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Christmas Ale
The Schlafly Tap Room
- From:
- The Schlafly Tap Room
- Missouri, United States
- Style:
- Winter Warmer
- ABV:
- 8%
- Score:
- 83
- Avg:
- 3.69 | pDev: 12.74%
- Reviews:
- 194
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Nov 21, 2020
- Added:
- Nov 02, 2006
- Wants:
- 28
- Gots:
- 89
Our Christmas Ale is a warming winter ale that blends the spices of the season with sweet caramel malt. Orange peel, juniper berries, ginger root, cardamom and cloves are added for spiciness. We use honey in the fermentation process, which raises the ABV without producing too much heat from the alcohol content.
Many breweries produce richer, higher alcohol beers for the winter holiday season, bolder than their year-round offerings. The inspiration for this beer came from spiced holiday beverages such as wassail and mulled wines. Around the holidays, the sweet and spicy aromas, not to mention the booze, in such libations tend to smooth the rougher edges of enjoying each other’s company and spreading goodwill.
30 IBU
Many breweries produce richer, higher alcohol beers for the winter holiday season, bolder than their year-round offerings. The inspiration for this beer came from spiced holiday beverages such as wassail and mulled wines. Around the holidays, the sweet and spicy aromas, not to mention the booze, in such libations tend to smooth the rougher edges of enjoying each other’s company and spreading goodwill.
30 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by StonedTrippin:
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado
3.86/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.86/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
a cool christmas beer, a drinker, not a novelty. the pour is amber to red, darker than that, but not brown at all, mostly clear, and a minimal head. the nose is really boozy, but juniper and cardamom permeate too. love the taste of this, complex, fruity, spicy, strong, and as drinkable as any holiday ale or winter warmer out there in terms of subtle and not dominant or aggressive spice notes. sour fruit up front, sweet finish, daring but approachable at the same time. body is thin, too thin really. it lends to drinkability, but it makes it less of a winter warmer in the classic sense. its carbonated fine, but its just a tad too little on body for me, especially given how alcoholic this is. better and better as it warms. overall an exceptional holiday brew, a must try at the taproom.
edit: revisiting this years later an really digging it. maybe its just the first of these for the season, but this really pops to me as unique in terms of its spice complexion, its warming and merry and cheerful, i like the way this tastes and i like the way it makes me feel. one of the better seasonal beers these guys do! wonderful on a freezing cold and wet saturday afternoon.
Nov 20, 2012edit: revisiting this years later an really digging it. maybe its just the first of these for the season, but this really pops to me as unique in terms of its spice complexion, its warming and merry and cheerful, i like the way this tastes and i like the way it makes me feel. one of the better seasonal beers these guys do! wonderful on a freezing cold and wet saturday afternoon.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by maddogruss from New Jersey
3.41/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.41/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Had this from a bottle.
A: pours orange amber body with small white head with ok retention and lacing
S: nice, cinnamon and allspice notes; malt notes
T: nice, spicy notes; cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice; subtle biscuit sweet malt
M: medium bodied and pretty smooth; solid overall
D: nice mouthfeel and taste combo; pretty solid drinking beer
Nov 21, 2020A: pours orange amber body with small white head with ok retention and lacing
S: nice, cinnamon and allspice notes; malt notes
T: nice, spicy notes; cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice; subtle biscuit sweet malt
M: medium bodied and pretty smooth; solid overall
D: nice mouthfeel and taste combo; pretty solid drinking beer
Rated by Idrink from New York
3.54/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.54/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
good but not great.
Mar 21, 2018Reviewed by Snowcrash000 from Germany
3.67/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.67/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours a reddish mahogany coloration with a medium, fizzy head. Smells of caramel malts, with a faint hint of ginger and clove. Taste is quite malt-forward, with caramel and bready malts taking center stage. Quite a bit of spice coming through as well, with nutmeg, cardamon, ginger and clove being most noticeable. Perhaps a hint of cinnamon in there as well. Finishes with a medium, spicy bitterness. This reminded me a lot of a Pumpking Ale, which shouldn't be too surprising, I guess. Nice enough, with a decent malt bill and nice spicyness and bitterness. Nothing too outstanding, but well-balanced.
Feb 08, 2018Reviewed by q33jeff from New Jersey
3.68/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.68/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
**
12/30/17
Bottle to snifter.
LOOK: red, brown, lasting medium head.
AROMA: allspice, cinnamon, fruitcake, baking soda
TASTE: bread, spice, cranberry, orange
An above average Christmas beer.
**
Dec 30, 201712/30/17
Bottle to snifter.
LOOK: red, brown, lasting medium head.
AROMA: allspice, cinnamon, fruitcake, baking soda
TASTE: bread, spice, cranberry, orange
An above average Christmas beer.
**
Reviewed by KLHBB from Arkansas
3.93/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.93/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Fuzzy mahogany, smells of caramel and nutty malt. Taste of spice, gingerbread, not too sweet. Medium mouthfeel, quite excellent, Schlafly is always good.
Dec 26, 2017Rated by krh from Illinois
3.75/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Struck me as a flatter Oktoberfest beer with a little spice added. Expected more from Schlafly based on previous tastings.
Dec 24, 2017Reviewed by Qbdoo from Illinois
4/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I do not generally like Christmas Ales but this is the best I've had. A dark nut brown color. Aroma is a caramel and just a hint of nutmeg. Taste similar. The spices are subdued, which for me is the key to a good winter warmer. There's also a slight sweet syrupy quality. Very nice.
Dec 24, 2017
Christmas Ale from The Schlafly Tap Room
Beer rating:
83 out of
100 with
565 ratings
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