Happy Birthday Tony
Why we picked it: Liked the name.
About Troegs The Mad Elf Ale: The Mad Elf, a cheerful creation to warm your heart and enlighten your tongue. The combination of Cherries, Honey, and Chocolate Malts delivers gentle fruits and subtle spices. Fermented and aged with a unique yeast, this ruby red beer has significant warming strength that underlies the pleasant character of this intriguing yet delicious Ale. The Mad Elf, a jolly and delicious beer for the Holidays.
ABV: 11%
Case Cost: $53
I'm glad you saved this one for a Saturday. My history with Mad Elf goes back to 2002. Someone on my winter ultimate frisbee found Mad Elf shirts. We ordered them based on color, the scary looking elf, and the fact that it was 11% ABV. None of us had ever seen the beer or had it. Fast forward to a fateful Thursday evening in March 2008. Dave, Brad, and a few others headed to the Black Cat to see Glasvegas and Ida Maria. After the show (which rocked) we decided to go to Bar Pilar for a nightcap despite the fact that (a) we'd probably already had enough beer, and (b) I had a job interview at 9 am. I was so excited to see Mad Elf on tap that I made the ill-advised decision to order one. The booze and the fact that Duke was losing by 40 in the NCAA tournament encouraged me to order a second. Long story short, I somehow made it to the interview, managed to not vomit, and still have the job today. It will be all I can do to wait until after noon to drink this.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think this would taste as good as it does. I am in the middle of drinking it right now and its pretty good. I thought that since it had a 11% ABV that it would have a different taste. I thought I would be able to taste the alcohol at some point, but I don't really pick it up, not even in the after taste. However, I can pickup the honey and spices in the taste. Not bad!
ReplyDeleteAt 11% ABV I can't see myself drinking very many of these and being able to remember them. I'll give this a 8 out of 10, Strong B.
I actually like this beer. I can taste the honey in it and I'm really enjoying it. A nice beer to start the night...Santa Stumble here we come...
ReplyDeleteIt is nice but I am concerned for myself starting the night with an 11% beer!! It's sweet so I agree that I probably couldn't drink too many in a row.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure which I enjoy more...drinking each day's beer or reading Bill's verbose alcohol anecdotes. Love it.
ReplyDeleteThis beer is like a headache in a bottle. These sweet beers kill me. But 11% APV is 11% APV.
I'll give this one a 6 rating. It had an initial rating of 3 but it gets bumped up one for the high ABV and 2 more for inspiring Bill's awesome story.
ReplyDeleteThis Mad Elf is pretty darn good for 11%, I am thoroughly impressed. There is nothing better during the holidays when you get a chick to dress up as a mad sexy elf and sit on your face for the holidays...Katy make sure you make Tony's bday a good one.
ReplyDeleteThis beer sucks. I'd rather have 3 miller lites to get the alcohol content.
ReplyDeleteBeer was pretty good and even better because of the high ABV. 'Cause of the sweetness, I could not have too many in one sitting but if forced to, I would.
ReplyDeleteSo I would have posted my review last night but I drank this and promptly passed out on the couch. I can't believe I had 2 of these after a night of drinking and made it to a job interview the next morning let alone didn't vomit on the interviewer. The first sip I was pleasantly surprised. As Tony noted, this does not have the alcohol taste that your normal beer of this alcohol content has (if you're ever bored and don't need to drive anywhere for 2 days, you should try Samichlaus). After about half the beer though I'd had enough (don't get me wrong, I finished it). So unbelievably sweet. Hints of honey this was not. More like a glass of honey. In summary, I enjoy the concept, the name, and appreciate the beer, but too sweet and too dangerous for me to drink too much of. I could have used the German 11.2 ounce bottle.
ReplyDeleteNo foamy head? Tastes like honey (sweet) and gets you fucked up. Interesting! Not my favorite however if you want to pound to get drunk, then why not 3 of these instead of 7 miller lite's?
ReplyDeletei give it a solid 6
Sorry I'm a little late with this review. Drank this hastily yesterday pre-santa stumble, so I didn't get to savor the taste that much. I found it to be very very sweet, but I enjoyed it. All that sugar though would give you a killer headache if you had more than a couple. Not sure how to rate it b/c I would never drink more than 1 or 2.
ReplyDeleteGrade: DUI
not sure why it keeps posting as Jen. That was clearly my review on that beer.
ReplyDeleteSucking on an actual, live and functioning bees' nest would convey the same general flavor profile and might be more enjoyable. For all my negative comments, this is the only one I opened that I did not finish, out of self-respect.
ReplyDelete