Funny thing about beer drinking: Nothing is definite. You may get a skunked beer that was supposed to be awesome. You may not enjoy things that others rave about. Or you may plan a 12 part beer series for Christmas, get caught up in the holidays and say whatever, I'll catch up when I can... Ooops. Beers 10 and 11 are here. If anyone was curious, the twelfth beer was supposed to be 21st Amendment's Fireside Chat. It's still in my beer fridge. That's life. And on that note, I'm moving on:
Beer number 10 was Southern Tiers 2Xmas. Before we get into this one, I have to note that this beer was a year old. I don't know why, but all the stores around here had last year's bottles. I asked someone and they said the distributor did this on purpose because its better with a year on it. I can't refute that claim since I haven't had it fresh and it was delicious as year old, but I call shenanigans. I think they had ordered too much last year. AAaaanyways, this 2Xmas poured a hazy brown with a tan head that dissolved immediately. This brew has an incredibly complex nose; it showcases malts, an interesting gingerbread odor, and hints of cinnamon. Very appealing on a cool, winter evening. Where the odor succeeds, the flavors really outdo themselves. The malts and spices come back through on the flavors, followed by some interesting fruity tang and some brown sugar. This beer is almost whimsical. It is a lot of fun to pick out all of the different characteristics, and despite the complexity it all really works well together. I don't know if it is better with a year on it than fresh, but I know its pretty darn tasty!
The beer I intended to was Christmas Ale brewed by
Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV (not sure what the NV is, got it from BA) in Belgium. Many people, including myself, really enjoy the Abt 12, and I love Belgian beers in general, so I was excited to give this a go. Christmas Ale pours a dark, opaque brown with a big, fluffy beige head. The nose boasts Belgian yeasts and sweet raisins. Those delicious banana yeast flavors lead the way, along with some nice bread and date notes. A little bit of spiciness and a hint of booze finish it out. The booze doesn't match its 10%ABV, but it's notable. All in all, this stuff is great. I happened to be in Total Wine the other day, and saw they marked this way down since Christmas is over! $6.99 a bottle, but it'll go fast! Stowed that bottle away for a future Christmas. I can't wait to see how the flavors develop!
Beer number 10 was Southern Tiers 2Xmas. Before we get into this one, I have to note that this beer was a year old. I don't know why, but all the stores around here had last year's bottles. I asked someone and they said the distributor did this on purpose because its better with a year on it. I can't refute that claim since I haven't had it fresh and it was delicious as year old, but I call shenanigans. I think they had ordered too much last year. AAaaanyways, this 2Xmas poured a hazy brown with a tan head that dissolved immediately. This brew has an incredibly complex nose; it showcases malts, an interesting gingerbread odor, and hints of cinnamon. Very appealing on a cool, winter evening. Where the odor succeeds, the flavors really outdo themselves. The malts and spices come back through on the flavors, followed by some interesting fruity tang and some brown sugar. This beer is almost whimsical. It is a lot of fun to pick out all of the different characteristics, and despite the complexity it all really works well together. I don't know if it is better with a year on it than fresh, but I know its pretty darn tasty!
The beer I intended to was Christmas Ale brewed by Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV (not sure what the NV is, got it from BA) in Belgium. Many people, including myself, really enjoy the Abt 12, and I love Belgian beers in general, so I was excited to give this a go. Christmas Ale pours a dark, opaque brown with a big, fluffy beige head. The nose boasts Belgian yeasts and sweet raisins. Those delicious banana yeast flavors lead the way, along with some nice bread and date notes. A little bit of spiciness and a hint of booze finish it out. The booze doesn't match its 10%ABV, but it's notable. All in all, this stuff is great. I happened to be in Total Wine the other day, and saw they marked this way down since Christmas is over! $6.99 a bottle, but it'll go fast! Stowed that bottle away for a future Christmas. I can't wait to see how the flavors develop!
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