Christmas Island GBS
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

 

750ml bottle poured into a snifter

A- pours black in color with a one-finger foamy khaki head that reduces to a ring

S- the aromas initially smells exactly like a rum and coke, huge rum aromas. Undertones of cinnamon, ginger, black licorice, oak, chocolate, brown sugar and coconut

T- as with the nose, bold rum barrel gives notes of black molasses, dark fruits, brown sugar and light oak. Mid-palate gives notes of chocolate, followed by spice notes with ginger leading the way, followed by cinnamon and nutmeg. The finish brings out some coconut, lactose sweetness and more rum and ginger

M- medium-heavy body with moderate carbonation leads to a creamy mouthfeel that continues into an almost chewy finish

O- one of my favorite GBS variants. You definitely have to be a fan of rum to enjoy this one, as it is very prevalent. I think that the rum matches brilliantly with the spicing of GBS

 

There doesn't seem to be a date on the bottle but this is from the 2020 Gingerbread Stout Complete Set direct from the brewery.

Appearance: It is a black-bodied beer with a very minimal khaki head. The head barely forms a film and it quickly dissipates to a ring. No lacing.

Aroma: As soon as the beer is poured into the glass the room starts to smell of alcohol. Closer inspection reveals a strong alcohol and wood bourbon barrel aroma. Sitting under the nose for a bit there is a bit of brown sugar scent. It smells very boozy.

Taste: Up front there is a strong flavor of coconut, chocolate, and a hint of vanilla. Towards the middle the flavors strengthen a lot. It tastes a lot like a Mounds or a coconut truffle. The aftertaste has a bit of milk chocolate character.

Mouthfeel: It is full bodied and easy to drink. It has a decent smoothness.

Overall: Aside from the boozy aroma the beer is very easy to drink and highly enjoyable. The label states that this is has "ALCOHOL 11.5% BY VOL" and that it is a "Gingerbread Stout Aged in Caribbean Rum Barrels with Toasted Coconut." The rum character seems to be lost in this beer, but there is a nice barrel aroma. The barrel aroma and the alcohol flavor of the beer gives it more of a bourbon character, rather than Caribbean Rum. The coconut is a different story, and it really shines in this beer. I would recommend it to coconut lovers but not to those looking strictly for a rum flavor. I would definitely drink it again.

 

 

L: Poured from a growler to a pint glass. Had a dark, mahogany brown color and a thick, opaque consistency. There was a quarter inch of foamy, tan-colored head that quickly dissipated. Not much lacing here.

S: A very nice aroma of chocolate, coconut, booze, ginger, and malt.

T: Tasted of a decent amount of rum (and its accompanying barrels), a bit of malt (present throughout, but very subtle), a good dose of coconut (sweet and prominent), some chocolate (always good to see), and light ginger notes. This is a well-formed flavor with just enough aggressiveness. The rum and coconut mix well together. Tasty stuff.

F: A fair amount of carbonation with a silky smooth finish. Medium-bodied.

O: A nicely done stout. Drinkable.