Jingle Bell Ale
Ohio Brewing Company

I am trying this beer off the tapper in a cinnemon and sugar rimmed glass at the brewery as part of a five sample flight. It poured a cloudy amber with thin white ring head that is leaving a spotty lace. The scent had cinnamon and ginger flare. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with light caramel malt base with bold cinnamon, sugar, and ginger presence. The mouthfeel was lighter in body and had good carbonation. Overall it is a good beer.

Poured a hazy amber with virtually no head

Smell is interesting. Toffee, caramel, brown bread, fruits, some cocoa, malts. Some spices, but not overwhelming.

Taste follows the nose more or less exactly. Pretty enjoyable brew. Flavor is definitely festive. I appreciate that it isnt trying to Great Lakes or 12 Dogs. Ohio Brewing calls this a "big bold ale," which is a total exaggeration. Very mild hops, and the malts aren't exciting

Mouthfeel is medium. Pretty smooth. Lower carbonation

Overall, a solid Christmas brew. I think calling this very good is spot on. I'd drink it again.

 

 

12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, no bottle dating. Pours slightly hazy deep orange/copper color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, cream, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, toffee, brown bread, and toasted biscuit; with lighter notes of raisin, plum, fig, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/bready malt, honey, spices, and light fruity yeast/earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of big caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, cream, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, toffee, brown bread, and toasted biscuit; with lighter notes of raisin, plum, fig, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Light herbal, grassy, peppery bitterness; and cinnamon/clove spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, cream, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, toffee, brown bread, toasted biscuit, dark fruit, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, honey, spices, and light fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance, and no cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitter/spiciness. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/silky/bready, and fairly sticky mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 7.8%. Overall this is an excellent winter warmer. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, honey, spices, and light fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the mellowly bitter/spicy/drying finish. Mostly like a bit heavier bodied GLBC Xmas ale, but with vanilla added. Awesome balance of all flavors, with nothing overwhelming. A very enjoyable offering, and spot on style example. I tried this on tap many years ago, and remember really liking it; so the official rating lives up to the memory.

 

 

 

Best beer I've ever had.

Bought this at our local grocery store yesterday based on the reviews on BA. I wanted to try something different than my usual go-to holiday beers (GL Xmas Ale, 12 Dogs of Xmas). My first warning should have been that there is no date on the bottle. For all I know, this could be well over a year old. Upon pour of the12 oz bottle, there was no head whatsoever. It poured completely flat with no carbonation. And I really question the alcohol content - I tasted/felt none whatsoever. Basically tasted like a flat/spicy/sweet bottle of Coke. A total fail.

 

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass
A: Amber color, 1.5-finger head
S: Loads of spices especially cinnamon, some cocoa powder, a nice caramel/malt backbone
T: Spicy, creamy, like drinking a Chai latte. Nice maltiness adding support. That being said there's something slightly disjointed about it
M: Medium-bodied, finish is a bit short
O: Solid beer, good flavor overall. I'll look for this one again next holiday season

 

 

This beer surprised me at a local tasting last night. In the past I have not always been crazy about OBC beers but maybe they've upped their game a little since they moved locations. Spices weren't overwhelming like almost every other holiday spiced beer out there. It was nice. Ripe fruits, nice sweetness, some semi sweet bitter chocolates, with a rosie after taste that left you looking forward to your next sip. Maybe I'll start to give the other OBC beers another try...

 

 

Bottle picked up while at Vintage Estates, poured into my Pirates pint glass.

A: Pours a translucent orange with just a twinge of ruby-red to it, with a thin but persistant white head that bubbled nicely.

S: Wow. Cocoa, cinnamin, a touch of nutmeg, and maybe a hint or raisin, but mostly cocoa. I would not have expected that, based on the pour. I'm interested to see if it's in the flavor, as well.

T: Taste follows the nose. Cinnamin and nutmeg up front, classic amber malted barley flavors in the middle, and a nice touch of classic grapefruit hop bitterness on the back end. Cocoa rides on a wave throughout. Ever present, never distracting.

M: Light and lively, with perfect carbonation and just the right amount of sugars and sticky hop oils on the finish.

D/O: A great brew, artistically rendered. The cocoa and hop flavors grow and grow and grow as you work through the glass. Would definitely have a second one right now. Repeatable.