Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Christmas Ale



Winter beers are starting to pop up all over the place. So, there's no need to go on a wild goose chase to find one. (Do you see what I did there?) 

Goose Island Christmas Ale is a perennial favorite. It's been brewed seasonally every year to ring in the holidays. There recipe is never exactly the same. Every year it's a little different; however, a brown ale is the base of the recipe.

Christmas Ale (7.30% ABV), annus 2012, poured a dense reddish brown with a small quickly dissoving head.

The aroma is malts with brown sugar, caramel, and spices wafting about.

The taste is spices, bread, caramel, and other comforting flavors atop a solid malt backbone. There is some pleasant alcohol warming but there is little booziness to speak of. Combined with gentle seasonal spices, the finish is somewhat bitter and nicely offsets the overall sweetness of the brew.

The mouthfeel is mediumish and coating.

Christmas Ale is a tasty winter warmer. A good example of the style with a unique flavor profile.

Overall: good

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