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Christmas Ale
Upslope Brewing Company - Lee Hill
- From:
- Upslope Brewing Company - Lee Hill
- Colorado, United States
- Style:
- Belgian Dark Strong Ale
- ABV:
- 8.2%
- Score:
- 85
- Avg:
- 3.74 | pDev: 9.63%
- Reviews:
- 28
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 10, 2021
- Added:
- Nov 17, 2012
- Wants:
- 8
- Gots:
- 19
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Mebuzzard:
Reviewed by Mebuzzard from Colorado
3.2/5 rDev -14.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.2/5 rDev -14.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
A new brew from Upslope for the Santa season...albeit a month too early. Seems like this is a trend nowadays.
Anywho, pours a reddish brown/chestnut. Small head up front, fades to nothing. No lacing.
Aroma of booze, gum, some spices and faint caramel.
Taste: it's not bad, but seems messy. The spices are weak, the caramel burnt, and the booze off and on. The thinness doesn't help. Not that this is a bad beer. It is good. Perhaps more of a good step in the right direction for next year's batch effort. It just seems the spices are vague enough to think that they don't belong here.
Nov 19, 2012Anywho, pours a reddish brown/chestnut. Small head up front, fades to nothing. No lacing.
Aroma of booze, gum, some spices and faint caramel.
Taste: it's not bad, but seems messy. The spices are weak, the caramel burnt, and the booze off and on. The thinness doesn't help. Not that this is a bad beer. It is good. Perhaps more of a good step in the right direction for next year's batch effort. It just seems the spices are vague enough to think that they don't belong here.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Pegasus from Texas
3.75/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Appearance: Small, fairly coarse off-white head with good retention crowns a bright amber. The lacing is Belgain-style. Before a strong light, reddish-amber highlights are seen.
Aroma: Very sweet aroma of Belgian candi sugar, and as an esteemed reviewer noted, the aroma has a pronounced similarity to a Dubbel. Molasses, caramel, dark fruit, cloves, ripe bananas, coriander, yeast notes and a little bitter orange rind add dazzling complexity. Sweet, vinous alcohol is also notable.
Taste: The taste opens with strong notes of brown sugar, molasses, dark fruits, dark bread and caramel. An undercurrent of earthy yeast runs throughout the taste. Sweet and warming alcohol is prominent throughout, as well. Coriander and ginger add spiciness. Toward the finish, some understated earthy hops help to counterbalance the sweet profile of the taste. Finishes with sweet and spicy flavors against the mild hop bitterness.
Mouth feel: Full and soft, quite pleasant, with a mere intimation of carbonation.
Drinkability/notes: Dramatically complex; would make a spectacular addition to the holiday table. I haven't traditionally associated the Belgian Dark style with the holidays, though surely it is worthy of serious consideration. Hopefully, Upslope will choose to offer Christmas Ale again.
Presentation: Packaged in a standard twelve-ounce aluminum can, served in a South American-style Pilsener glass.
Jan 10, 2021Aroma: Very sweet aroma of Belgian candi sugar, and as an esteemed reviewer noted, the aroma has a pronounced similarity to a Dubbel. Molasses, caramel, dark fruit, cloves, ripe bananas, coriander, yeast notes and a little bitter orange rind add dazzling complexity. Sweet, vinous alcohol is also notable.
Taste: The taste opens with strong notes of brown sugar, molasses, dark fruits, dark bread and caramel. An undercurrent of earthy yeast runs throughout the taste. Sweet and warming alcohol is prominent throughout, as well. Coriander and ginger add spiciness. Toward the finish, some understated earthy hops help to counterbalance the sweet profile of the taste. Finishes with sweet and spicy flavors against the mild hop bitterness.
Mouth feel: Full and soft, quite pleasant, with a mere intimation of carbonation.
Drinkability/notes: Dramatically complex; would make a spectacular addition to the holiday table. I haven't traditionally associated the Belgian Dark style with the holidays, though surely it is worthy of serious consideration. Hopefully, Upslope will choose to offer Christmas Ale again.
Presentation: Packaged in a standard twelve-ounce aluminum can, served in a South American-style Pilsener glass.
Reviewed by Wasatch from Colorado
4/5 rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 oz. Can
Pours a nice brown color, pretty nice carbonation, with a nice small thick/creamy off-white head, which leaves some sticky lacing behind. The nose is malty, with some dark fruits, yeasty, spice notes. The taste is malty, yeasty, dark fruits, spicy. Medium body, with a nice little dry/bitter finish. Overall, a tasty brew.
Apr 05, 2017Pours a nice brown color, pretty nice carbonation, with a nice small thick/creamy off-white head, which leaves some sticky lacing behind. The nose is malty, with some dark fruits, yeasty, spice notes. The taste is malty, yeasty, dark fruits, spicy. Medium body, with a nice little dry/bitter finish. Overall, a tasty brew.
Reviewed by NatGasKing from Wyoming
3.99/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
3.99/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Beautiful deep copper and rust color. Little head that dissipated quickly. Light to medium effervescence. Easily drinkable for high ABV. Fruity bright nose. First scent is fresh, later scents start to show the Christmas seasonings. Love the stout combination with the Abby yeast.
Jan 28, 2017
Christmas Ale from Upslope Brewing Company - Lee Hill
Beer rating:
85 out of
100 with
115 ratings
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