Subtly alcohol burnt medium-bodied winter warmer with visually soothing cascade bubbles and lacey head lacks bitter brutality of “humbug” namesake, as mocha malt dryness, faded orange wisp, and casual nutty bottom lack bite and compromise seasonal spicing.

Affable rust nickel-hued billowy-headed wintry nightcap cascades ravishingly as fig-dried stewed prune creaminess storms Belgian-spiced chocolate sweetness. Prickly hops subsume tertiary tobacco, fennel, and clipped-grass illusions.

Enticing X-mas treat with immediate nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon tea spiciness coating the tongue for discrete brown sugar/ piney maple sap follow-up, hitting all the right sweet spots to relaxing full-bodied finish. Cereal graininess, strong mocha-malt influence, and sly fructose sweetness fortify dry raisin backdrop of robust exhilaration. On tap ’06 version secured tinny-hopped pumpkin-allspice zeal.

Truly middling medium body lacks serious seasonal character and wintry flare. Butterscotch touch feels nice, but limited, as earthy citric hops struggle to gain attention and undesired nutty vegetal finish dies down early.

Strong nickel-hazed rocky-headed yeast-speckled winter ale brings coriander and ‘grains of paradise’ to honeyed malt sinew. Peppery thyme-seasoned lemon-bruised souring and vinous grape tannins mingle with bittersweet orange-peach-cherry tartness, flaunting rum-soaked raisin thwack by gin-soaked 11% alcohol-whirred finish.

Fruity amber-reddish tan-headed Christmas seasonal sacrifices expectant cinnamon-nutmeg adjuncts in favor of thick berry-nut-grain mesh. Lingered dry-fruited tartness picks up spiced hop bitterness and alcohol-soaked acridity for delicately flowing, yet solid-bodied, ’00 winter celebrator.

Tiny bubbles float to glass rim ever so gently, as roasted malt sweetness, moderate nutmeg spicing, and boozy Scotch nose pervade caramel-hued ale. Muted fruit finish adds to the fun.

Bitterer but not better than usual holiday offerings, ‘06 ruby amber seasonal loads prune-soured cinnamon-nutmeg-gingerbread-allspice piquancy above weak brown ale-like nutty dryness, toasted hop astringency, teasing chicory dip, and ashy cinder parch. Dulled out pumpkin-pomegranate scamp fades to orange soufflé vamp. Needs better dimension and distinction.

Nebulous wintry retreat places thin metallic sheen above reticent brown sugared spices, slick crystal-caramel malting, and chalky cherry-raisin-fig wisp. Vegetal astringency saps tertiary tobacco, walnut, and Brazil nut illusions. Similarly bland 2010 version layered dried-out orange rind sourness above phenol cinnamon-coriander-nutmeg coarseness, abrupt brown-sugared Blackstrap molasses acridity, and mild chestnut-almond-hazelnut whim.

Peculair wintry ale brings expectant candi-sugared lacquer-like medicinal mouthfeel to less stylistic smoked wood chip groove calmly reinforcing green hop-embittered peppercorn fervor. Ashy abstruseness then coddles tertiary tobacco, lemongrass, and clove illusions clustering dry quince souring.

Heavily alcohol-fueled garnet-hued winter cheer gains barleywine insistence, butterscotch spicing and prune-dried raisin hint to syrupy coughdrop finish, but musty malt astringency denies its greatness.

Sweet barley-roasted mocha entry leads to drier chocolate-covered raisin finish, putting this closer to a porter. Flaked oats, instead of expectant nutmeg or cinnamon, contour peculiar full-bodied holiday ale. Barleywine-burgundy undertones add depth. Brewery defunct: 2008.