Breckenridge Brewery Christmas Ale

Christmas Ale

 

Breckenridge Brewery in Denver, Colorado, United States 🇺🇸

  Strong Ale Regular
Score
6.37
ABV: 7.4% IBU: - Ticks: 63
The chill of a Colorado high-country winter calls for a beer with extra flavor and strength. Here it is. At over 7% alcohol, with a sturdy texture and rich flavors of caramel and chocolate, our holiday seasonal is the fermented equivalent of a good fire.

The ultimate winter warmer.
 

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4.9
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5.5

This review was imported from my RateBeer ratings.

12 oz. bottle, 7.1% ABV, Best Enjoyed By: 06MAR23

AROMA: Moderately sweet with light scents of brown sugar, caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown bread, and alcohol.

APPEARANCE: Pours a dark amber-brown with a medium, off-white head that dissipates slowly with a small amount of lacing.

TASTE: Moderately sweet with mild flavors of bitter chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, and caramel. The finish is moderate with a touch more sweetness but also very dry with an alcohol kick.

MOUTHFEEL: I rate this as being thin-bodied, though, in reality it is probably somewhere between thin and medium bodied. Carbonation is average and the texture is a little tacky on the tongue (i.e. not slick nor smooth).

OVERALL: Sorry, but I'm not that impressed with this beer. First, visually and texturally this beer just doesn't make sense in my brain. I wish that a beer this dark had a little more "heft" to the body, and a little more smoothness to the texture. Second, I don't care for beers where the alcohol is so noticeable in the aroma and taste. I've had plenty of other beers, with even higher ABV levels, that don't even hint at the amount of alcohol in them. Third, the flavors and aromas are fairly subdued. I don't need to be "hit over the head" with flavor and aroma, but I certainly expect something marketed as a Christmas Ale, to at least bring the "cheer" with a bit more authority. All-in-all I find this to be a mediocre beer.

Tried from Bottle on 04 Nov 2022 at 20:12


3.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 2 | Flavor - 3 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 2.5

Early rating from Beer Buddy app

Tried on 10 Apr 2022 at 03:37


6.5
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8

12 oz. bottle. Pours clear brown, with a small, beige head. The aroma is brown sugar, juniper, cinnamon, rye, and cacao nibs. Malty and quite bitter. Medium body, with a grainy, hard palate. This is a simple, but quality and pretty tasty beer.

Tried from Bottle on 13 Nov 2020 at 21:13


5.9
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5.5

12oz bottle pours a crystal clear, garnet amber with some white head. Nose is OK, a little raisin, malt, mild spice, mostly ginger and/or coriander. Flavor has a big pepper bite, ginger, malt, raisins, caramel. Finishes peppery.

Tried from Bottle on 22 Dec 2018 at 02:03


6.5
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Bottle. Bronze beer with a dark cream head. Caramel and light spice aroma. Caramel and grapefruit flavor with spice. Medium bodied. Caramel and spice linger with light grapefruit and light pine.

Tried from Bottle on 15 Dec 2018 at 01:10


7.8
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 7

Bottle from Whole Foods Market Fair Lakes (Virginia) Aroma: caramel, chocolate, nuts, toast, Appearance: brown, off-white head Taste: medium sweetness, medium bitterness, Palate: medium body, creamy, average carbonation, long finish, Decent

Tried from Bottle on 12 Nov 2016 at 19:14


7.4
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

A bit out of season, but a 12oz bottle opened on 1st June 2016 while on holiday on Big Bear Lake, California. I thought this a very pleasant wintery brew and although I drank it in lovely warm sunshine it still ’hit the spot’. Brown bodies with red hue, the head an off-white colour. Subtle spice aroma and taste within the malty based brew, mild chocolate notes from the semi-sweet molasses and definitely a fireside beer more than a sunshine brew.

Tried from Bottle on 03 Jun 2016 at 17:41


6.5
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Draught @ Albion. Reddish brown with small foamy beige head, very faint caramel aroma, medium carbonation, sweetish caramel malt taste, faintly spicy, medium spicy finish. Not bad, not great either.

Tried on 24 Mar 2016 at 13:18


6.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5.5

Some caramel and some light roast. Not a lot going on otherwise. Watery on palate. Clear mahogany pour. Light sweet finish. Tap at whole foods.

Tried from Draft on 17 Dec 2015 at 19:17


7.5
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Bottle. Caramel malt, hay, and alcohol aroma. Dark amber with light tan head. Sweet caramel malt, moderate herbal hay, and alcohol flavor. Nice body. Bonus points for no spices.

Tried from Bottle on 08 Oct 2015 at 19:28