Archive for December, 2014

12 Beers of X-Mas: Bell’s Winter White

Wednesday, December 31st, 2014

From Bell’s Brewery in Comstock, Michigan, I’m tasting the Winter White Ale. This is a wheat beer in the style of a true Belgian witbier, made spicy not by the addition of spices but rather by a dominant yeast strain.

Bell's Winter White AleThe Winter White pours a solidly hazy golden straw color. The bone white head looks creamy but falls away quickly. The nose is generously spicy with cloves, a hint of citric orange, and a rich toasty malt character.

The taste follows similarly, with a significant but not sharp clove flavor backed by biscuity maltiness. A bit of an herbal hop bitterness balances the malt quite well. The malt sweetness fades just a bit quicker than the yeast spiciness and the hops, leaving a tantalizing tingle on the tongue.

This beer is dangerously drinkable. Remarkably balanced, with an understated complexity and clean refreshing character that leaves you asking for another sip. It pairs well with spicy food. With a little more substance to the head and the flavor this would be the perfect beer.

+Bell’s Winter White Ale

4.0 (3-8-7-5-17)

12 Beers of X-Mas: Rogue Santa’s Private Reserve

Tuesday, December 30th, 2014

This evening I will have some of Santa’s Private Reserve Ale brewed by Rogue Ales out of Newport, Oregon. The bottle says cryptically “snowflakes glisten”, a hint at this bottle’s easter egg which you’ll discover if you drink it on a dark winter’s night.

Santa’s Reserve is a red ale, a slightly beefier version of the Saint Rogue Red, which, incidentally, I’ve never really been a fan of. Rogue Santa's Private Reserve AleIt pours a dark coppery red with a fair amount of tan head. Unfortunately the head is a bit swiss cheesy and doesn’t last very long. The aroma is rich with a strong hoppy character and a full maltiness. The hops come across as tropical fruit: pineapples and papaya with a hint of earthy pine, while the malt manifests as biscuits and toast.

This beer is initially bitter, with a spruce and pine hop flavor. The bitterness fades a bit revealing just a bit of caramel sweetness, which itself yields again to the spruce hop flavor. This herbal hop character lingers on the tip of the tongue and the roof of the mouth. If there were a bit more alcohol warming it would balance quite nicely, but as it is the herbal bitterness is just a bit too strong.

I quite like the nose on this one, but I’m afraid that the flavor doesn’t quite live up to the promise. Nevertheless, this is a drinkable winter warmer to enjoy on the cold, dark nights ahead.

+/-Rogue Santa’s Private Reserve Ale

3.3 (3-8-6-3-13)

12 Beers of X-Mas: New Belgium Accumulation

Sunday, December 21st, 2014

New Belgium AccumulationFrom New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins, Colorado, tonight I’m tasting Accumulation, a white IPA.

Accumulation pours a lightly hazy pale blonde color. The head is bone white and a little spongey. The aroma is quite mild, just a bit of herbal hops and a light bready maltiness.

An interesting herbal hop bitterness leads the flavor, but fades somewhat into a mellow herbal flavor that doesn’t last long. A malty sweetness lasts, turning a bit cloying. The body is full, a little much given how mild this beer is.

+/-New Belgium Accumulation

3.3 (3-6-7-3-14)

12 Beers of X-Mas: Dupont Avec les Bons Vœux

Thursday, December 18th, 2014

With good wishes from Brasserie Dupont in Tourpes, Belgium, comes the classic holiday saison Avec les Bons Vœux. Originally brewed as a new year’s gift for select clients, this dry-hopped farmhouse ale is now widely available. Each winter I consider it Dupont’s personal gift to me.

Avec les bons VœuxThe head on the Bons Vœux is so lively and thick that it’s a challenge to pour. The quite creamy and long-lasting head sits atop an unfiltered, opalescent beer the color of gold. A dry hoppy aroma greets you at first, with a bit of barnyard mustiness as well. Biscuity malt character follows, balancing the herbal hop nose. This is one of those delicate and complex aromas you can easily get lost in.

The flavor walks the knife’s edge between dry hoppy and sweet malty. An herbal bitterness is balanced by bready sweetness. The clean malt character grows into a strong alcohol warming, betraying the almost ten percent alcohol. A strong effervescence keeps the heat from growing too biting and brings out the piney and herbal hop flavor.

The Bons Vœux is a pinnacle of understated complexity.

++Avec les Bons Vœux de la Brasserie Dupont

4.2 (5-9-7-4-17)

12 Beers of X-Mas: Tröegs Mad Elf Ale

Tuesday, December 16th, 2014

To kick off this year’s Twelve Beers of X-Mas, I’m tasting The Mad Elf Ale, a beer described as cheerful and jolly, which seems appropriate.Tröegs The Mad Elf Ale The Mad Elf, a specialty ale brewed with honey and cherries, is made by Tröegs Brewing Company in Hershey, Pennsylvania, my friend Nate’s favorite brewery.

The cherries impart a strong ruby red color to this beer. The head is a creamy off-white, but it doesn’t last very long. The aroma is quite subtle, just a bit of caramel and toast and a hint of cherry. As it warms a little more comes out, though it remains quite mild.

The flavor is remarkably light and clean, particularly for an 11% ale. I suspect it’s brewed with a Belgian strain of yeast, as there’s a clove spice and fruit character reminiscent of many Belgian ales. Following that is a bit of caramel malt and a light cherry tartness, rounded out by a strong alcohol warming. Like the nose, the flavor grows as The Mad Elf warms, so I’d suggest serving it on the warmer side, towards 55 degrees Farenheit or so. The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, with a bit of a lasting sweetness. The cloves and alcohol linger as well, so it’s never quite cloying.

Overall The Mad Elf is a flavorful but easy drinking winter warmer. Enjoy it by the fire (or in my case, the space heater).

+Tröegs Mad Elf Ale

3.8 (3-7-8-4-16)