Tröegs The Mad Elf Holiday Ale

Brewed by Tröegs Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania USA

Bottle courtesy keepersj12. Poured a nice looking vivid amber colour with a copper hue. Boozy sweet cherry aroma. Similar theme in the flavour with hints of spice and yeast. Body is maybe a little thinner than anticipated. Alcohol pretty well masked. A wee bit sweet for me, but a decent christmas beer nonetheless.

750ml growler at Bellport Beer. Cherries, honey, spice, not something I thought I would like. But, alas, I am wrong again. The sweet/bitter combo works well in this one. I did not detect as much chocolate as I was told I would. The bread and the malt stood out for me. A solid B+ beer. but even so, I don’t think I could have finished a full growler.

(Bottle into tulip) This beer came very highly recommended over the past 2 holiday seasons, but I had a hack of a time finding it until this year, and I frankly have been saving this one in anticipation. I was NOT disappointed!! Poured a nice red color but with little to no head that was gone in a heartbeat. The nose was heavy with the honey and cherry as advertised, as well as a background of the alcohol. Lively carbonation on the tongue and the drink itself is very smooth. The taste was very surprising, however, as I was expecting more sweetness based on the aromas. There was some sweet there, but also a nice spicy bite (nutmeg?) that lingered, giving that warm holiday feeling and a fine finish. I will definitely be on the lookout for more next year!!

Poured a pale amber completely clear with a thin white head. Nose was very heavy with cinnamon, honey, some winter spices, and corn syrup. Taste was very sweet, but somehow thin, good amount of spice, but it seemed to get dominated by the overly sweet and slightly one dimensional syrupy body. Nose was great, but that was about it.

Fruity, sour, alcoholy, really sweet. Way too sweet, in my opinion. I had a hard time with this one...

bottle. Pours a clear amber with a reddish tint and only off-white bubbles instead of head. Nose is of spice and cherry. taste is also of spice and cherry. Mouthfeel is creamy with alcohol warmth. Not bad.

Pours bright red with no head. Aroma and flavor of cherry cough syrup with some cinnamon thrown in. Pretty wide of the mark.

Draft and 12 oz. Clear copper with a small, lasting disc of bubbles. Nose of bubblegum, alcohol, over-ripe apples and bananas. Flavor is banana, cherry coughdrop, alcohol, bread yeast, honey, pepper bubblegum. Finish has some light cinnamon and peppery wood. Medium body is smoothly carbonated, with a nicely watery and thick mouthfeel at the same time. Complex taste profile is pretty good, but just not one of my tastebuds favorite things.