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Holiday Reserve
Stoudts Brewing Co.
Beer Geek Stats
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- From:
- Stoudts Brewing Co.
- Pennsylvania, United States
- Style:
- Doppelbock
- ABV:
- 7%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.84 | pDev: 8.07%
- Reviews:
- 12
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Feb 26, 2004
- Added:
- May 07, 2002
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by bierman2000:
Reviewed by bierman2000 from Pennsylvania
4/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A doppelbock that is on the light side body wise but has an excellent malt and chocolate taste. The alcohol is very noticeable in the finish as the beer warms.. this beer is highly drinkable and is quite warming. The malt is very evident and is a great beer for dessert.
Jul 02, 2003More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Bighuge from Minnesota
4.27/5 rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.27/5 rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Winter 2001-2002 version.
Deep copper/ flaming orange appearance. Slightly hazy. Small beige head. Aroma is burnt molasses, rum, chocolate and sweet toffee. It's a nice aroma. The mouthfeel is very smooth and the carbontion is dulled, but appropriate. Body is about medium full. The flavors are blended and easy going. I've never had a fresh version of this, but an aged one does me fine. Smooth molasses, brown sugar, rum and brandy, toffee and blackened malts. Oh yeah. This 1 Pint 9.87 FL. OZ. bottle is going down easy.
Feb 26, 2004Deep copper/ flaming orange appearance. Slightly hazy. Small beige head. Aroma is burnt molasses, rum, chocolate and sweet toffee. It's a nice aroma. The mouthfeel is very smooth and the carbontion is dulled, but appropriate. Body is about medium full. The flavors are blended and easy going. I've never had a fresh version of this, but an aged one does me fine. Smooth molasses, brown sugar, rum and brandy, toffee and blackened malts. Oh yeah. This 1 Pint 9.87 FL. OZ. bottle is going down easy.
Reviewed by IrishRedRock from Pennsylvania
4.05/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
4.05/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Winter 2001-2002 vintage, 765 ml bottle. I just bought this about 2 months before today (Christmas '03). It was refrigerated and I didn't realize when I bought it that it was nearly 2 years old! Good price too...though I wonder how it would have aged at cellar temperatures. I must say, I'm an idiot...I only thought this beer was a year old...then I thought, duh, its 01-02...thats roughly 2 years. So here we go.
Pours out a brownish amber, surprisingly nice head but it didnt retain at all. Other than that initial head, there is no carbonation to speak of. Sweet malty aroma with a trace of spice and alcohol. Mouthfeel is very nice, quite smooth. As far as flavor, this is nice but I think it's a little past it's prime. It has a slight trace of hops in the finish, with a sweet, candy-like maltiness in there as well. A bit bitter in the finish, giving it some English ale characteristics. I would have liked to have tried this fresh. An interesting beer nevertheless, and nice to have at 1 AM on Christmas morning.
Dec 25, 2003Pours out a brownish amber, surprisingly nice head but it didnt retain at all. Other than that initial head, there is no carbonation to speak of. Sweet malty aroma with a trace of spice and alcohol. Mouthfeel is very nice, quite smooth. As far as flavor, this is nice but I think it's a little past it's prime. It has a slight trace of hops in the finish, with a sweet, candy-like maltiness in there as well. A bit bitter in the finish, giving it some English ale characteristics. I would have liked to have tried this fresh. An interesting beer nevertheless, and nice to have at 1 AM on Christmas morning.
Reviewed by beergeek279 from Pennsylvania
3.75/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.75/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Served in the 765 mL bottle. The color was amber, with some hints of head. The smell was a nice dark sweet malt. The taste was a subdued malt sweetness....not the malt monster of most dopplebocks, which is something I've grown to enjoy. Mouthfeel was a bit thin. Drinkability-wise, could have a few.
A good if not spectacular offering from Stoudt's. Could have been amped up just a bit more. Still, if someone offered me another one, I'd likely take it.
Dec 22, 2003A good if not spectacular offering from Stoudt's. Could have been amped up just a bit more. Still, if someone offered me another one, I'd likely take it.
Reviewed by oberon from North Carolina
3.59/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.59/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Seemed a little light to me for a doppelbock,poursa lighter shade of brown with a thin head,aroma was chocolaty and slightly alcoholic.The taste is malty with some hop-dryness pretty light in body for a holiday beer,not a bad beer maybe was expecting a little more.It is pretty drinkable for a doppelbock but also a little on the light side as well.
