Winter -Christmas Ales

the only one i've tried so far is the celebration ale. at first i thought it was less christmas-like and more hoppy. but then i tried it on another day and with a clean palette. it doesn't seem any less christmas-like than i remember from previous years. rather, the christmas-like qualities are simply masked by a more hoppy flavour.

but that's just my take. kevin

rwcos wrote:

What the hell are "christmas-like" flavors in beer?

Balsam? (well, hops can be "pine-y" but you say hops MASKED the CF)

Chestnuts?

Candy Cane?

Candle wax?

Christmas-like flavors? In the case of Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale, those flavors are simply malt and hops.

The Celebration ale is ok, I like it but nothing special IMO, more like an IPA. To me the Samuel Smith Winter Welcome is much better.

bluestringer

If you can find Full Sail's "Wreck the Halls", go for it. It's nicely balaced beer that's easy to drink. I like the Wassail too, but I haven't tried it this year.

Best regards, Bill

Ooops....make that 3. I forgot to mention Rogue Santa's Private Reserve which comes in the fancy case with a glass. I'm not buying another one for ~US$17 just to get another bottle cuz I only think it's fair to middlein.

Best regards, Bill

Santa's is also available in just the 22 oz. bottle without the cool glass. Rogue also occasionally make an outstanding winter beer called "Mogul Ale" (or "Mogul Madness" as it used be called). One of the best, if not the best, winter beers I have ever tasted. If I ever see it on sale at the local Rogue pub I stock up.

I have heard that Santa's is the same beer as the Rogue Red using double the amount of hops and malt, but can't confirm it.

I have a dim memory of hearing it only had more hops.

Anyone?

"bluestringer" wrote in news:uGRmd.34114$ snipped-for-privacy@bignews6.bellsouth.net:

SNCA is an IPA. An exceptional one, but it's only a "Christmas" beer because it's a winter seasonal. Something like Anderson Valley Winter Solstice is more of a Christmas-type beer, as it's more spiced and all.

What do you mean Christmas-like?! It is and has been nothing more than a pretty hoppy IPA.

Dunno but I just had Santa 2 nights ago and noted its malt character was in the "medium" range, certainly not significantly more than the Red. There definitely was, however, a significantly bigger hop presence. A very tart Chinook bite that I wasn't entirely thrilled by. (sure I like hops, even chinook, but I just had some Amarillo beers over the weekend which were so very nice).

Frankincense and Myrrh?

J>

Hot, wet reindeer.

Anderson Valley Winter Solstice: LOVED it last year; this year it just has too much vanilla for my liking.

Wild Goose Snow Goose 2004--epic, wonderful, if this had wider availability it could knock out Sam Smith's Winter Warmer. Think along the same lines: Nice wood-tainted strong ale, terrifically balanced, chewy and malty without being overbearing.

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale: Great as usual, but I expect more from a holiday beer.

Troeg's Mad Elf 2004: Oh, my heavens. Pure Nirvana. Cherries, honey, chocolate malt......... a 10-11% cherry mead taste-alike............

More to come................

Well, for Belgian beer, yeah, I can see it but....

Do people really feel that a "true" Christmas beer HAS to be spiced? That seems to be the opinion of a lot of folks around here.

"What do you mean Christmas-like?! It is and has been nothing more than a pretty hoppy IPA."

"SNCA is an IPA. An exceptional one, but it's only a "Christmas" beer because it's a winter seasonal. Something like Anderson Valley Winter Solstice is more of a Christmas-type beer, as it's more spiced and all."

Can't it just be a special beer a brewer puts out for the holidays? The most "famous" Christmas beer among beer lovers is arguably Ballantine's Burton Ale, altho' lots of other pre-micro brewers also put out Christmas beers (of a no-doubt lesser grade that BBA- possibly only a decorated label on their standard beer) like Walter's, Daufers, Koch, Potosi, Lithia, South Bethlehem, Dubuque Star, etc.

In the "modern" era, the first Holiday beers I recall on the East Coast were Koch's and Matt's, and eventually Anchor made it here. The first example that I can recall of a US brewed SPICED Christmas beer. So, now that's become the standard convention? Do Christmas beers (holiday beers, winter beers...) HAVE to be spiced to be "true"?

Seems to me that's a little like saying all those Beatle albums I found under the tree as a kid weren't "true" Christmas presents because they didn't have carols on them. (I won't even mention that sweater Aunt Mitilda gave me- reindeer and Xmas trees wouldn't have improved it....)

"People" might. Anyone who has more than a bit of experience with beer don't. Non-spiced examples abound, like Young's Winter Warmer, Samuel Smith Winter Welcome, etc.

Yes, that's all a winter/holiday beer is. I personally very seldom like spiced beers, so I appreciate the (arguably) more traditional non-spiced holiday ales.

Seems to be. AFAIC, they're wrong.

A Christmas or holiday beer is, oddly enough, one released around Christmas, at least in my book. There's no rule that says it has to be full of gacky spices and crap that I don't want in my beer anyway. (Can you guess I'm not fond of spiced beers.) Now, granted, I may raise an eyebrow at a Christmas Kölsch or pilsner, since in the northern hemisphere it makes more sense to have a heartier beer at this time of year (yes, even in someplace like southern California), but the idea is a special beer around the holidays. Nothing to do with spice. The only beers required to be spiced are spiced beers.

I know you're quoting someone else there, but I'm going to respond here because I'm lazy. All Christmas beers are "only" a Christmas beer because it's a winter seasonal. There is no Christmas style.

Yep. And as Joel pointed out, the English predecessors from which many American breweries pulled the idea of a winter/holiday beer anyway are remarkably free of spices.

True. But until Sgt Pepper's, they weren't "true" Beatles albums (unless you got the UK versions, of course). ;-)

-Steve

I thought someone had said that Wild Goose had closed down last year. I'm hoping they didn't.

Jon

availability