Ginger Beard Spiced Stout
Trader Joe's Brewing Company

 

Type: 12-oz. bottle
Reviewed as: Herbed / Spiced Beer
Glass: Monks House of Ale 12-oz. tulip
Price: $1.17
From: Trader Joe’s in La Mesa, Calif.
Purchased: Dec. 17, 2020
Consumed: Dec. 27, 2020
Misc.: Bottled on Nov. 23, 2020; Best consumed before Dec. 25, 2021 (I think)

Had Rachel pick me up a bottle of this, assuming I hadn’t had it before (I was right). Online description of this one was “Ginger Beard Spiced Stout, a tribute to both ginger cookies and festive facial hair, conjures all the molasses and ginger of a crumbly gingerbread cookie while also reveling in its full-bodied, marvelously malty mouthfeel. Either one will do wonders when served in a chilled pint glass and paired with a bowlful of Mini Gingerbread People, or any other holiday cookie you might have on hand.”

Poured a deep copper/garnet clear color with two fingers of khaki-tan frothy head, which dissipated quickly. Could see a few bubbles coming up along the sides of the glass. Average watery lacing. Average retention. (Sight - 3.25)

Smelled gingerbread cookie, molasses, nutmeg, cinnamon, all-spice, black licorice, anise, peppery spice and red apple. Spice I tell you. Not as much spice from the bottle though. Something just a little off though. (Smell - 2.50)

Taste was even more spicy. Got gingerbread cookie, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, all-spice, molasses, black licorice, anise, black pepper and some wood. (Taste - 3.00)

Medium body. Oily texture. Average carbonation. Long, spicy finish. (Feel - 3.75)

Not bad overall. Certainly got better as it went down, but not sure I’d need to have this again. (Overall - 3.00)

2.97 | 69 | C

 

 

This is just a bad beer. No tip-toeing around it. I'm usually impressed with the price vs quality of TJ beers, but this one breaks the mold. In a bad way.

This is disgusting, there's nothing interesting about it. It's just straight-up in-your-face spice and sweetness with a low ABV. Probably the worst "beer" I've ever had outside of macrobrew crap like Budweiser or Coors.

It's also not in any way a stout, I have no idea why it's labeled as such. I drank half of the 12 oz bottle and dumped the rest. This is awful. Granted, I drank it immediately following an Abt 12, but in no universe is this is a good brew.

Pass.

First and foremost..not a stout.
Aroma is light ginger,malt, and more spice.
Taste is ginger foremost but followed by other spices and malt.
Overall its not world class but I really do have to give credit for using spice well. Most way over do it and this was just enough.

How on earth is this called a stout?

Pours a light amber color with a khaki head.

Nose is heavy ginger, clove, apricot and persimmon.

Taste is heavily spiced ginger and clove, brown sugar, cinnamon, and the others in the nose.

Mouthfeel is pleasant, bright and effervescent. Spices are quite warming.

If you can stand the heavy ginger, this isn’t a bad beer. It’s decently enjoyable if you’re looking for something festive and warming. The sweetness and heavy spice might make this a one-and-done (if that) though. But if you are looking to put a low boil in your belly with a true stout on a winter eve, buddy this ain’t it.

So this is Christmas... definitely. Deep ruddy brown with a solid khaki head. Decent amount of retention and lacing.

Nose may be the best part. Sweet gingerbread and holiday spice. There's some toasted malt hiding out.

Taste is full throated holiday brew. Ginger is dominant with a biting metallic edge in the finish. The holiday spice is there a week.
There's a mineral undercurrent that give it a bit an English accent like a Smith's Taddy but that's a close as it gets to tasting anything like a stout or porter. Somewhat one dimensional.

Feel is nice with good carbonation and a touch of creaminess developing as you hold it in your mouth.

A decent holiday session sipper. The ginger is too much to make this a thirst quencher but it's a tasty tree trimming beer to have on hand for a party. You'll drink slower, remember more and focus on the people instead of being seduced by the beverage. Not bad

12oz bottle. Poured out a clear, dark amber color with a small, off-white head of foam. This is not a stout. It smelled of ginger, ginger, and more ginger. It tasted of ginger and more ginger. It mellowed as it warmed up and had some toffee and caramel.

12oz bottle served in a Libby globe porter glass. Best by 06/25/21.

