Christmas Ale
Sly Fox Brewing Company

Christmas AleChristmas Ale
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From:
Sly Fox Brewing Company
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
Winter Warmer
Ranked #148
ABV:
6.5%
Score:
83
Ranked #32,965
Avg:
3.68 | pDev: 14.13%
Ratings:
452 | reviews: 195
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 01, 2026
Added:
Nov 24, 2002
Wants:
  7
Gots:
  49
This malty, full-bodied red ale is made with traditional mulling spices: Ginger, Clove, All Spice, Cinnamon & Nutmeg. If this one doesn't get you into the Christmas spirit, you truly are a Scrooge.

Bottled: 16.0 OG | 16 IBUs | 6.5% ABV

Canned: 14.0 OG | 16 IBUs | 5.5% ABV
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Timmmmaaayyy:
Photo of Timmmmaaayyy
Rated by Timmmmaaayyy from Pennsylvania

3.91/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Dec 13, 2020
More User Ratings:
Photo of Nash39
Rated by Nash39 from Florida

3.68/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
The pour is chestnut colored. The taste is sweet roasted malt, fall time spices, & a hint of honey. Cheers! B
Jan 01, 2026
Photo of Spankyrightus
Reviewed by Spankyrightus from Maryland

3.65/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
On draught in the Sky Fox taproom.
Not bad, but spiced beer is not something I seek out or care for much. My rating score is based on how it is supposed to taste more than how much I liked it. I’ve had others I enjoyed more, but they were not as spice forward on flavor.
Subtle is key, less is more.

For a second opinion, my wife said it reminded her of the Christmas scented soap she bought.
She liked it enough to make the soap purchase, but not enough to say she liked the beer.
We are somewhat agreeable on holiday beers it seems.
Dec 23, 2025
Photo of jonphisher
Reviewed by jonphisher from New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours cloudy, light brown and copper hue, hints of red when held to light; off-white head that vanishes too fast, leaves islands of bubbles and faint sheen of froth.

Nose is attractively Christmas like; sweet and spiced; has a fruity component to it, with complimentary toffee and spice, cinnamon and ginger come to mind, little clove aspect too.

Pleasant tasting beer, with the smorgasbord of spice I was worried it would be over the top but it’s not; but no single spice sticks out, just a holiday spiced flavor, little bite to it with a pleasantly sweet lingering malt base.

Medium body, comes off a tad thin though; creamy carbonation, spices add a little bit of pepper like feel finish, little something bitter on the sides of the tongue; easy to drink.
Dec 15, 2025
 
Rated: 3.32 by Spade from Pennsylvania

Feb 02, 2025
 
Rated: 4.43 by BirdsandHops from Oregon

Nov 30, 2024
 
Rated: 3.92 by Bhubbard34 from Pennsylvania

Nov 10, 2024
Photo of RacerX5k
Reviewed by RacerX5k from Pennsylvania

4.37/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Ok guys, accuracy. Sorry, it's kinda my thing. This is 6.3% ABV today, one of the best beers I've had lately, $1 at one of my locals. Yes, $1. Christmas in July, gotta love it. Phoenixville PA? I may have been there, once, or 100 times. Looks good, smells great, tastes very good, the PERFECT amount of cinnamon in a beer. Amazing. X5K, out. Merry Christmas.
Jul 26, 2023
 
Rated: 3.8 by CoasterGuy from Pennsylvania

Dec 16, 2022
 
Rated: 3.65 by 322wingedfoot from Pennsylvania

Nov 18, 2022
Photo of BitteNochEinWeissbier
Reviewed by BitteNochEinWeissbier from Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
12 oz can
glass: tulip


Look: Deep, dark copper with a 2+ finger off-white head. The head dissipates relatively quickly to a mostly consistent film. Good Lacing

Smell: Holiday spices, primarily ginger and some cloves, overlaying a sweet fruitiness.

Taste: Follows the nose but with a heavier does of spice. Again, the primary spice seems to be ginger. The spice lingers thru the finish leaving a slight astringincy.

Feel: Thin and noticeably carbonated but clean.

Overall: Not a bad holiday ale, but not my favorite. The spice is a bit too strong for my palette. What is interesting is how much that I notice the ginger. Almost to the point of not noticing the other spices. Nutmeg I don't register at all. But solid and an OK cold weather brew.
Mar 11, 2022
 
Rated: 3.91 by SiepJones from Pennsylvania

Dec 20, 2021
Photo of adrock314
Reviewed by adrock314 from Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
12oz can into snifter. Current ABV is 6.3% according to label.

L: Bright & clear ruby color. Fluffy head dissipates rather quickly to a lingering ring. 4.25

S: Label references ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, & cloves and all of that is present in the aroma. Nose is Christmas cookies and gingerbread. It works, but it's a little too much for me. 3.5

T: Sweet caramel & toffee. Luckily the spice is dialed down a little bit in the taste. Ginger and hop bitterness combine on the back end to add some dryness and just a hint of heat in the finish. 4.0

F: Mouthfeel is appropriate. Carbonation is a little too fizzy. 3.5

O: Overall I think this one is better than the sum of its' parts, but something just doesn't do it for me. Definitely a solid seasonal offering, but I'm a kind of let down as I remember enjoying this much more in the past. It has been a year or so since I've had one, though. I'd recommend grabbing a single before committing to a 12 pack. 4.0
Dec 18, 2021
 
Rated: 3.95 by sbradley41 from Pennsylvania

Dec 18, 2021
 
Rated: 4.03 by T66tah from Pennsylvania

Dec 13, 2020
Photo of Colenso
Reviewed by Colenso from Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A: thin head with plenty of lacing, straw-colored with a reddish hue
S: Malt, pumpkin spice, nutmeg, general seasonal (Christmas) spice on the palette
T: Hop bitter finish, no noticeable off-flavors but wasn't really picking up the ginger
M: Thin, mild carbonation, somewhat watery
O: It was a fine brew, but I wouldn't want to drink multiple of these. No enough body to support the spice. A bigger mouthfeel would improve this beer.
May 16, 2020
 
Rated: 3.5 by PatrickCT from Connecticut

Apr 08, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by harpus from Alabama

Jan 02, 2020
 
Rated: 3.79 by Barleycorn from Pennsylvania

Dec 23, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by bdiiorio from Connecticut

May 01, 2019