Dark Horse 4 Elf - Dark Horse Brewing Company

kawilliams81

Illinois

2.7/5  rDev -31.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

2012 vintage. Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a AleSmith Horny Devil snifter.

A- pours a dark brown/near black with a 1 finger tan head. Bog trails and waves of lacing remain on the glass.

S- roast, cinnamon and nutmeg.

T- some chocolate and roast for a quick second then it turns into a bitter, licorice, cleaning product tasting mess.

M- medium body and carbonation. Has some creaminess but bad flavors make this tough to drink.

O- did DH F this beer up? The label says 8.75% and it says 11.5% on here. It seems like they changed the recipe and it turned out terrible and they said F it we'll sell it anyways.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 22:46:16 | More by kawilliams81

maximum12

Minnesota

2.75/5  rDev -30.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 1.5

Thanks to whomever sent this to me. I like to think I'll look it up later & insert my gratefulness here, but I usually forget when I'm too lazy to look it up. Well, thanks. You know who you are. 12 oz. bottle.

Pour is dark brown with red foil. Nose, the nose, bejeebuzz, it's like an overturned semi- full of cinnamon on the interstate. Most of the rest of the spice rack is in there too. Light cherry, nutmeg, allspice are those I can ID.

4 Elf ain't my kind of holiday beer. The spicing was done with a backhoe: cinnamon lights up my palate like a Christmas tree fire. Loads of spice. Caramel gets a bare lick in, & there might be a gentle, earthy hop kick right at the end. Maybe. Twelve ounces? I might need some help.

A classic example of "too far" for me; I don't put this much spice in my mulled apple cider. Spicing is out of control & overwhelms the beer, & gets too close to being straight-up undrinkable. As is? An almost-average novelty.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 03:29:14 | More by maximum12

alpinebryant

Connecticut

3.05/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

A: Pours a dark chestnut brown with lots of tiny white bubbles on the top. laces well

S: Aromas of pumpkin , nutmeg , cinnamon and clove. Some dark fruit and slightly belgian yeast?

T: Too much Cinnamon here, its fresh Hot Cinnamon Trident Gum flavored first off the bat and followed by cardamom and tannic like qualities.

M: Medium to thick body with light carbonation. There is a bit of sting from CO2 but the body is thick enough to make the carbonation seem moderate.

O: Overall, its a cinnamon bomb with not too many qualities that I enjoy - and I really like winter warmers. This just didnt hit the right notes for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 21:14:48 | More by alpinebryant

divineaudio

Michigan

3.1/5  rDev -21.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

2012 bottle, 8.75% abv, nonic.

a - pours a murky, dark brown with a just a thin film of head and a few bubbles. no lacing.

s - clove, cinnamon, molasses, fresh bread.

t - thankfully the spice is more muted than in the nose. has a pronounced, earthy hop bitterness with some burnt malt laying low in the background. notes of black coffee in there as well. finishes very dry. not a very successful combination of flavors imo.

m - medium in body with not quite enough carbonation. finer co2 profile.

o - meh. dark horse beers are hit or miss for me, and this one is a miss. lacks most of the things i look for in a winter warmer, mainly the malty sweetness and a subdued hop profile. probably won't be returning to this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 01:08:34 | More by divineaudio

emmasdad

Colorado

3.25/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks again to Dan for bringing this one on Saturday. I have been a Dark Horse fan for a while now, but this is my first time trying this one. Poured a dark brown color with a bit of off-white head. Very reminiscent of Christmas, with a big clove aromas, which leads to a bunch of other holiday spices. On the palate, this one is medium bodied and smooth, with tons of clove, a little vanilla and caramel.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2010 02:40:20 | More by emmasdad

malty

Michigan

3.3/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Looks to be as dark brown as you can get before black. Dense, settled 1/4" khaki head. Lovely spotted sheets of elegant lace all the way down.

Smells of cinnamon, dark baker's chocolate, cloves & figs. A bit of ginger slips under the radar as it warms a bit. Reminds me of Jagermeister, but much less licorice. Dark, earthy spices and definitely mysterious.

Cinnamon and a touch of fusal alcohol make for the initial taste. Boozy masurated figs dominate the middle, while dusty dark chocolate comfy things up a bit.

Mouthfeel is between medium and full with a lovely creaminess. The carbonation is tame but still playful and cheery. The finish has a chalky element that makes for a nice bitter feel, somewhat offsetting the alcohol punch.

Drinkability is pretty decent. For a 11.4% brew, it drinks well enough.

Overall a beer I'm glad I tried, but I would choose other holiday spiced ales for my liking. As this beer warms, the flavors do open up and get rounder - less cinnamon and more dark roasted malts. The body is very nice, very creamy and soothing. Definitely a cold weather beer. A nice winter warmer but too much cinnamon and heat for my taste.

Serving type: on-tap

12-20-2010 21:41:38 | More by malty

MbpBugeye

Ohio

3.3/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

A nice bottle from normyk. Poured into a snifter.

