Goose Island - Brand Stout

Goose Island - Bourbon County

Brand Stout - Stout aged in bourbon barrels aged in the bottle over 5 years!

Beer 7 of the 12 beers of Christmas, but since there was nothing with swans I got Goose Island

The color of this brew is black.  It's one of the darkest beers I have seen.  The head, was a nice deep brown.  No light gets through this beer, it is a black hole.  Very intriguing.

The aroma this brew gives off a sweet smell.  There are notes of molasses, chocolate, and a alcohol.  There is a slight hint of smoke, and dark fruit.  The smell is very interesting.  The alcohol is mild on the nose, and balanced well with the other scents.

On the palate this beer has flavor coming from everywhere.  The smooth creamy brew has a very mild carbonation, with hints of dark fruit like cherries, chocolate, molasses and vanilla.  The alcohol adds a wonderful warming sensation on the backend perfect for a cold winter night.  The flavors go together very well and are nicely blended so no one flavor sticks out more than another.

This 14.2% abv stout is awesome.  It has wonderful flavor, a nice body to it, and goes down very smoothly.  It is a fantastic beer to sip, and to take your time enjoying it.  9 out of 10!

The Bruery - 6 Geese-A-Laying

The Bruery

6 Geese-A-Laying: Seasonal winter ale brewed with gooseberries

This is obviously the 6th day of Christmas beer in the collection my wife got me.  The name says it all.

The color of this beer is is a reddish/brown very similar to the color of cider.  It has the same look to it too.  It's a cloudy brew with a great deal of depth to it.  It has a nice fade as it reaches the edges of the glass.

The aroma of this beer is sweet, fruity and candy like.  There is a definite note of alcohol in the smell of this beer.  The fruit in the aroma is subtle, but the smell of sugar, like hard candy is the most prominent. To me it is a wonderful smelling beer, and makes me want to drink it.

On the palate the brew is sweet, and smooth with a slight carbonation.  There is a nice warming sensation on the backside of the beer which comes from the alcohol, it is 11.5% abv.  The alcohol isn't something you can really taste though, it is nicely masked but all the flavor.  The candy like fruitiness has a cherry, and darker fruit taste to it.  There is a slight tartness that helps to balance out the sweetness a little bit.   

This beer is one of my favorites of this holiday season.  I love the way it feels and I really love the flavor.  The gooseberries add a nice layered flavor.  I enjoy a stronger beer, and this one packs a nice little punch to it.  

North Coast - Old Rasputin

North Coast Brewing Co.

Old Rasputin - Russian Imperial Stout

This is the 5th beer of the 12 beers of Christmas my wife got me.  This beer has a golden ring on the bottle, incase you are wondering how it fits into the song.

The color of this brew is a nice deep brown, almost black with a reddish tint in the head and on the furthest edges of the beer.  It is a thick brown that lets no light through it.  

The aroma is nice a full of scents.  I get some roasted malt, rich cocoa and some coffee.  The smells blend together very well, and entice you to drink this beer.  There is also a nice alcohol touch to the aroma as well.  It is a welcome smell, and let's me think this beer will warm me up as I drink it.

On the palate the beer is incredibly smooth, with a mild carbonation and a wonderful bitterness on the back side of the beer.  The coffee flavor is nice and what lasts on the backend of the beer.  It is not overpowering, and is blended in well with the cocoa flavor.  The slight alcohol essence adds a nice warming aspect to the beer.

This beer is just plain good.  It has a nice balance to it, and enough body and flavor to keep you wanting more.  The aroma is nice, and enticing, while the look of this beer screams a quality stout.   

21st Amendment - Fireside Chat

21st Amendment Brewery

Fireside Chat - Strong ale mixed with seasonal winter spices

This is the 4th day (4 calling birds) in the 12 beers of Christmas my wife got me.  The beer is in honor of FDR's radio chats, so he was making a call to America, so we have the calling connection.

The color of this beer is a wonderful chestnut brown with a slight red hue coming through in the light.  It is a clear beer, but the color makes it hard to see through.  The head of the beer is laces down the glass wonderfully adding a nice look to the beer as you drink. 

The aroma from this beer is a nice roasted malt.  There are also hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.  The nose also gets hit with a slight sweetness.  The smell isn't overpowering, it is very subtle, sneaky in a way.

On the palate the beer is a little light in body for me.  The backend has a nice balanced bitterness that goes along with the slight sweetness that you associate with the spices.  The beer has a slight brown ale feel to it.  There is a mild carbonation, and the beer goes down smoothly.

Overall this beer is ok.  The can art is awesome and makes me smile.  THe setting of FDR and an Elf having a conversation is just funny.  I think the body of this beer is a little weak.  The flavors aren't bad, but I wish the spices were a little bit stronger.  Overall it's a decent beer, 6.5 - 10.

Brasserie - Saison Dupont

Brasserie Dupont Brewery

Saison Dupont - Belgian Farmhouse Ale

This is the 3rd beer in the 12 beers of Christmas my wife got me.  A french beer, inspired by the 3 french hens.

The color of this beers is a hazy, translucent orange/straw color.  It's a very typical color and appearance for a saison.  

The aroma of this beer has a nice yeastiness too it.  You can get a get a citrus/lemon tartness.  You can also get notes of straw, and a little clove spice.  Its a mild smelling beer, with nothing overpowering.  It's a balanced aroma, but not really one that invites you to drink the beer.

