Christmas Ale - The Defiant Brewing Company

Shiredave

New York

3.68/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Gravity poured from a naturally conditioned firkin on the bar at The Golden Rail Ale House in Newburgh.

Well conditioned with a dense clotted head over a murky, red / brown beer.

Aromas of apples, star anise and christmas cookies over the underlying super sweet malt.

Liquid fruit cake flavors of candied fruit and more ( much more!) star anise along with a distinct cider character that reminded me of a Gales Christmas ale ( any year). Big yeast influence is obvious.

Medium to full bodied with a tart cider finish along with some stewed fruit sweetness. Lingering aftertaste of cookie spices and a mild alcohol burn make this decent winter warmer though I suspect this cask was exposed to some warm fermentation/ conditioning temps. resulting in the yeasty apple notes.

Keep those Defiant casks commin!

Serving type: cask

01-13-2008 03:15:41 | More by Shiredave

Matt73

New York

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%

04-11-2013 00:27:53 | More by Matt73

JC333

New York

4/5  rDev +6.1%

03-04-2013 23:24:59 | More by JC333

zillo043068

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%

02-18-2013 16:48:10 | More by zillo043068

bsopko

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%

02-16-2013 17:48:33 | More by bsopko

Ozzie1111

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%

01-26-2013 06:17:27 | More by Ozzie1111

PhawkYu

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%

12-31-2012 00:23:47 | More by PhawkYu

djrn2

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%

12-30-2012 00:02:20 | More by djrn2

DrunkinYogi

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%

12-26-2012 15:13:21 | More by DrunkinYogi

dkline72

New York

4/5  rDev +6.1%

12-25-2012 15:25:41 | More by dkline72

Tpsauer

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -20.4%

12-25-2012 00:12:28 | More by Tpsauer

bonbini26

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +12.7%

04-28-2012 13:37:19 | More by bonbini26

kojevergas

California

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

1 pint 9.4 fl oz brown glass bottle with a hood and wire cap over a cork served into a nonic pint glass in high altitude Castle Rock, Colorado. Reviewed live. Expectations are high, me mate (thanks Adam!) brought this for me from New York.

A: 1.5 finger head of fair cream and thickness, and great retention for the relatively high ABV. Very dark caramel-amber colour.

Sm: Heavy caramel, some spice, cream, chestnuts. Yeast and spice are the dominant and most appealing flavours. She lures you in.

T: Some spice is certainly impactful on the profile - heavily so - but the foundation tends more towards biscuity barley, full in a way rarely experienced in beer. Malts are de-emphasized in favour of barley. Interesting. Some light, uncertain candied sugar. The brewer was a bit timid with that flavour, but it complements the others nicely. Chestnuts make their way in, alongside some sticky fruit esters that subtly die as they approach the midpoint. They're welcome nonetheless. Cream is present but never definitive; it emerges as a tone but not a note. The strength here is the subtlety, which takes forefront over complexity - but this isn't to say that it's simple. It's masterfully balanced and near-uniquely built. I wish that it was structurally "longer", i.e. that the flavours didn't truncate so early. I do enjoy it above all other criteria, and no alcohol comes through, aiding the drinkability.

Mf: Smooth and wet, with a hint of increased thickness, largely suiting the flavours. I don't find the mouthfeel obtrusive, but it also isn't particularly unique or helpful. I wouldn't go so far as to call it generic, but it leaves something to be desired.

Dr: Quite drinkable. A lovable little Christmas Ale, and certainly an enjoyable one. I feel greedy to be enjoying it alone. I'd like to try this on draught. Every beer lover should give this one a try. I'm glad I did.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2012 06:07:31 | More by kojevergas

ONN8

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -20.4%

12-25-2011 21:25:52 | More by ONN8

Discordian

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +6.1%

12-15-2011 04:37:23 | More by Discordian

RoryOMoore

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +6.1%

11-22-2011 01:12:56 | More by RoryOMoore

brandnew711

New York

5/5  rDev +32.6%

11-21-2011 01:31:06 | More by brandnew711

benz08

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +6.1%

11-17-2011 02:38:46 | More by benz08

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

4.1/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle.

Pours dark amber with a mahogany hue and a two inch head of tan foam. Plenty of ripped sheets of lacing throughout the glass as well as a partial skim coat.

Aromatics lead off with Belgian phenols, spice, and dark rum. Cloves, raisins, a trace of fusels, and some mild roast. Dark fruit and rum-balls follow through.

On the fuller side of medium bodied with a slick, velvety mouthfeel. Thickish.

Sugar-dusted raisins with dark rum and clove-studded fruit starts the palate. A warming boozy note steps forward along with dried plums and rich malt.

Finishes with plenty of raisins, rum, and sweet malt.