The beer pours out very dark, much darker than I expected. It has nightlights if chestnut and mahogany. Not much of a head. The spices are sweetand aromatic. Up close it smells like a malty rich strong ale. Lots of ginger bread, Nutmeg, cherries and light cinnamon. Spices are pretty big, but quite unique. Equally as big is a deep maltiness. Gingerbread, dried cherries, toffee, cocoa, raisin. It starts strong but the finish is lackluster. Carbonation is pretty high and the body leaves me wanting more heft. This its almost like a fruitcake in a glass. One of the more interesting winter warmers.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2011 04:25:43 | More by MbpBugeye

russwbeck

Virginia

3.3/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

A: Pours out of the bottle dark brown and sits in the glass deep brown, closer to black, with a finger or so of off white head. Not a lot of retention, but what does stick around laces nicely.

S: The aroma is full of cinnamon and other spices. Sweet, it's very focused on the malt and typical winter warmer like smells.

T: Again, nothing really separates this from a typical winter warmer. It is pretty malty, focused on caramel on molasses, but the spices are there as well. Mostly cinnamon and nutmeg type spices, I really just dislike this style as a whole, so determine a fair review is a bit difficult.

MF: Heavier body than most in the style and the carbonation is good. I will say that for 11.5% this beer is damn drinkable. Probably it's redeeming quality.

O: This wasn't awful. Compared to the rest in its style I actually think it's really good. But overall? Not a fan.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 23:43:25 | More by russwbeck

mjl21

California

3.33/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Acquired via trade...thanks Josh. 12 ounce bottle poured into a snifter. No abv info or bottling info is given.

A-Pours a dark brown with some visible red coming through. It has a minimal tan head that goes to a small ring fairly quickly.

S-Super spiced is the best way to describe this beer. It reminds me in a lot of ways of a pumpkin beer because it has similair spicing. There is a lot of clove, cinammon, anise, and five spice. The aroma is not to my personal liking but when judged as a spiced beer it works.

T-Like the nose, there is lots of anise, clove, five spice, and other spices. It has a spicy finish and there is some noticeable bitterness. There is a little booze as it goes down and the flavor and aftertaste remind me of everyone's favorite Italian digestif, Fernet Branca.

M-It is thicker bodied and has light carbonation.

D-Too spiced for my taste.

This is a great beer for lovers of pumpkin beers. I think a lot of people will like this, but the spices just don't appease my palate.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2009 00:27:28 | More by mjl21

MasterSki

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Got a few of these from Scott (heliosphann) in an in-person trade. Served in my Pisgah pint glass.

A - A half-finger of tan foam that dissipates quickly and leaves a nice ring. Attractive dark cherry wood color, although there's some white sediment at the bottom of the glass.

S - Cinnamon, nutmeg, graham cracker - it doesn't seem that far from some of the pumpkin beers I've tried (not surprising considering the similar spices). There are also some berry and milk chocolate notes. For a spiced beer it's pretty good - nice balance.

T - The taste is less good - there's some serious spice and it leaves a really bitter aftertaste (and not in the hoppy or roasty sense). There are a few notes of sweetness and cinnamon but they're on the periphery.

M - Medium body with lively carbonation that tingles the lips and tongue. Goes down pretty smoothly. Nothing special, but pretty solid. Really dries out my mouth.

D - I don't think I could have more than one of these, and even one was a struggle. There's just way too much spice.

Glad I got to try this, but it's not really my kind of thing.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2009 00:28:26 | More by MasterSki

mikereaser

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a deep dark brown with just a layer of bubble on the surface with a bit of lacing down the side of the glass.
S - aroma is hard for me to pick out, especially after the last one. Again, there is just a little bit of smokiness, but more of the beef jerky, a bit of cinnamon i'm finally picking out.
T - The taste is hard to decipher, there is some cinnamon again, some vanilla, it definitely tastes aged. It seems like it could be some sort of a christmas ale. I was thinking Anchor but its not as spicy as that.
M/D - Its lacking a full body and is kind of thin, what now seems more like a christmas beer type spice.

The only thought that came to me was Great Lakes Christmas beer, but lets rip her open and see...
Dark Horse 4 Elf, a winter warmer. So I was kind of close in my guess. At least I had the holiday right anyway. Not bad but the whole Christmas spice thing is not my taste.

3/3/3.5/3.5/3.5

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 03:09:02 | More by mikereaser

TurdFurgison

Ohio

3.43/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I had this on tap at the Dark Horse 4elf party. I approached with caution, thinking this is gonna be a spiced ale and probably not compatible with my palate. But it's Dark Horse so probably it's well done.

A 10oz pour into a plstic cup, dark brown and murky, translucent with a thick tan head. First whiff and oh shit, this is a spiced ale. VERY spiced, the stuff of Christmas cookies and pumkin pie, cinnamon, nutmeg, maybe ginger, that type of thing.

