I Believe In Santa
Zaftig Brewing Co.

 

 

 

Poured a cola brown with zero head. Seriously, you couldn't tell the difference between this and a flat glass of Dr Pepper.

Malty aromas that also include obvious citrus and cinnamon scents.

Mainly getting a cocoa and orange flavor from this. Theres a touch of cinnamon. Good balance of sweet and bitter, but there isnt really a ton of complexity here. Odd aftertaste that doesn't really compliment the beer - I blame the orange peel.

Mouthfeel is great - on the full side of medium

Overall this isnt a bad beer, but I'm not really impressed either. If you like orange peel, this may be more your thing, though.

Canned on 10/29/20. 16oz can poured into a tulip. Pours almost black; creamy khaki head that fades leaving great retention and sticky lacing. The aromas are malt forward. Hints of cocoa. Not much spice going on in the aroma department. The flavors had somewhat of an odd aftertaste that I can't quite put my finger on. It's almost sour and has some wine characteristics to it. The orange peel definitely comes through and is probably the star. Some milk chocolate and cherries in the mix. The cinnamon is very mild and almost goes unnoticed although that it is noticeable in the finish when you really dig deep. Hints of vanilla in the mix. There's a sweetness to it, but it's not overly sweet. Decent little bitterness. Malts do their thing. Alcohol is well hidden. Mouthfeel is full-bodied with active carbonation. It's sharp, fluffy and smooth.

This beer kind of feels like a letdown for me. I've been pretty impressed by the few beers that I've had from Zaftig over the years. This isn't bad or anything, but I really wish the cinnamon and vanilla beans were more prominent. I'll admit that it becomes more enjoyable the more I drink it. Maybe this is just a case of me of me having high expectations and expecting something different.

I was pleasantly surprised the first time I had this beer on tap that it was a Holiday Porter. In a state filled with predominantly lighter, albeit tasty, holiday ales, it is a refreshing change of pace for the porter and stout drinkers of the world. It pours very dark brown and the chocolate, honey, and orange peel tastes and aromas are quickly noticeable and quite tasty. The overall feel was on the medium to heavier side, but it makes for a solid dessert beer and eggnog alternative. A well balanced twist on a traditional porter and a great holiday treat!

 

 

12oz bottle served in a Libby globe porter glass. Batch # 176 2017.

Appearance: Slow pour left the sediment behind, giving a most clear dark cola brown beer. Thin off-white head died back very quickly with no residual foam or lacing noted.

Smell: Not a lot of aroma. Toasted malts and caramel mostly.

Taste: The beer bottle says this beer has vanilla, orange peel, and cinnamon in it, and if this beer is from 2017, it turns into a very different beer with aging. The taste is sweet, with lots of caramel and toffee, a bit of bitter orange peel, and roasted malt bitterness. There may be some vanilla in all of this, but it's hidden. The cinnamon is just about completely gone - I get a tiny bit of it at the finish, but overall, it's quite a malt monster.

Mouthfeel: Nicely thick, light prickly carbonation, a bit sticky on the teeth.

Overall / Drinkability: Assuming this beer is from 2017, it ages well, but becomes something very different than what the label suggests. I would not call this an imperial porter - too much caramel and toffee notes. It's more like a lightly spiced English Barleywine or a wee heavy. A very interesting slow sipping beer. I will have to see if I can get this fresh - I suspect it's an entirely different beer.

From the 12 oz bottle in a snifter. This most excellent porter pours a
muddy cola brown with a nice head of khaki foam that subsides to a
thick ring, thin layer, and shows some decent light lacing. Nose of
subtleties---light cinnamon, subtle vanilla, and subtle chocolate.
Flavors far surpass the nose with aplomb--mild cinnamon dusted
chocolate notes wash over vanilla and a light traditional chocolate
orange (as in the old fashioned candy!) flavor with a dark rum like
note on the rear. Very nice mouth feel; medium body, light carbonation,
and a balanced culmination of the above description on the finish
that is superb.

Overall, a fantastic little brew and one that I will look forward to
revisiting next year as well as more this year.

Zaftig always gives a great performance of a fine strong
and well balanced style. Worth trying and buying multiples of.

Cheers

 

Poured from a bottle into a fluted glass. Very dark brown with little head and decent lacing. Strong bourbon smell. Nice taste with dark chocolate, a bit of coffee, and nice warm spicy notes. A nice holiday beer!

 

500 ml bottle, Batch #129, bottled on 11/08/2016. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with about an inch tan head. Head retention and lacing are both decent enough. Aroma is mostly sweet, the brew smells like chocolate, roasted malt, cinnamon and vanilla. Taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also some orange peel, caramel and a bit of coffee noticeable. It's a good holiday porter that's not overpowered by the spices. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's slick and smooth with a good amount of carbonation. I thought this was a good, enjoyable brew. I wouldn't mind picking up another bottle or 2! $8.99 a bottle.

Trying this one at the Brewery. It poured an opaque black with thin off white head that is not leaving any lace. The scent had hints of nutmeg and cinnamon. The taste was nicely balanced between holiday flare, dark chocolate and roast. The Mouthfeel is fuller in body with smooth carbonation. Overall it's a solid beer.