Pretty spot-on for a BSDA, but the carbonation is a bit low for style and it's a bit brash. Very nice though.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2011 00:00:11 | More by brewandbbq

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.63/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle served in a Portsmouth tulip. Pours a dark plum color with a semi-hazy clarity. Head is loose, one-inch and cream-colored and quickly dissipates into a thin skim with ringlets. Some spots and small strands of lacing revealed during the tasting. Nose expresses dark fruit, a vinous quality and Belgian yeast. Taste is vinous, but there's also a slightly metallic character, followed by a spicy quality and culminating in an earthy/hoppy finish. Mouthfeel is medium-light in consistency with a lively, almost prickly carbonation. A decent brew. Some aspects of the flavor profile are a bit overpowering. Also the finish is a bit too hoppy for the style. That being said, I've been generally impressed with what I've had from this brewer and look forward to trying more.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2011 19:59:01 | More by Jwale73

jrbuch

New York

4.05/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Defiant Christmas Ale, bottled version (750 ml), poured into a Captain Lawrence snifter.

A: Has a deeper copper, red body. Strong head at pour and lingering head. Good lacing.

S: Dark fruits, esters and sweet. Some Christmas spices, a little caramel.

T: Sweet, dark fruits, good bitterness. Toffee and ripe pear. Semi-dry finish.

M: Carbonation to style. Good body.

D: Good beer. Sessionable, could be drank any time of year.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2011 23:51:46 | More by jrbuch

321jeff

Maryland

3.95/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes.

Pours a clear deep amber, almost black in the middle with about a finger of off white head that lingers around for awhile.

Smells of standard Christmas spices and some sweet dark fruits. Also present are some Belgian yeast aromas and hints of caramel.

I'm really getting a heavy dose of the Belgian yeast right off the bad followed by those Christmas spices and some sweet caramel in the finish.

Body is pretty thick overall with some light but very prickly carbonation. I enjoyed this one and it is fitting for a Christmas time beer. Pairs very well with a Christmas dinner.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2011 03:51:22 | More by 321jeff

DoubleSimcoe

New York

3.85/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Defiant Christmas Ale, bottled version (750 ml), poured into a Sierra snifter.

Appearance: Solid two-finger head that recedes soon into one, then into a rim with a bubbly mantle. Deep brown color, auburn, like expensive wood. Not much lacing.

Smell: Soaking raisins and other dry fruits. Sugar, sweetness all around. A bit of must/grape juice. Booze as it warms up. A tang of whiskey barrels/oak, even though it was not aged.

Taste: More sweetness and raisins. Moonshine rotgut. Very earthy, a bit too heavy and filling. Yeast and some sweet bread, sort of french toast. Alcohol at the end. Some spice.

Mouthfeel: Huge feel, sticky, chewy, a tad cloying. Too sweet

Drinkability: Unquestionably heavy and boozy despite being only 7.5%. Hard to drink, despite the great smell and taste.

This is one of my favorite Defiant beers, despite the drinkability and mouthfeel shortcomings. I love how it is so different from your typical suave Christmas ale with tons of spices.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2011 04:19:46 | More by DoubleSimcoe

CHickman

New York

2.85/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

On tap at Stout in NYC; pours hazy copper brown with a creamy 1 finger tan head that left OK lacing after the head faded on the fast side.

Smells of sweet malt, caramel, floral hops, toasted grains and cinnamon or other spices like allspice; spicy nose that is on the mellow side.

Tastes of sweet malt, caramel, floral hops, toasted grains, dark fruit (plum, raisin, etc.), brown sugar and cinnamon or other spices like allspice; a little too malty as the spices take up a chunk of the flavor and leave a strange aftertaste.

This is a good beer, not a great beer, and typical for a holiday beer with that pine cone or earthy taste. Alcohol level was not present at all.

Mouthfeel is light and crisp, with a smooth feel on the tongue, mild carbonation and a spicy bitter finish. Medium drinkability, as this was OK and I think that most Christmas Ales are just not my thing because of the spices in the mix.

Serving type: on-tap

01-01-2011 03:31:49 | More by CHickman

uberkane

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Came in a 750ml bottle with "Defiant Christmas Ale" printed on the front, along with an angry Rudolph with Christmas lights in his antlers.

A: Pours a dark leather-brown with a hint of red. Vaguely see-through and not very cloudy. A semi-aggressive pour yields a quickly dissolving head, which stays very small, with some lacing.

S: Not a strong smell. Roasty, mustiness with a bit of dark sugar. A little bit of figs and light chocolate-hazelnut.

T: Dark fruits with soggy toast. There is a hop bitterness on the back of the tongue and as an aftertaste. There is also some alcohol warmth, along with fleeting spiciness. A dark, musty yeast can be detected as well.

M: Pretty light body for a darker beer--there is some viscosity. Has a nice tingly carbonation. Occasional powdery feel on the tongue.

D: For a dark beer, it's pretty drinkable. 7.5% abv isn't too high, and it only appears occasionally with a pleasant warmth. Not really a session beer--the 750 was ample for a sitting.

Notes: Pretty good brew from Defiant. They are mainly a brew pub, so it's nice to see a new bottled beer from them. This ale reminds me a lot of Chimay Blue. The Christmas ale is just a little lighter, spicier, and not quite as dark. Also, great paired with garlic-herb boursin cheese.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2010 05:37:10 | More by uberkane