Christmas Ale (All through 2016)
Bell's Brewery in Galesburg, Michigan, United States 🇺🇸
Scottish Ale Winter Out of Production|
Score
6.58
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The basic inspiration for Bell’s Christmas Ale was to create a sessionable holiday beer, using locally grown malt, which would stand apart from the array of spiced winter warmers that are typically introduced this time of year. In contrast to many other seasonals, Christmas Ale doesn’t contain any spices: all of the dry, toasted notes & subtle toffee flavors come from the 100% Michigan-grown barley, custom malted by Briess Malting, while a blend of hops from Michigan & the Pacific Northwest lend earthy, herbal aromas. At 5.5% ABV, it stands as a smooth, highly drinkable beer intended to complement holiday menus, not overshadow them.
Admin Note: This is the original Bell's Christmas Ale which was last brewed in 2016. In 2017 the brewery revamped the recipe completely and created a Scotch Ale. This entry should only be used for backlogged ratings.
Admin Note: This is the original Bell's Christmas Ale which was last brewed in 2016. In 2017 the brewery revamped the recipe completely and created a Scotch Ale. This entry should only be used for backlogged ratings.
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6.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Smells a little oaky, pours amber with foamy head and good lacing. Meidum carbonation. Sticky texture a little heavy on the syrupy side. Pours clear amber. Aftertaste light sourness but pretty bland overall. Bottle.
Tried
from Bottle
on 18 Jan 2013
at 22:19
6.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
12 ounce bottle. Hazy amber orange color topped by a rocky beige head. Toasted malty aroma with a fresh hop bouquet. Lightly toasted malt flavor is dry and lightly bitter. Some breadiness and nuts upfront. Reserved bitter hops in finish. Tasty, but not special.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Dec 2012
at 18:00
6.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6
17th March 2010
Hazy amber beer. Thick foamy white head. Fairly neutral palate. Bready malt, rich like a good fresh European heavy bread. This is followed by some rich orange. Finishes a little dry. That’s about it. Not what I was expecting from a Christmas beer but it’s all right.
Hazy amber beer. Thick foamy white head. Fairly neutral palate. Bready malt, rich like a good fresh European heavy bread. This is followed by some rich orange. Finishes a little dry. That’s about it. Not what I was expecting from a Christmas beer but it’s all right.
Tried
on 09 Jun 2012
at 07:51
7.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Bottle. Sweet cherry and barley malt aroma - great. Medium brown color with small head. Sweet cherry and barley malt flavor. A pretty light body for a scotch ale - not nearly as intense as most scotch ales but this is a nice drinker.
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Nov 2011
at 13:07
6.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
Tap @ Bells. Clear, dark burnt orange appearance with a light brown head. Ginger, orange citrusy, slightly spicy, toffee aroma. Orange peel, mild ginger, slightly bitter orange, caramel malty, toffee flavor. Disappointing.
Tried
from Draft
on 17 Nov 2011
at 11:23
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
12oz bottle from Pick’s poured into a snifter. This one has been in my fridge for a while. Pours a dark burnt orange with about 1 finger of thick, frothy off-white head. Smells sweet. Caramel and cloves. Maybe citrus fruit. Taste is medium bitter. Tastes much more hoppy than it smells. Medium bodied with a slick yet creamy texture. Lively carbonation with a long bitter finish. Overall, it’s a pretty good beer. I remember it being better when it was fresh. Aging for 9 months has not been friendly to this one.
Tried
from Bottle
on 03 Aug 2011
at 18:57
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
12 fl oz bottle. Pours hazy orange with a small white head. Aroma is dry malty and slight cardboardish flat malty. Sweet malty and slight caramelish. Light toasted malty. Bitter and lingering malty finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 15 Mar 2011
at 12:02