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Dec

8

In Search of The Perfect Christmas Ale

By Kristy | Posted: December 8, 2009

Image © BitchBuzz

It’s *that* time of year again and it would seem that everything is now all about Christmas and the holiday season.

Shop windows are covered in fake snow, every liquid known to man is now “mulled” and everything and anything has suddenly become “the perfect gift”.

Even our beer has gone all Christmassy.

Over at LivingBeer.com you can buy all sorts of real ale that really would make the perfect gift for the beer lover in your life, however, I’m more interested in their Christmas ales.

Of all things, beer should not be “mulled”, although I was quite interested in seeing what exactly a Christmas ale would taste like.

Would it taste of fresh fallen snow and pine trees? Holly? An Awkward dinner conversations with your great Aunt Jo?

Or would it be sweet, like mince pies, or even minty, like a good old fashioned candy cane?

Because I, dear reader, care about you and your tastebuds, I thought I would give three of LivingBeer’s most popular Christmas ales a go, so I can either save you money, or tell you where it would best be spent if you were, in fact, after the perfect beer for your holiday meal.

Santa’s Wobble from Hogs Back Brewery.

Described as “full bodied, ruby coloured winter warmer,” I expected to be warmed by Santa’s Wobble – no matter how disturbing its name might be. However, Santa’s Wobble and I do not exactly get on.
Bitter, with a hint of berries, a bit of spice, and what I can only describe as a bite of ginger, the “lingering hop flavors” from Santa’s Wobble knocked me off my feet a little.

While it is a tasty and full-bodied ale, Santa’s Wobble had too much of a kick for my liking, but I’m sure if you like your beers as sharp as Santa’s Wobble, it might make the perfect pair with your turkey feast on Christmas day.

Reindeer’s Delight from the Oakleaf Brewing Company

I have to say that if I could smuggle a bottle of this to the States where I’ll be celebrating Christmas dinner, I most definitely would.

Reindeer’s Delight smells quite citrusy and light, but it tastes of maple, toffee, and has a woodsy and slightly bitter aftertaste. It’s light, it’s refreshing, and at only 4.5% ABV it’s a bit kinder to the body than the 7.5%ABV Santa’s Wobble!

If you’re bored with mulled wines and ciders, I’d definitely recommend popping open a bottle of Reindeer’s Delight at your next holiday party!

Titanic Christmas Ale

When I first saw the Christmas Ale’s slogan “Liquid Christmas Cake”, I thought they were joking. But then I smelled it, caught the distinct scent of chocolate and orange, and I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

But after I did take as sip, I think I did, in fact, die a little.

Christmas Ale is some serious stuff, so I beg thee, if you’re going to tuck into a bottle of this 7.6%ABV ale, do so with caution! It is strong! Sure, it’s Christmassy! But I’m not sure if it’s Christmasy in all the right ways.

The best way I can think to describe Titanic Christmas Ale, is that it tastes as though someone poured a bit of brandy sauce from your Christmas cake into a pint of Guinness.

If you want to brave it and see what this Christmas Ale is all about – I do recommend that you try it. However, if you’re looking for something actually tastes like Christmas cake, I’d recommend Devon Ale’s Thick Black.

If you have any favorite Christmas time ales, please do share your recommendations here in the comment section. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Cate Sevilla is the founding editor of BitchBuzz.com. You can follow her as @cupcate on Twitter.