joshwilfong (778), Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 3/5 | 17/20 | Dec 26, 2007 beautiful reddish appearance that is perfectly appropriate for the holiday season. large whitish head. nose is malty, smelling of sweet wort. flavor is very unique with a strong malt component that as a cherry component that almost tastes like a cherry flavored candy-cane. a very appropriate holiday brew, at other times of the year the cherry aftertaste might be a drawback, but not at Christmastime HopBackDoc (393), Hatboro, Pennsylvania, USA
| 4.1 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 18/20 | Dec 26, 2007 Pours a dark brown and mahogany color with big, creamy tan head. Aroma of malts, dried fruits, some notes of chocolate and cocoa.Flavor was big on malts, lightly spiced, mildly sweet and a bit of a dry finish. Great blend of sweet malts and some hop bite in the background to make a really delicious Christmas brew. One of the best in its style. HomeBrewHawk (269), De Soto, Kansas, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 3/5 | 17/20 | Dec 26, 2007 750ml corked bottle served in a Blvd. Smokestack Chalice. Cellar temp.
Poured a deep brown/ruby. Medium bubbled off white head. Lively carbonation. Spicy aroma with a little alcohol. Hint of a musty smell.
Full bodied brew. Lots of sweet malt and raisins. Slight hop bite in the middle. Finishes with a little banana and clove.
Drank this one after everyone left on Christmas Day. Good way to finish the holidays. CanIHave4Beers (866), Des Moines, Iowa, USA
| 4.1 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 5/5 | 7/10 | 3/5 | 17/20 | Dec 26, 2007 Updated: Feb 27, 2009Drank after Christmas midnight mass, seemed like the most appropriate occasion.
The bottle opened with a bang. The beer poured beautifully into a Trappist chalice with a huge tan head. The beer was a deep dark brown. The nose was slightly floral, with slight fruitiness, and yeast.
This is, without surprise a fantastically malty beer. That is not to say however that it was overly sweet, which it was not. The beer has a very nice balance of sweet and dry flavors with a little hint of spice, perhaps from hops. There is a slight fruitiness here, but certainly nothing overwhelming. It is a very nice beer, fairly average for it’s style, but no less very well made.
radagast83 (1289), Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| 4.2 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 5/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 | Dec 26, 2007 750ml bottle. This beer pours a thick dark brown color with a thick lasting tan head. The beer has a very caramel and dark fruit with a fantastic array of holiday spices. Beer is heavy on the malts. The flavor is caramel, fruit, and a great taste of "Christmas". The alcohol is noticeable, though it does not detract since it’s not too overpowering even at 10%. Snojerk321 (1943), San Diego, California, USA
| 4.1 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 | Dec 25, 2007 Updated: Nov 28, 2008Bottle from O’Brien’s in San Diego. Brew poured a deep, dark brown with a medium sized, fizzy off white head. Nose had hints of raisins, plums, and other dark fruits. This beer needed to sit for a while, it was a bit rough on the take off. After about a 1/2 hour, a lot of bold fruit flavors started to appear. Ended up being a great brew! MadMan (497), Tempe, Arizona, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 | Dec 25, 2007 Updated: Dec 27, 2007Rating #400
Bottle. Pours a reddish brown with a big semi creamy tan head. Aroma has a dusty yeasty character with hints of dark sweet fruits and some caramel. Flavor is malty, warm, hints of candied fruits, and lightly spicy. Finish comes in short, a little earthy, and drying things out with a lightly spicy finish. Long alcohol burn. It’s good stuff and I enjoyed sharing this one with my friend today on Christmas. ChainGangGuy (2555), Kennesaw, Georgia, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 | Dec 25, 2007 Appearance: Pours a brown body with a large, foamy khaki-colored head. Quite effervescent!
Smell: A nice mix of pitted fruits with notes of cocoa powder, holiday-minded spices, cracked black pepper, and yeast.
Taste: Juicy dark fruits with a hearty dusting of cocoa and tossed with a mix of sugar ’n’ spice. Slight bready yeastiness. Just of earthy bitterness. Semi-dry finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Well carbonated. Warming alcohol presence.
Drinkability: A fine holiday sipper (regardless of the 10% ABV) that made for pleasant Christmas Day drinking.
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