The Bruery Partridge in a Pear Tree

Brewed by The Bruery
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
Placentia, California USA

Bottle. Pours a deep amber-orange hue, thick off-white head sustains, cloudy in the light. Nose is dark and light fruits, bready malts, brown sugar and spices. Taste is pears and light fruits in balance with raisins and prunes, brown sugar and molasses in the middle with low grassy hops, sweet rich malts present throughout, finishes sweet and grainy. Full-bodied, thick chewy texture, medium carbonation. Very sweet and fruity Quad that borders on cloying that masks the alcohol presence well, good in small quantities, could see how this would be received better in the winter given its body and fullness!

Clear copper color with a tan head. Nice earthy pit fruit, spicy caramel aromas. Full bodied and very smooth with light carbonation. Flavor mirrors the aroma with earthy sweet Bosc pears and spicy sharp caramels. Barely a hint of the big abv in the taste or smell, and not overly sweet like some Quads. Very good.

Just because Christmas is technically over doesn’t mean I can’t still enjoy the hundreds of various winter warmers and Christmas beers. After all, the holiday is but one day while old man winter himself hangs around for months. Maybe not so much in Florida, but that’s just an insignificant technicality. Instead, I am going to enjoy my Partridge in the Pear Tree from The Bruery with clear skies, a smiling sun, and soothing balmy weather.

Hazy brown depths peer back at me from my tulip-shaped glass. Not much of a head to boast, but she puffs up nicely with some repeated aggravation, leaving a thick ring all-around. Filling the air with warm holiday cheer are fresh brown spices, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, maple, rum soaked raisins, finishing with a naughty nip of alcohol. Like Jack Frost nipping at my nose, Partridge in the Pear Tree is calling me to surrender to her call, and so I do. Sweet and thick, she immediately coats my tongue and all available surfaces in my mouth with crunchy bitter nuts and lemon rind. Cinnamon, nutmeg, rum, and vanilla mingle in perfect harmony while delicate maple notes caress the top of my tongue. Like a temptress, her sweet spiced nature brings me in for a resounding alcohol zing which warms me body and soul, growing slowly as my glass empties. Further in, lace marks her path while fresh dates and figs join an already decadent palate. As we bid our farewells, I am left with warm memories of spices, bitter lemon, rum raisins, and a dry herbal finish. Definitely interesting and definitely good.

From my understanding, The Bruery has a series of Christmas beers that are named in honor of the song, The Twelve Days of Christmas. At the moment, I have The Partridge in the Pear Tree before me, and quite a pleasing winter warmer she was. I am definitely intrigued and wonder what her fellow mates are like. I shall just have to find out.

Bottle: Poured a deep clear copper color ale with a medium light brown foamy head with good retention and minimal lacing. Aroma of sweet malt with some light dry fruits notes. Taste is dominated by sweet malt and is almost overly sweet with very subtle notes of dry fruits and a unrefined grain finish. Body is quite full with average carbonation and no noticeable alcohol. A bit deceiving overall with lacking complexity and some overly dominant sweetness.

Pours a two finger light tan head that fades quickly leaving some lace. Cloudy amber color, lot of suspended yeast. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Sweet and sour nose. Flavor is caramel, ginger and spice . High ABV is hidden. Pricey at $12.45 for a 750ml bottle from Colonial Spirits Acton, MA.

750ml bottle. thanks to hophead22. pours dark fruit, pear, clove, and caramel. flavors sweet dark fruits, pear, banana, maple syrup, yeast. thin body, touch syrupy, alcohol is well hidden, a pretty nice after dinner dirnk.

750ml bottle. thanks to andrew for sharing....pours a dark reddish caramel brown with a quickly dissipating thin off-white head.....aroma sweet banana, candied sugar, and dried fruit. really fruity.... flavors remain consistent with the nose. sweet with both light and dark fruit. a touch of sour in the finish even. pretty drinkable but i prefer the standard belgian quads but still decent nonetheless.

750ml Bottle: Aroma of slightly tart fruits, wood, plum light spices, fruit, slight yeast, cherries, red wine, and a bit of funk. Poured copper/brown/amber in color with a small, creamy, dense, beige head that diminished quickly but lasted throughout around the edges. Cloudy. Not sparkling. Full of tiny and small particles throughout. Flavor is medium sweet. Tastes of dark ripe fruits, wood, malts, plums, cherries, slight funk, slight spices, slight vanilla, slight chocolate, slight nuts, and a hint of tobacco. Medium body. Slightly thin, oily, lightly chalky, lightly dry finish. 11%ABV is totally hidden.