Hans Ginger
Mirror Twin Brewing

With the holiday season upon us, the debate of best Christmas movie rages on. While that debate is relegated to bar banter, its worth discussing over a imperial status brown ale that's sprinkles with ginger spice to deck the glass along with the halls. Tasty enough, there's no foes here.

But Hans Ginger comes with a dark brown color and topped with a delicate and sandy swath of foam. Toasted gingerbread comes to mind immediately with the very first sniff. Molasses and an overall granola-like character extends from the nose and onto the initial palate for a rich and malt forward introduction.

As the dark, spicy and luscious ale rolls across the tastebuds, its malt flavors seep deeply into the senses with caramel, toffee, brown sugar and a rich molasses taste. The sharp spice of ginger is woven deeply into the sweetness for a bright and heated balance. Suggestions of nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla bring a general dessert flavor to mind while a mild coffee-like bitterness trails into a nutty and light woodsy finish.

Full bodied and with a luscious and silky texture, the light carbonation provides a cask ale type of weight although the ale lacks the lift and creaminess late on the palate that would give the beer the cakey texture and bready taste that would best sell the overall impression of gingerbread.