skahtboi
01-04-2004, 08:30 PM
I must admit, that from the way the Great Grains company (Dallas, TX) touted this seasonal ale, I was really looking forward to trying it. The label reads:
"This proudly hand-crafted ale is brewed once a year in limited quantities in the spirit of giving. We have chosen to provide our supporters with this traditional oak-aged ale to savor on a special occasion or to share with family and friends. We recommend this hearty brew be consumed at 50-55 F by a fireplace on a cold winter night while you wait for the yearly arrival of jolly old St. Nick."
There is also a "mission statement" that claims "Great Grains Brewery, Inc. believes in the tradition of open fermented, unfiltered, and unpastueurized ales. Remember, some ales are good, but only a few are great."
The picture on the label is a beautiful, late nineteenth century style portrayal of Santa at the fireplace on Christmas Eve.
Now...to the beer itself. When I poured it, it literally frothed forever, a light tan head. The beer itself was a nice, caramel color, and the nose, while slightly "fruity," was quite pleasant. The initial taste was malt with a hint of wood (presumably from the oak aging), but it finished with an almost cider taste, not unlike drinking a Woodpecker Pear cider, or something similar. As I have never been a cider fan, this put me off of this beer. I took several more tastes of this, but still could not shake the cider aftertaste. I ended up giving the rest to my wife, who thinks ciders are great. This will definitely not be a seasonal that I purchase for myself again, though the wife may have something to say about that, as she seemed to enjoy it.
"This proudly hand-crafted ale is brewed once a year in limited quantities in the spirit of giving. We have chosen to provide our supporters with this traditional oak-aged ale to savor on a special occasion or to share with family and friends. We recommend this hearty brew be consumed at 50-55 F by a fireplace on a cold winter night while you wait for the yearly arrival of jolly old St. Nick."
There is also a "mission statement" that claims "Great Grains Brewery, Inc. believes in the tradition of open fermented, unfiltered, and unpastueurized ales. Remember, some ales are good, but only a few are great."
The picture on the label is a beautiful, late nineteenth century style portrayal of Santa at the fireplace on Christmas Eve.
Now...to the beer itself. When I poured it, it literally frothed forever, a light tan head. The beer itself was a nice, caramel color, and the nose, while slightly "fruity," was quite pleasant. The initial taste was malt with a hint of wood (presumably from the oak aging), but it finished with an almost cider taste, not unlike drinking a Woodpecker Pear cider, or something similar. As I have never been a cider fan, this put me off of this beer. I took several more tastes of this, but still could not shake the cider aftertaste. I ended up giving the rest to my wife, who thinks ciders are great. This will definitely not be a seasonal that I purchase for myself again, though the wife may have something to say about that, as she seemed to enjoy it.