Appearance: Clear dark copper with a very thin white ring of foam, no lacing. It's a really nice color, but it's not a stout in color.

Smell: Definitely gingerbread. Strong fresh baked gingerbread with plenty of ginger and molasses.

Taste: Tastes very much like it smells - it tastes like gingerbread but not quite as sweet and there is a bit of a metallic and sharp spicy finish. It's not at all stout-like.

Mouthfeel: A bit thin, but a little sticky on the teeth as well. Fizzy carbonation.

Overall / Drinkability: This beer is misnamed - it should be called Ginger Beard Spiced Ale. It's very spicy, and you almost could call it Gingerbread soda. Almost. There is a beer in all of this, but it's just about completely hidden by all the strong spice and gingerbread flavor. I think one is enough for me. I had it by itself....and I struggled to finish it. It's so strong flavored that it needs to be paired with something, or, come in smaller doses. Probably one of the strongest herbed/spiced beers I've ever had, and with such low ABV to boot. Definitely worth a try for its unique character.

 

 

IMHO an enjoyable beer-like holiday beverage, best suited for cozy after dinner communing with friends, family, and/or a nice fire. I’m not a serious beer drinker/analyzer; see others’ reviews for insights to flavor notes, etc.
LOOK: I drank it out of the bottle, so I can comment only on the label and six pack. The prominent gingerbread man (person?) effectively conveys the seasonality, with strong graphics and earth tones contributing a sense of old-fashioned solidity.
SMELL: popping the cap released a bit of vapor and a discernible sweet, predominantly ginger smell, with warm caramel.
TASTE: lighter and less hoppy than I’m accustomed to in a stout. This balances well with the sweet and spicy flavors. Good flavor intensity.
FEEL: perhaps its most stout-like character—”thick enough”, smooth.
OVERALL: very accessible drink with characteristics appreciable by beer drinkers and holiday aficionados.

Appearance: Pours a dark, ruby red or bronze color that has a clear, but dark ruby hue. A medium tan head. SRM of 19-20. (3.75)

Aroma: Huge aromas of bourbon, whiskey, barbeque sauce, Worcestershire, followed by molasses. Lots of sweet, but tangy barbeque rub. Some ginger and spice. (3.75)

Flavor: Flavor follows with STRONG bourbon, barbeque sauce, and molasses. Some spice, gingerbread and Worcestershire to follow. Strong flavors and overpowering. (2.50)

Feel: Medium to light bodied. Low carbonation. Finishes sweet. (3.00)

Overall: Wow I couldn't even finish this beer. THe flavors and spice are so overpowering that it nearly knocked me off my feet. It felt like drinking bourbon and molasses mixed with Worcestershire, but without the alcohol. Maybe a stronger (or weaker) man can finish this beer, but I'm not even ashamed I poured this one out. Avoid this one. (Final Rating: 2.83)

Poured from a 750 ml bomber into a snifter
Appearance – The beer pours a deep brown color with a one finger head of brown colored foam. The head fades super fast, leaving almost no lacing on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma of the brew is rich of a nice dark chocolate and molasses smell mixed with a good sum of roasted malt and a decent showing of brown sugar and a touch of plum and raisin. Along with these smells comes a decent showing of some warming whisky and wood as well as a little bit of a decent showing so some pecan nuttiness. Overall a rather dark, rich, and warming smell.
Taste – The taste begins with a rather sweet molasses and brown sugar flavor that is matched by a whole lot of roasted and toasted malt as well as a touch of dark chocolate. As the taste advances the rosaty tastes get stronger, while the chocolate gets lighter. At the same time the sweeter molasses and brown sugar remain constant, all while some tastes of pecan and nut start to develop more. Toward the end the booziness that was sensed in the nose comes to the tongue, with a rather decent showing of bourbon and wood. With a touch more of sweetness with some raisin and cherry that come at the very end, one is left with a sweet, slightly boozy, dark pecan flavor to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is one the slightly more syrupy side with a carbonation level that is low. For the boozy pecan pie like tastes of the brew the feel is rather fitting and makes for a more dessert like feel for the brew.
Overall – A rather decent brew overall, although not worth the rather higher price tag of $15 for a 750 ml. Rich and fun. At least worth a try for a nice dessert like brew at a holiday meal.