St. Bernardus Christmas Ale

Brewed by St. Bernard Brouwerij
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Watou, Belgium

75cl, from De Hopduvel Gent, very complex, balanced, hazy, good head, one of the best X-Mas brews, a topper!

750ml bottle, amazing head, Very fruity aroma, strong clove chocolate and grape flavor, too alcoholic.

Tap at City beer, SF. Dark color, brown head. Aroma of roasted malt, some dark fruit, spices, licorice. Good strong malty taste in the typical bernardus way, but with a bit more xmas spices and slight less sugar. Very nice stuff.

Aroma is sweet spice. Not quite gingerbread, but nice. The head exceeds the body, and it qualifies as rocky. Full bodied with creamy, but rough, carbonation. The flavor is marvelous. It is sweet, tart, chocolate, cherry, various dark fruits, amazing. The finish has harsh roasted malt in a minor way, and yeast. This is something that is more year round than winter. It’s really pleasant - i.e. pleasing.

Rich Belgian aroma, thick head, full bodied Belgian Strong Ale with flavors of raisin, spice, medium bitterness. Nice extension to the St. Bernardus line. Happily drank past two weekends in a row.

This brew is a somewhat murky dark mahogany color with a medium and dense off-white head that recedes slowly. Rings of lacing on the glass. Aroma of raisins, yeast, bananas and malt. Rich body with flavors of spices, dark fruit (plum and raisins), malt and yeast. The finish is robust malt with a fruity aftertaste. The ABV is well-masked throughout. Overall an enjoyable holiday-themed beer.

Beautiful amber-brown in colour with a lingering beige head and excellent lacing. The aroma was of sweet toffee, some alcohol, yeast, plums and spice. The flavour was plummy, toffee covered fruits, light sweetness, some alcohol and smooth throughout. Creamy mouthfeel, medium body, medium/high carbonation. Finishes long, sweet with a light and lingering alcohol warmth.

An excellent winter beer, the alcohol never overpowered this, good balance.

750ml bottle obtained in a trade with Beerlando, thanks Bryan.
Opened on February 18, 2008
Best before August 7, 2012.

My Bottom Line:
Festive black pepper seamlessly follows the intelligent dried cocoa, as dates and cherries are amassed to offset the twitching alcohol warming in this, yet another highly successful Belgian Strong Ale from one of the world’s best breweries.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A heavenly tower of unyielding foam thrones and laces within the chalice atop the mahogany-laced darkest of browns.
-Carbonation is frothy and bubbles initially expansive; a little breathing does wonders for the mouthfeel.
-Its fragrance is at first delicate, but bready yeast develops soon enough to embolden the calculated desserty spices.
-Some roasted malt flakes whirl about serenely.
-The entire flavor profile is entirely balanced and the dessert spicing so wisely integrated.
-Cloves are also perceived in the spiciness, but no real spice stands out.
-The fruitiness seems to be slowly candied throughout the tasting.
-This is complex and highly drinkable for its gravity; what else would you expect from St.Bernardus!

Bottle.