Holiday Ale
Two Roads Brewing Company

 

 

 

This is an excellent malty Christmas ale with a good alcohol punch of 7.3%. Glad it's not any higher or I couldn't drink it. We will definitely be looking for this at Wegmans next November.

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoyed on tap at Harry's in the Federal Hill Neighborhood of Providence Rhode Island.
A clear Brown liquid with minimal head, excellent malty Aroma with a little bit of spices.

Flavor flavor is heavy on the permalized malt, just a little bit of spices maybe some nutmeg and clothes.

Mouthfeel is medium with some degree of ptickle on the tongue.

I like this one a lot but I wished it had more spices.

 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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,

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.

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.