this year's winterfest/seasonal/etc ales

rmjon23 · 2006-11-23T23:38:46+00:00

I've sampled my fair share so far. For a non-craft brew the SierraNevada Celebration Ale is surprisingly good, methinks. Bitter,cinnamon-y and orange peel. Hops. Not bad.Okay, of the craft brews, one that stands out as a sorta "kitchen sink"ale is Marin County Brewing Co's Hoppy Holiday Flavored Ale. Others maylike it, but it was just too over the hill for me, and I think ofmyself as pretty daring. Heavy nutmeg tone, tempered with cinnamon(what winter seasonal isn't? cinnamon-y that is...), and orange peel.And the bottle sez it also contains "pure vanilla extract" and "mace",this last I don't think I could identify in a blind smell test. Itsounds vaguely menacing though. The whole bomber (7.0% ABV) reminded meof my grandma's xmas cake: just a tad too liberal with the spicecabinet. Decent malt backbone but foam and lace almost nonexistent.Interesting? Yes. Will I drink another? Probably not. But I admire themad brewmeister 'tude behind it.

Nov 23, 2006 20 Replies

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John S. 19 years ago

Hmmm...may be time for a tasting session....

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this year's winterfest/seasonal/etc ales

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