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By Scottie, January 31, 2010 4:12 pm

Saint-Martin Cuvée De Noel

Not Your Typical Winter Seasonal Beer.

Brasserie De Brunehaut was founded in 1890 in the Belgian town of Brunehaut. In 1990, the brewery relocated to an updated facility with modern equipment.

Brasserie De Brunehaut grows all of their barley and wheat used for brewing, guaranteeing quality and consistency in their beers. All of their beers are bottle refermented in 33cl & 75cl bottles, which adds to the overall complexity of the beer.

Today, the brewery still follows recipes developed by the original monks in 1890. They produce three styles of beer – Abbey, Organic, and Regional. The Saint-Martin Cuvée De Noel is one of Brasserie De Brunehaut’s Abbey ales.

Appearance:

Murky brown color with a slight ruby hue and a large khaki colored head that dissipates quickly. The dissipated head leaves behind some nice lacing.

Smell:

There is a very pronounced spiced aroma backed by notes of sweet candied sugar and caramel.

Taste:

Again, a very strong holiday spice flavor that is complimented by candied sugar, caramel, and hints of malt sweetness. At 8.5% ABV, the alcohol is noticeable but very subtle.

Mouthfeel:

The mouthfeel is much lighter than I was expecting. There is a crispness that I found unique for this style of beer.

Drinkability:

The light and crisp mouthfeel, combined with the very subtle alcohol presence makes this an easy and enjoyable drink.

Overall:

I had heard good things about the Cuvée De Noel and had been trying to find this beer for sometime in DC, which never happened. I was finally able to grab a bottle from the Foodery in Philly over the holidays.

This beer was definitely a surprise in a bottle. I was expecting a medium to full-bodied beer; a dark beer with a thick and coating mouthfeel – expected characteristics of winter seasonal beers. Instead, the Cuvée De Noel had crisp flavors with a much lighter body; making it a very drinkable. This is not your typical winter seasonal, but an enjoyable drink nonetheless.

Brewery website: http://brunehaut.com/

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By Scottie, December 6, 2009 4:12 pm

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

There’s no better way to get into the holiday spirit than to crack open a tasty winter seasonal.

The Celebration Ale comes in the traditional 12 oz Sierra Nevada bottle. A wintery scene with a quaint little cottage in the countryside adorns the label. Before I go any further, I want to thank De Vinos for hooking me up with a bottle. Tis the season!

The Celebration Ale has a rich amber color with golden hues; pouring a huge head that leaves behind beautiful lacing.

This is one pungent smelling brew. The powerful presence of floral hops smacks you in the face. Citrus and spice balance-out this ale.

The overall flavor of the Celebration Ale is as massive as the aroma. The hopped-up flavor is complimented with toasted malt, citrus, and a dash of spice. The 6.8% ABV is obvious in taste, but never overpowers. The alcohol provides a nice warming effect that is perfect on a brisk winter night.

The name says it all. A case of this awesome ale will quickly turn a festive gathering into a full-blown celebration.

Brewery website: http://www.sierranevada.com/

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By Scottie, December 6, 2009 3:38 pm

The Odd Notion Winter by Magic Hat

According to the label, “Magic Hat’s Odd Notions are a series of exceptional (and mostly odd), limited quantity, specialty craft releases.” I was intrigued by this bold statement and was looking forward to finding out which adjective best described this brew, odd or exceptional.

The label has a picture of a candy-cane colored tower with falling snow and a sleigh in the background. A pretty odd label, if you ask me.

The Odd Notion Winter is brown in color with orange hues around the edges of the glass. It pours with a massive tan head and has strong apricot, orange, and floral aromas.

The Odd Notion has a sour citrus flavor with hints of honey and bready malts that help balance the flavoring. At only 4.5% ABV, this is a very drinkable beer that won’t end your evening after having a couple.

I was expecting a much different beer when I first held the bottle in my hand, which isn’t a bad thing. When I hear winter seasonal, I picture a darker, thicker beer, like Magic Hat’s Howl.

I think the adjective odd does an accurate job of describing this winter seasonal. There was certainly something different about this brew, but then again, maybe that’s what Magic Hat intended.

Brewery website: http://www.magichat.net/