84/5.0Winter10%94.9Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler
View Statistics  P 

Commercial Description:
St. Bernardus Christmas Ale is the youngest descendant in the illustrious family of delicious Abbey Ales by Brewery St. Bernardus. This specialty beer of 10% alc. vol. is characterized by its deep dark colour, with a creamy, thick head and a full, almost velvety taste with a fruity nose. It's a seasonal ale, brewed annually for the holiday season. The long winter nights are perfect moments to savour this ale with or without friends and to enjoy its unique, complex taste and after-taste.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 Ober (1161), Bommelerwaard, Netherlands
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/517/20
Dec 15, 2008    Updated: Jan 10, 2009
@ Kerstbierfestival Essen (B). A clear red/brown colored beer, with a thick beige head. The aroma of nuts with caramel and dried fruit. The taste of dark malt with fruits like prunes. A little spices and alcohol in the back. The beer is in a way fresh bitter. After a time it gets warm.


GilBier (75), Dendermonde, Belgium
4.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/59/104/518/20
Dec 15, 2008  
Intens brown beer with a fantastic frothy beige head. Nose is rich, malty and has loads of complex hints of spices, Port wine, honey, raisin-bread and rich candy sugar. It has a complex rustic accent of wood ? and a fantastic touch of dried fruits such as plums and raisins. Typical for the Bernardus beers is the rich bready texture and the rich and silky mouthfeel. The slight hoppyness lifts it up in the long lasting finale.


 TrefwoordPunk (549), Leiden, Netherlands
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/58/104/516/20
Dec 15, 2008  
Bottle 75 cl. brown with a ywellowish white head and a sweet an grassy aroma. The taste is very sweet with notes of sugar, soy sauce, ripe prunes, lots of hops, cinnamon, cherries and lots od molasses. The finish is tickling spicy. Very good, but not as good as some other St bernardus brews


 Cybercat (778), Georgia, USA
4.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/59/105/518/20
Dec 14, 2008  
This comes out of the tap an opaque dark brown with a thick pale tan head. Aroma is very hoppy and spicy, inviting a taste. Flavor does not disappoint - it is mainly hoppy with spicy overtones and a spicy, evergreen aftertaste. Texture is very smooth and cooling. An excellent winter brew.


 fiver29 (703), Cleveland, Ohio, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/103/514/20
Dec 14, 2008  
On tap pours very dark brown with off white head. Aroma is cinnamon, fruit, and brown sugar. Has a light body. Flavor is a bite of cinnamon, cherry, prunes, apricot, dark brown sugar and molasses. The flavors linger into the finish. Overall a solid brew.


 Ibrew2or3 (2714), Safety Harbor, Florida, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/515/20
Dec 14, 2008  
Poured on tap at the Oldsmar Tap House. Pours deep dark semi opaque brown with crescent moon shaped off white head. The mild aroma has spices, brown sugar, cherries and apples. It is a little too light to really pick out all the aromatics, at least for me. The taste has an initial pulse of varied winter spices quickly followed by sweet malts and a touch of molasses. By midway the dark fruitiness over powers the other notes with prunes, red apples, a hint of cherry and apricot. It ends with lingering fruit sweetness, cinnamon and malt.


 DuffMan (2719), the land of bitumen, beef & beer, Alberta, Canada
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Dec 14, 2008  
Pours a deep cloudy brown with red highlights. Towering rocky slow-to-settle head. Brown sugar and toffee and raisins and spice. Flavours of caramalized banana and toffee and spices. Slightly yeasty. Finish is warming but the alcohol remains discreet. Delicious.


 aplusbreaks (330), , Colorado, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/59/104/516/20
Dec 13, 2008  
750ml corked and caged shared by Kevin and ratman197. Thanks guys. Pours a semi cloudy, yeast was not settled, orange amber with a one inch head and nice retention throughout. Aromas of figs and other dark fruits, yeast, bread, and some spice. Flavors of dark fruits, figs, candi sugar, yeast, and some spices. Palate is bubbly and medium bodied.



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