Jul 09, 2003Reviewed by rotsaruch from Pennsylvania
4.2/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.2/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Winter 2002-2003, capped 750ml bottle. Pours a deep ruby red with a small light tan head. Noticable creamy strands of lacing are present. A sweet smelling malty aroma was unmistakable. No spice bouquet was apparent. A sweet, but very pleasing, carmel-like taste with a hint of a raison or prune fruitness was present. The medium carbonation leaves a very satisfying creamy mouthfeel. A very distinctive and delicious winter brew. Thanks ububru for the bottle.
Feb 17, 2003Reviewed by Dogbrick from Ohio
3.3/5 rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.3/5 rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Winter 2002/2003 Bottle: Dark ruby/amber with a medium light beige head. Aroma is lightly spiced and malty. Flavor is not as spicy as many holiday brews. This brew is mostly on the malt side with some hops and spice, but neither in great quantity. On the scale of most holiday brews I have tried this is on the mild side but it was better than average.
Feb 11, 2003Reviewed by allboutbierge from Austria
3.65/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.65/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Color is very similiar to the brown growler i poured it from. Head is minimal, lace is medium. Mouthfeel is smooth and silky. Body full but not thick by any regards. Carbonation is light. This brew does not have a very strong taste. Nothing like other christmas beers like anchor's or SN's. This tastes much more like a Marzen. Has a touch of bitterness initially but progress into a carmel like sweetness. Not a bad beer but I was expecting a lil more from Stoudt's.
Dec 19, 2002Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania
4.2/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.2/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
765 ml bottle; simply capped, no cork or cage. "Winter 2001-2002". This is a rye beer but I think the style changes from year to year. It pours a hazy russet body topped by a frothy off-white head that drops but keeps a very creamy collar and whispy surface covering. It leaves some nice lace as well. The aroma is mainly of sweet caramel malt but there's also a very light chocolatiness, even lighter fruitiness and some subtle earthiness. Very nice, but not real pronounced. The body is medium with a very fine carbonation from bottle conditioning that leaves it quite creamy in the mouth. Exceptional. The smoothness accentuates the lightly sweet & rich maltiness of the beer. The rye is mild but lends a very light spiciness (and a lingering mild "zing" on the tip of the tongue), although it's not readily apparent until the caramel and lightly chocolatey maltiness has passed; and helps to usher in a dry finish as the hops are limited. And still, some light hop flavor does come out in the lingering aftertaste. Really an astounding beer that I think is perfect for the holiday season as it has alot of character, but is lightly sweet and readily accessible to many tasters. Quite unique. I had this at the brewery last year when it was released and I don't think that it's improved with age, although it hasn't deteriorated either. If you're holding onto a bottle I'd enjoy it sooner than later.
Nov 11, 2002Reviewed by Gusler from Arizona
4/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The beer pours a deep ruby red, pleasant with a portly beige head and thick sheets of lace to cling to the glass. Fruity nose, raisons, a bit of cinnamon, malts, sweet. Start is malt; the top has a moderate mouth feel, temperately carbonated, genteelly hopped, reasonably dry aftertaste. Quite good beer, drinkable and robust, without being overly harsh on the taste buds.
Nov 04, 2002Reviewed by pbrian from Connecticut
3.53/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.53/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a chill-hazed dark brown with nice tan heads that lasts and leaves a loose lace. This beer is all about malt. The aroma is sweet and full, caramel mostly, mildly chocolately. The beer is smooth, malty, and creamy. Finishes a little drier. No real hoppiness involved.
I cheated and called the brewery to see what see what style this beer was. Rye Ale. I knew this before tasting the beer and for the life of me couldn't pick out any distinguishing characteristics that would make it so. A fine Amber Ale maybe, but fell short of something I'd call a Holiday Reserve Rye Ale.
Oct 10, 2002I cheated and called the brewery to see what see what style this beer was. Rye Ale. I knew this before tasting the beer and for the life of me couldn't pick out any distinguishing characteristics that would make it so. A fine Amber Ale maybe, but fell short of something I'd call a Holiday Reserve Rye Ale.
Reviewed by John from New York
3.53/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.53/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
25.4oz. champagne style brown bottle. No style information to be found on the label or the Stoudt's web site. The selected catagory is a best guess. Dark amber in color with a rapidly disappearing head. Some caramel and roasted malt in the aroma. No alcohol evident in aroma or flavor...hmmm, curious for a "special reserve" brew. Initial taste is metallic then mellows a bit. A little disappointing. IMHO, not worth the $6+ price.
May 07, 2002
Holiday Reserve from Stoudts Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
87 out of
100 with
12 ratings
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