Holiday Ale
Two Roads Brewing Company

Holiday AleHoliday Ale
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From:
Two Roads Brewing Company
 
Connecticut, United States
Style:
Bière de Garde
Ranked #53
ABV:
7.3%
Score:
84
Ranked #21,999
Avg:
3.74 | pDev: 9.89%
Reviews:
68
Ratings:
248
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 06, 2024
Added:
Jan 03, 2013
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  49
Two Roads Holiday Ale is inspired by the little known Biere de Noel style, on subset of Biere de Garde, both of which originated on small farmhouse breweries in the north of France. Biere de Noel, which translates as “Christmas Beer”, tends to exhibit a more malty profile than a typical Biere de Garde.

In its native France this special type of ale is brewed by just a handful of small breweries and is only available for the few weeks leading up to Christmas.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by bdiiorio:
Photo of bdiiorio
Rated by bdiiorio from Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Feb 16, 2017
More User Ratings:
Photo of zeff80
Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri

3.92/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
12oz can. Poured out a cloudy, golden orange color with a small, white head of foam. It left sudsy trails of lace on the glass. It smelled of spices, dried fruits, caramel and toffee. Nice spicy taste with a hint of apple. Good caramel and toffee backbone.
Jan 06, 2024
Photo of sulldaddy
Reviewed by sulldaddy from Connecticut

4.08/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Sampling a 12 oz bottle at cellar temp and pouring into my chalice. Date stamping is best before March 27, 2024.
The beer pours a rich chestnut color and reveals some lazy streams of carbonation rising to the surface of my glass. A dense creamy beige head foams up .5 cm and recedes to only a sturdy edge layer and one large wispy island in the center.
Aroma is some caramel and toffee with a little brown sugar note too. there are hints of light fruitiness as well, like a red grape note. No hop character nor ABV hints on the nose.
First sip reveals a medium body with smooth texture and very fine tingly carbonation. Beer drinks nicely and easy on the physical traits.
Flavor is similar to nose with caramel and toffee, but the fruitiness is much bolder here. I get cherry and red grape with a bit of plum too. Surprisingly diverse and interesting flavor after the nose left a little to be desired in my opinion.
Never any hop character and the ABV is hidden, even as it ticks up over 7.3. An enjoyable beer with interesting and enjoyable flavor profile.
Dec 16, 2023
Photo of BJB13
Reviewed by BJB13 from Maryland

4.37/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
12 ounce can poured into a Tulip.
Best by 3/22/23

L: Fairly clear dark amber, khaki one inch head with decent retention, leaves lace.
S: Malty bread, caramel, yeast.
T: Malty spiced bread, touch of sweetness to open, spicy and earthy hops, finish is dry and slightly tart.
F: Medium-full body, very creamy, goes down with a little heat.
O: Really nice, enough spice to impart the flavor but not linger and make me feel like I’ve been eating spoonfuls of spice, very drinkable.
Feb 19, 2023
Photo of DavetotheB
Reviewed by DavetotheB from Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
From a 12oz bottle dated "best before" 3/22/23 into a pint glass.

Pours a very murky, dark orangish brown with about one finger of off-white head. Pretty good retention and lacing.

Description doesn't mention anything about spices added but the aroma is giving off some bready malts, caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar.

Taste follows, brady malts, spices and a hint of pine.

Slightly sticky, wet full-bodied mouthfeel. Low to medium carbonation. Baking spice aftertaste.

Interesting, enjoyable brew.
Dec 30, 2022
Photo of johnnnniee
Reviewed by johnnnniee from New Hampshire

3.58/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Can from the Advent Box
Dark gold color with a thin off white head that slowly recedes.
Earthy spicy hops and light yeasty notes against a rich toasty bready maltiness. Seemed a bit sweet imho but tasty,
Dec 16, 2022
Photo of harrypowers
Reviewed by harrypowers from Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a clear reddish brown with a 1F tan head and light lacing.