On the palate the beer has a prickly carbonation that stings the tongue.  The mild clove spice adds a little bit of body to the beer.  The lemon flavor is mild and blended will into the the beer and pairs well with the yeast and malty characters of the beer.  Saisons sometimes has a funkiness to them, and this one definitely does.  There is a slight alcohol note in this beer that gives off a little warmth.  

Overall, this is a solid saison.  Saisons can be hit or miss, like a lot of beers, but I feel like this beer style is the easiest to screw up and make a just terrible beer.  This saison however is pretty good.  It is not something that will appeal to everyone, since the style is so distinctive.  I am not a fan of the carbonation of this brew, but the flavors are nice and very clean.  A good saison. 

Terrapin - Moo hoo

Terripan Beer Co.

Moo Hoo - A chocolate milk stout.

The color of this beer is a rich deep brown that is completely opaque.  It's a beer that looks completely like chocolate syrup.  It's very inviting.

The aroma of this beer gives off a nice roasted malt.  There is a nice rich chocolate scent as well.  The smell is rich and has a mild sweetness along with the roastiness.  It's a wonderful smell and perfect for a chocolate stout.

On the palate there is a nice roasted malt flavor and a slight dryness.  This beer also has a mild chocolate flavor and a sweetness that you expect from a milk stout.  The beer reminds me of a weak milk chocolate.  That's not a bad thing, just the best comparison I can make regarding the flavor.  Of course there is a slight alcohol flavor that makes this an adult chocolate milk.

Overall this is a decent stout.  There is a good amount of the flavor.  It's not out of this world, but a very solid beer, and great for cool day to have after dinner for dessert.  A good beer from Terrapin.

d'Achouffe - N'Ice Chouffe

Brasserie d'Achouffe

N'Ice Chouffe - Belgian Dark Ale - Seasonal Ale with thyme and curacoa

The color of this is a reddish-copper.  It is completely transparent, and gives everything a nice reddish tint when you look through it.

The aroma of this brew is very yeasty.  There is a slight citrus hint as well.  The scent is mild but pleasant.  There is nothing overpowering about it.  There is also a slight earthiness.

On the palate this beer has a mild, prickly carbonation.  The beer doesn't have a lot of layering to the flavor they kind of all blend together.  There is a nice hint of alcohol that warms the back of the throat, and with this beer being 10% abv, that should be expected.  There is a candy, caramel flavor that appears on the front end of the beer.  The citrus, and herbal flavors are mashed together, and each time you take a sip you notice one or the other.  On the front end of the beer, it kind of slaps you, and makes you notice the dark ale strength of this beer.

Overall, the more I drink this beer, the more I like it.  I do like stronger beers, with a lot of flavor, and this beer qualifies.  This is an excellent dark ale, that is drinkable, even though it has a higher abv, and pretty smooth.  A fantastic beer.

Beer #1 of the 12 Beers of Christmas my wife got me as my present.  There weren't any good pear beer options, so she got me a beer with a pair of Gnomes.

Troegs - Mad Elf 2012

Troegs Brewing Co.

Mad Elf - Ale brewed with honey and cherries (2012)

The color of this beer is a nice deep rust color that fades to be more golden along the edges.  The beer is only translucent, you can't see anything through this beer.  

The aroma the beer gives off sweet sugary alcohol.  There are subtle notes of fruit as well.  This beer has aged a year since I bought it, so it smells pretty strong.  

On the palate this beer doesn't have an alcohol flavor to it, which is really nice. It is smooth, with mild carbonation and the slightest warmth after the swallow. There is a nice layering of flavors to this beer.  The fruitiness comes out first then there is a flowery sense from the honey.  There is no real bitterness to this beer, but it isn't overly sweet.  The last flavor, and the one that stays on the tongue is the honey, but it isn't really sweet, so it helps to keep the beer more balanced.

I honestly can't remember what this beer tasted like last year, and I haven't had a Mad Elf from this year batch yet, but I really liking this year old batch.  It is flavorful, strong without being overpowering and has a body.  I a very happy I didn't drink them all last year, and only had one (my wife had the other) to let them age.  I like it.

DuClaw - Sweet Baby Jesus

DuClaw Brewing Co. 

Sweet Baby Jesus - Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter

The color of this beer is a thick rich brown.  It's a non-translucent brew that reminds me of melted chocolate.

The aroma this beer gives off a nice full scent of chocolate and a mild undertone of peanut butter that is sneaky and omnipresent.  There is no smell of alcohol at all, but there is a  little bit of roasted malt.

On the palate this brew is has a nice malted roastiness.  There is a nice chocolate taste throughout the mouthful of this beer. On the front end of this beer has a nice peanut buttery hit.  This beer is very smooth and also has a dryness to it, and the slightest bit of bitterness.

Overall this is one of my favorite porters.  I really enjoy the balance between the peanut butter and chocolate.  It's very flavorful, reminds me of a homemade peanut butter cup that uses natural peanut butter.  This beer is definitely worth a taste.

Winter Beers to try

Here is an article about 10 winter seasonal brews to try.
I personally want to get the 21st Amendment Fireside Chat and the New Belgium Accumulation.

http://www.thestreet.com/story/12112413/1/10-best-beer-holiday-beer-buys-of-2013.html