Muddled rust-corroded winter seasonal lacks resolve. Harsh ethanol-laced diacetyl propensity outweighs musty orange spicing and barren seasonal spicing. Remote fig-dried apple-skinned musk, distant almond-toasted caramel malting, and slight mineral-grained leafiness barely make a wave amidst agonizingly astringent parameters.
Approachable fig-spiced sugar plum entry picks up diffuse burgundy-wined raisin-prune continuance and ginger-breaded cinnamon-coriander-allspice upsweep. Tertiary orange-bruised black cherry, purple grape and brown banana ripeness seeps into well-balanced winter seasonal. Mild phenol astringency at dried fruited finish lowers appeal a fraction.
Wintry purple-browned 36th anniversary seasonal retains darker spicing and deeper mocha penetration than most previous versions. Gingerbread, nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice leave loud impression on sarsaparilla wake. Belgian chocolate, cola nut, and cocoa butter illusions peak through mild orange-peeled bittering. Crisp tobacco roast and ashen cigarette remnant waver.
Hearty mahogany-hued ruby-highlighted winter ale successfully combines mocha porter styling with Scottish ale for full-bodied winter ale. Mighty coffee bean frontage engages dark-spiced brown-sugared molasses-sapped peat malting. Mild, but everlasting, hop-roasted walnut bittering contrasts sweet hazelnut, butternut, and pecan illusions. Teensy black cherry fruiting, scattered cinnamon-allspice seasoning, and minor ice coffee drift fill out busy backend.
Eureka! Resolute generic-labeled reindeer-pointed 2010 bottled version of seasonal Belgian strong dark ale may shun usual Christmas spicing (nutmeg-cinnamon), but never lacks sufficient flavor profile. Fungi-soured yeast funk boosts raisin-pureed prune-stewed date nut breading. Belgian chocolate, blackstrap molasses, and burgundy illusions usurp candied apple, bruised orange, sugared fig, and blackberry fruiting alleviating dark-spiced cider sharpness, grape-skinned Merlot wining, and ashen walnut char. Initial recipe rearranged for each succeeding year.
Obtuse 2010 Christmas seasonal with off-putting shaving cream waft and ruddy brownish hue lacks traditional sugar spicing and boozy warmth. Herbal spearmint-rosemary-thyme quip negates ginger-cinnamon-nutmeg glance and cocoa-chocolate malting.
Busy limited edition prune-hued winter ale connects bourbon-port wining to chocolate-covered raisin affluence and sweet cinnamon-allspice-nutmeg seasoning. Punctual hazelnut, walnut, and macadamia incisiveness reinforces chewy butterscotch midst and recessive chocolate éclair finish. Mild almondine, plum wine and purple grape illusions ease into the mix.
Emaciated dry-spiced chestnut-hued winter warmer’s understated nature is drawback. Laid-back cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, paprika, and coriander spicing fades into obscure Scotch-malted mildness. Hasty cherry-apple grove wanes as feint banana-bread, cookie dough, and toasted almond illusions receive herbal drubbing.
Nearly spectacular Belgian-candied winter seasonal retains sharp-spiced dry-fruited cocoa-malted blitzkrieg to heavenly rich red-wined finish. Brown-sugared cinnamon-allspice-nutmeg-gingerbread spicing drifts into chewy nougat center alongside equally affluent prune-soured raisin-pureed plum-dried fervor. Pecan, macadamia, and almond illusions squeak through grape-purpled burgundy, bourbon, and sherry subsidy. Whiskeyed cherry nuance reinforces boozy depth.
Smoothly creamy chocolate-spiced winter seasonal reaches sublime heights. Sugar plum, fig, and date ride shotgun next to cinnamon-nutmeg-coriander-ginger spicing and macadamia-hazelnut-pecan propensity.
“Rich and dark like a dobbel,” spicier than a copper ale, but nowhere near as potent as Affligem Tripel. Buttery, ginger-snapped, hop-fizzed holiday treat crowds wispy cobwebs of spongy lace above heartwarming medicinal center aiding earthen wheat-dried red grape musk and latent prune-ripened gunk. ’07 version brought creamier caramel malting and bruised orange-cherry vigor to brandy-soaked Chardonnay sumptuousness.