Smells and tastes of malt, caramel and cinnamon with a slightly bitter , alcohol warm finish.

Medium light body with light carbonation. Smooth, lightly syrupy mouthfeel.

This is a simple, drinkable, relatively light bodied, lightly sweet brew.
Dec 14, 2022
Photo of JZH1000
Reviewed by JZH1000 from Colorado

4.12/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Poured from 12oz can best by April 5th 2023

On the pour a fine 1 finger off white head sit on top of a reddish chestnut body with some light carbonation. Slight chill haze. Head retention isn't insane with a thin covering showing up after a few minutes.

Aroma is lightly spicy in a yeasty way. Sort of a cross between belgian and English yeasts sort of. Caramel and nutty amber malts come through nicely. Like an imperial malty amber ale. Slight funk as it warms.

Taste is even more malty than the aroma, but it doesn't come off as all that sweet. It's definitely more roasty and nutty than caramely. Slight yeast character comes through but it's much more stonefruity and bready than the aroma. There is a light, presumably noble, hop bitterness that sits squarely in the back. This is ridiculously smooth for the abv, and it really doesn't come off as "imperial" in the taste.

Feel this full but not big. Feels like 5.5 to 6 abv but nope this is 7.3. Dry but long finish but the more you drink the more the malts coat your mouth, and astringency is replaced with warmth.

Overall there is room for improvement, or maybe just a bit more flavor, but the quality is impressive, especially for the ABV. Solid "imperial" amber, but certainly not a hop forward beer. If you want an easy drinking warm malty beer, this is a good choice.
Dec 12, 2022
 
Rated: 4.16 by Shan-man from New Jersey

Dec 04, 2022
 
Rated: 3.94 by Hockey_Fan from Maryland

Dec 03, 2022
 
Rated: 3.94 by Sludgeman from District of Columbia

Nov 26, 2022
Photo of Bigdikkus
Reviewed by Bigdikkus

3.59/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
For a beer too afraid to call itself a "Christmas beer" I shouldn't be too surprised that it was a bit lackluster. Easy to drink, inoffensive, but nothing special. Malt, mild caramel, that's basically it.
Jan 18, 2022
Photo of BeerAndGasMasks
Reviewed by BeerAndGasMasks from Virginia

3.63/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
From the bottle, it pours a clear solid amber color with a modest half inch off-white head that soon reduces to a thin layer. The nose gets a slight bit of caramel. The mouth gets a good bit of roasted malts and a touch of caramel.
Jan 10, 2022
Photo of DanO1066
Reviewed by DanO1066 from Maryland

3.69/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Draught 8oz snifter at The Brass Tap here in Baltimore: Thank you "Happy Hour" for tempting me to try a style I'm NOT, particularly, fond of (although this is a sub-type)
Dec 28, 2021
 
Rated: 4.04 by xungmound98 from New York

Dec 24, 2021
 
Rated: 3.78 by Rainintheface from Florida

Dec 17, 2021
 
Rated: 3.75 by atlbravsrno1 from Maine

Dec 14, 2021
Photo of JMG66
Rated by JMG66

3.98/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Nice Christmas beer.
How do you translate "Biere de Noel" to "Holiday Ale"? Disgraceful!
Dec 02, 2021
Photo of garymuchow
Reviewed by garymuchow from Minnesota

3.96/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Picked this up in Colorado. BBE apr 22
I like this. Nice malt forward with yeast spiciness and a soft lingering dryness. Darker amber with reddish tint (not chestnut to me as others have written). Very clear and off white head with good stamina. Complex malt flavors blend well, including soft fruit. Enough alcohol to appreciate it's presence on several levels. Spiciness seems from both hops and yeast and work well together. Smooth feel with nicely presented carbonation.
I really enjoy this. Nicely done.
Nov 28, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by LXMRTN from New Hampshire

Nov 23, 2021
Holiday Ale from Two Roads Brewing Company
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 248 ratings