Winced when I saw another can of holiday brew in the tasting queue. Man, how many of these cheap beers did I pick up a few months ago? I guess you figure I'm not a fan of these domestic spice bombs; and yer rite! Got that rite! In these holiday BD specials, usually you can't find the beer due to the spices. Anywho, this can pours big and black with a large and in charge tan head that does not fade. Got to give it to yah, looks good! Nose is sweet and malty, surprisingly very little hint of spices within. But the first taste is oh my, not a lot of spices at first, but the candy cloying sweetness has such an impact on the buds. MY poor tongue, am I drinking some kind of artificial sweetened fake malt chocolate? Just asking. Hardly any co2, and it needs some to get rid of this thing's one sided nature. Nearly nasty sponge nellie. Well, at least its not overloaded with nutmeg clove and cinnamon, but it is loaded with simulated something cloying; aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, cyclamate, stevia, monk fruit, honey, maple syrup, xylitol - its syrupy & sweet. Oh well, Since it aint loaded with spices, I guess it is a little better than yer typical made in the USA holiday spiced alky mocktail, LoL. Comes across like a pastry stout rather than a spiced winter holiday brew.