Why we picked it: The Schlafly's beers we've tried in past 24 DoB have been good so lets give the Christmas beer a try!
About Schlafly's Christmas Ale: Our Christmas Ale is a warming winter ale that blends the spices of the season with sweet caramel malt. Orange peel, juniper berries, ginger root, cardamom and cloves are added for spiciness. We use honey in the fermentation process, which raises the ABV without producing too much heat from the alcohol content.
Many breweries produce richer, higher alcohol beers for the winter holiday season, bolder than their year-round offerings. The inspiration for this beer came from spiced holiday beverages such as wassail and mulled wines. Around the holidays, the sweet and spicy aromas, not to mention the booze, in such libations tend to smooth the rougher edges of enjoying each other’s company and spreading goodwill. Available November-December
Beer Advocate Score: 94
Appearance: Deep copper, bright
Process: Spiced with orange peel, juniper berries, ginger root, cardamom and cloves
Hops: Magnum (PL)
Grains: Pale, Caramel, Munich, Chocolate, Honey
Yeast: American Ale
OG: 18.7
SRM: 30
Process: Spiced with orange peel, juniper berries, ginger root, cardamom and cloves
Hops: Magnum (PL)
Grains: Pale, Caramel, Munich, Chocolate, Honey
Yeast: American Ale
OG: 18.7
SRM: 30
ABV: 8.0%
IBU: 30
Case Cost: $46
*website: http://schlafly.com/beers/styles/christmas-ale/
I sure hope Katy, Mark and Tony post today b/c I missed them yesterday. Wonder what Santa thinks of their absence?
ReplyDeleteJoe F = That stalker chick that watches your every move. You always wonder if she's watching you. Afraid that if she see's you with someone else she will confront you and try to fight the other girl. you change your phone number...and somehow she is able to get it. You change jobs, she still finds you. You move, she sends you a card letting you know she still knows where you live. And when you ask her why she is acting like this, it's always the same answer...I miss you...
DeleteActually surprised it took 12 days for someone to use Joe's analogy against him. Well played.
DeleteI know right!!!
DeleteSo I had mixed feelings going into this beer. Schlafly has been very good to me over the years and the pumpkin beer was by far the best pumpkin beer I've ever had. But reading the description and rereading my post from the last time we had this, I dreaded an Anchor Steamesque pinebomb. Orange peel, juniper berries, ginger root, cloves, AND some guy named Card's mom? Seems like overkill.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing I noticed about the bottle was the sagittal crest. Seemed odd. It's almost like it's square. Do I rest my head there when I pass out since it's 8%? Do I rest another beer there? Does it keep it from rolling away in the recycling bin? My final theory was that there were so many damn spices, they had to raise the roof of the bottle.
I poured it in a pint glass and didn't smell anything too bad yet. I'd been expecting a full-on air freshener odor. I wafted to be safe. Still not bad. Took a full sniff. Not bad at all. Got the courage up to actually take a sip. A bit of cloves but otherwise, I'm just getting caramel malty goodness. I am pleasantly surprised. Shocked actually. Overwhelmed. I really, really like this. Six ounces in and I'm liking it even more. Warm, malty goodness. Currently composing an email to Bell's to let them know what a real Christmas Ale is supposed to taste like.
Since Ro is still at her holiday party I'm hoping we have a repeat of the last Schlafly Christmas Ale tasting where she comes home late and half drunk and takes one whiff and complains about the excessive cardemom and pine and gives 11.9 ounces of beer to me. That would be awesome.
Bill...ya gotta get past that piney Anchor Steam Xmas of years past. That beer was horrific! All Xmas beers are not like that...I assure you. Even this years Anchor steam...you will be pleasantly surprised...I promise.
DeleteDon't be scared buddy...
I was about to say the same thing about Anchor. I had the 2014 Xmas today and it was great (not as good as the Schlafly, but in the neighborhood). And I had a similarly negative view of Anchor going in.
DeleteWith an open mind, I shall carry on. I have been told by several other people that this year's Anchor Steam is quite tasty. And I'm pretty sure this Schlafly is also nothing like the one we had two or three years ago.
DeleteSo I was ready for a full body woman after last nights tease. I undress the outer clothing to see the color and smooth texture revealed and for my effort of a slow pour I receive nice head. I was immediately aroused and really hoping that this one would not let me down. And after delving in I was not disappointed. This gave me everything I needed on a Friday night. Pleasant taste, high ABV and just the right spice. The only disappointment was she was one and done. Damn I now crave more.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if this is a beer review or a letter to Penthouse, but I think agree with this either way.
DeleteSo I come home from HH, ready to have my 24DOB with the wonderful venison chili I whipped up... And my husband beats me too it and it sipping away. So I ask him how is it, "taste like beer", wow that was helpful. Have to save my opinion for tomorrow's!
