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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 utopiajane:
Reviewed by utopiajane from New York
3.59/5 rDev -4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.59/5 rDev -4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Pours copper with a red blush, a thin head that fell quickly and left only minimal lacing. The nose was bubble gum and light flaked grain. Faint bit of cinnamon and clove. Had some vibrant cherry up front and some dark fruit lightly beneath that. A nice honey for malt sweetness turns to a sweetened bread with candied fruit peel. There wasn't much belgian yeast character on the nose. The taste was light enough and the malt was silky and had a carefree taste of light sweet grain. Almost like a honeycake. It was slightly hot and the alcohol imparted a small bitter. The cherry stole the show with a light tartness. As the beer warms you begin to taste a delicate touch of almond. What this beer was missing was carbonation. The mouthfeel was ample but flat. It had a syrupy quality because of that. Again the yeast character was weak and that contributed to the flat mouthfeel too. There were some faint spices in the drink and even a little ginger and pepper to pick it up for a rather nice finish. It finished with an alcohol dryness, and sweet with a light bread and the vibrant cherry. In the aftertaste the dark fruit came forward a bit to give back a little of the depth this was missing up front.
Dec 07, 2013More 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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