Christmas Ale 2014
Abita Brewing Co.

Christmas Ale 2014Christmas Ale 2014
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From:
Abita Brewing Co.
 
Louisiana, United States
Style:
American Brown Ale
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
77
Avg:
3.35 | pDev: 14.33%
Reviews:
24
Ratings:
128
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jul 14, 2017
Added:
Nov 13, 2014
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  36
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by tigg924:
Photo of tigg924
Reviewed by tigg924 from Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev +4.5%
A nice holiday ale. Cinnamon, brown sugar, with a citrus hop backbone. This has a dry backbone that lingers some in the aftertaste. Glad I picked up a six pack.
Nov 26, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 2.5 by armock from New York

Jul 14, 2017
 
Rated: 3 by calcnerd from Pennsylvania

Apr 14, 2016
Photo of woodychandler
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

3.59/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
My Bottle Backlog just continues to discharge all sorts of forgotten beers! I had purchased this at The Friendly Greek Bottle Shop with every intention of a timely review, but once it fell into the abyss of the backlog, it became forgotten. I am happy to resurrect it on Valentine's Day 2016.

From the bottle: "Each year at the Abita Brewery[,] we craft a special dark ale for the holiday season. Each year[,] the recipe changes so that Abita Christmas Ale is always the perfect gift."

Following the Pop!ping of the cap, there was no way that I was going to do anything more than gently pour it into the awaiting glass. A swirl produced a foamy finger of light-tan head with decent retention. Color was Copper(y)-Brown (SRM = > 17, < 22) with NE-quality clarity. Nose had a very bready quality, underlain by a light spiciness. I was put in mind of spice cake, which I kind of prefer to gingerbread over the holidays. Had the spice subsided during its aging? I don't know, but if the alternative was Manayunk's Festivus (2015), then I will opt for this every time. Mouthfeel was medium. Man, despite its relative age, this was still a very spice-forward beer! Yes, I was getting the breadiness of the malt, but it was secondary to the cinnamon/ginger/nutmeg of the inherent spices. The possibility exists that I may be able to score a bottle of 2015, so I will be curious to see how spiced it is when fresh. This was at about what I would consider my upper limit and it was over a year old! Finish was dry, thanks to all of the spices, but it was not as gasping as I can imagine that it was originally. Phew.
Feb 14, 2016
Photo of mothmanscott
Reviewed by mothmanscott from Georgia

3.62/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a deep amber producing 2+ fingers of frothy, tan, somewhat lasting head that leaves soap bubble rings & washes of lace. Aroma is dark malts, toast, faint brown sugar, lightly spiced with hints of cinnamon. Taste is toast, yeast, brown sugar, cinnamon, faint hints of chocolate, cooked apples & floral hops. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with light-medium carbonation, slick, a little bit peppery but smooth.
Jan 10, 2016
 
Rated: 3.19 by hozersr from Pennsylvania

Jan 08, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by zp6167a from District of Columbia

Dec 18, 2015
 
Rated: 3.46 by foghornleghorn22 from Virginia

Nov 28, 2015
 
Rated: 2.89 by kkazemi from North Carolina

Nov 28, 2015
 
Rated: 3.41 by ImperatorScab from Tennessee

Nov 21, 2015
 
Rated: 3.95 by Chinaskifan1 from Pennsylvania

Nov 20, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by olbubba from Florida

Nov 14, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by Hohnbaum from Kansas

Nov 14, 2015
 
Rated: 3.25 by Hellpop65 from Kansas

Oct 04, 2015
Photo of Pegasus
Reviewed by Pegasus from Texas

3.75/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Appearance: Clear, dark amber in color, with a robust,persistent, dense white head, substantial glass-ringing lacing, and modest carbonation.

Aroma: Dark caramel and toasted biscuit dominate the aroma.

Taste: The taste begins with roasted malt and prominent herbal hops. As the taste progresses, a pronounced wave of woodiness dominates the taste. Finishes with a lingering hop presence.

Mouth feel: Smooth, soft, and pleasant.

Drinkability/notes: Wonderful complexity, with abundant Christmas spices.

Packaged in a short twelve-ounce brown glass bottle with a pry-off crown, served in a New Belgium Brewing chalice.
Aug 13, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by BoljaBoy52 from Texas

Apr 11, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by TequilaTom from Ohio

Mar 31, 2015
Photo of ohiobeer29
Rated by ohiobeer29 from Ohio

2/5  rDev -40.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
your basic christmas ale was pretty good though
Mar 27, 2015
 
Rated: 3.58 by cougardraven from Illinois

Mar 15, 2015
Photo of Chickenhawk9932
Reviewed by Chickenhawk9932 from Pennsylvania

3.62/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours a dark Amber with a frothy tan head that has good retention and leaves a trail of lace.

Smells of resinous pine hops, caramel malt, and herbal hops.

Taste is big resinous pine up front followed by a slight caramel malt middle. It finishes dry with a bitter herb hop punch. A nice solid brown ale.
Mar 14, 2015
Christmas Ale 2014 from Abita Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 77 out of 100 with 128 ratings