ReplyDeleteI was really looking forward to this beer, but much like their pumpkin, I wasn't really impressed. This beer reminded me of a pumpkin beer than a Christmas beer. I still liked it, but like their pumpkin beer, this was not my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI am drinking this beer while watching my Porland Trail Blazers battle the Chicago Bulls. This beer was smooth like Lamarcas Aldridge's jump shot, but a bit bitter like the feeling I had when we fell down by 13 in the first half. As I pounded my beer Lopez does the glass for rebounds on a Rose missed jumper, I could only hope upon hope that the Damian will find a way to finish this game with the same authority I polished off this beer.
ReplyDeletePretty decent stuff. Something about the spices seemed a bit off but I can't put my finger on it. Regardless I would definitely pick this up again B+
ReplyDeleteNot impressed - too much sweet malt taste for me
ReplyDeleteFirst sip...I look back at the label and make sure i'm not drinking the pumpkin ale...
ReplyDeleteSecond sip...still thinking the same damn thing!
Halfway thru it...I can tell the difference now! Still really similar this year. Ginger and clove is too strong and all I am reminded of is pumpkin pie spice.
Still...a boomin ABV, brilliantly crafted, tasty adult beverage. Even if all I'm thinking about is pumpkin...I sure do want more ;)
Schlafly makes excellent beer!
If you could taste Christmas, I imagine this is what it would taste like. This maybe the best one yet. I really enjoyed the caramel flavor and would really enjoy more of these. Scflafly's has made many of the beers ive enjoyed during the many iterations of the 24 DoB and if i could find them more often, im sure i would drink their brews on a more regular basis. I was in st. Louis over thanksgiving and tried to go to the Shflafly's brewery to try more of their selections but I guess traveling over 800 miles going an extra 30 mins from where we were staying is asking to much. Regardless we ended up at a nice micro brew bar called 64/29 ( for the 64 beers they had on tap and 29 varieties of vodka) and this was the Scflafly beer they had in tap. Wishing now I had brought home a growler of this stuff. A+
ReplyDeleteMerry F'n Christmas! This is the best brew so far. All the flavor you want from Xmas, but still balanced and not overwhelming. I wish I had several more. Grade: 9.5/10.
ReplyDeleteI just finished the Bell's beer from last night and made my post on yesterday's blog...now on to Schlafly's offering. This beer has a unique smell to it. I can't pick up the exact smell, but it smells sweet. First sip, yep there's a little sweetness there! As Tom mentioned...it does remind me of the pumpkin ale we had on the first day. That's a little weird. For some reason it also reminds me of Mad Elf which we will experience next week! Maybe this is Mad Elf Lite? I like it, but I don't like it better than the Bell's. Grade 8 of 10, Solid B. Joe...is that you looking through my window?!?!
ReplyDeleteSo much better than the Bells...Just sayin...
DeleteBell's was great but not a solid example of Xmas style Ale
Dude you really need to stop changing with the lights on and curtains open; I can see everything. Although the Christmas underwear was a pleasant surprise
DeleteI WANT ANOTHER PLEASE!!!
ReplyDeleteWow. This is everything Bell's Christmas Ale wasn't - but I'm not sure that's a good or bad thing. It's so over the top with...well, with everything. Bell's and Schlafly should have a baby - might make the perfectly balanced Christmas Ale. By themselves, though, each is good enough but a little off.
ReplyDeleteYes, this beer is Christmas - that nebulous beer thing we know when we taste. But it's sooooo much of that - it's a marathon of Christmas movies and yuletide music and last-minute sales and commercials about rich people getting a Lexus in their driveway with a big bow and are-you-kidding? It's in concentrated form. It's like those tins of orange juice concentrate you mix with water - but no one added water.
Pete M. made a face like an anaconda choking on a fender. Jim couldn't finish his, so I had two. That about did it - they should market these in a four-ounce sampler rather than full bottles, because that would be about right. And two bottles is a bit too much Christmas Ale cheer.
I wasn't a fan of gourd-flavored beer, but Schlafly's Pumpkin Ale won me over - and I'll take that over their Christmas Ale, as will everyone else here drinking beer and losing their money to Jim (that freakin' jackass).
OK, this one passes the first of my 2 main check points - interesting and balanced. The combination of spices is nice and laid back (and not like the dreaded Christmas potpourri), and it has the backbone to hold it all together. Well done. I would buy more of this.
ReplyDeleteYes, the spices in here were similar to their pumpkin, but the malts and hops the take it in a different direction. But a good one. Don't know if I loved it, but certainly is interesting and well done. B+. I will keep an eye out for this.
ReplyDeleteMy initial thoughts was that this got mixed up with Schafly pumpkin ale but I think that I like this better actually. It has the similar sweetness but a little more bitter taste which I prefer. Will keep an eye out for this in the future.
ReplyDeleteNow this beer is everything a Christmas beer should be. Great spice, but not overdone. Still tasted like a great beer, not dessert. Awesome color, body and flavors. I would rate this as one of the best Christmas beers I've ever had. Really excellent, in my book. I, too, wished for another.
ReplyDelete