The spices are all I taste, maybe some caramel malts, definitely no hops. This probably hits the winter warmer style, it's just not my style. Long linger of spices on the tongue. Not recommended for me to try ever again, but probably those who like spiced beers will like it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-02-2011 19:10:44 | More by TurdFurgison

jtingue

New York

3.45/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

2011 Batch. Poured into a tulip.

Appearance. Dark red brown in color. Pours with 2 fingers of head, which dissipates to a nice layer on top.

Smell. THere is some cinnamon there, but not in an overwhelming way. There seems to be a smell that I notice in beers with brett, though I don't know if this beer has any. In addition to this there is a subtle cherry note.

Taste. Starts out bitter with some spice: allspice cinnamon and ginger. Bitterness builds and a malt backbone that starts to taste like graham cracker, probably because of the cinnamon in there. The finish is spicy and hot from the alcohol.

Mouthfeel. Surprisingly thin body, but this is compensated for by an appropriate level of carbonation.

Tastes like christmas; still subtle though.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 01:43:16 | More by jtingue

degerbah

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a deep cloudy brown with very little head. The aroma is very spicy with a quantity of cinnamon and maybe cloves. The taste us way spicier than the aroma would make me think. Extremely thick, I think that it might be better if I were to drink it in a colder clime. It just tastes overly thick and boozy for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2010 02:40:18 | More by degerbah

SometimesIfart

Michigan

3.49/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours black with a one finger off white head. Left no lacing.

S - Cinnamon, nutmeg, gingerbread, slight anise.

T - Mostly anise and nutmeg. A bit of gingerbread and orange peel as well. Watery too.

M - Medium bodied with light to medium carbonation.

O - Overall, a basic, solid beer that I could have again. Quite sessionable for the strenght.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 06:05:06 | More by SometimesIfart

jegross2

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Reviewing the 4 Elf from Dark Horse Brewing Company.
Score: 83

Unknown bottling date from the 2011 release, served in a Surly Darkness snifter and enjoyed on 02/05/12. Thank you BeerAdvocate user minterro for hooking me up with this one!

Appearance: Pours a jet black color that is totally opaque save for a super faint, thin brown highlight atop the beer when held up to light. Pours a finger of creamy off-white/tan head that settles into a ring around the glass and thin foggy film of head atop the beer. Above average lacing. 4/5

Smell: Cinnamon, caramel, peppermint candy cane and winter spices. A little roasted chocolate malt and light cherry. Smells a lot like what you'd expect a "Christmas flavored" incense stick to smell like. 4/5

Taste: Creamy caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg and a little ginger upfront with a peppermint twist towards the finish. A little watery chocolate and cherry on the midpalate. Alcohol is totally hidden. You would never guess this is 11.5% ABV. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Pretty light bodied, which is surprising given the appearance. Low carbonation. A watered down, creamy mouthfeel. Has a slight bitter/malty, spiced finish. 3/5

Overall: I usually do not like winter warmers, but this one is pretty tasty. It's unlikely that I would buy more than a single bottle of this at a time, especially because the style is not my thing, but this is certainly a beer that I would drink again if given the opportunity. Quite the drinkable beer.

Recommendation: A good beer for casual beer drinkers. Above average winter warmer.

Pairings: Sugar cookies (that are shaped like Christmas trees).

Cost: $12 for a four pack.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 00:39:37 | More by jegross2

scottfrie

California

3.63/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into snifter. Thanks Jay!

A: Pours a very dark raisin brown that looks black in the glass. The head is minimal and light tan. I’m getting some hefty chunks of floaties in this one, where one chunk of yeast was the size of a pea. Luckily they were all heavy enough to setting to the bottom rather quickly.
S: I could smell this beer across the room! Sweet notes of candied fruits and holiday spices fill my nose. I get hints of clove, coriander, nutmeg, cinnamon, dates, spruce tips, baked bread, red grapes and milk chocolate. Smells very sweet and interestingly spiced.
T: Not as sweet as the nose but definitely just as spicy – if not more so. All the scents of the nose are there, especially cinnamon, nutmeg, bread, clove and coriander. Milk chocolate and nuts bring up the rear. The aftertaste is slightly sweet.
M: Medium-full body, viscous and slick mouthfeel, with low and fuzzy carbonation.
O: A very potent, flavorful and spicy winter warmer. The alcohol is hidden very well. Thanks again, jbck109!

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 01:20:17 | More by scottfrie

mdfb79

New York

3.68/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From 01/02/11 notes.

a - Pours a dark brown color with one inch of off white head and light carbonation evident.

s - Smells of spices, cinnamon, ginger bread cookies, and nutmeg. Pretty nice.

t - Tastes of spices, ginger bread, cinnamon, nutmeg, alcohol, and bready malts.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation, smooth body.

d - A nice spiced beer. I really enjoyed the smell, but the high ABV definitely comes through a bit in the taste. Would have again.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2011 03:52:06 | More by mdfb79

GONZALOYANNA

Spain

3.73/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

330ml bottle.Snifter glass.Enjoyed on oct´11.Dark mahogany in color.Off-white crown,fairly good retention.Caramel malt,chocolate,toasted malt aromas.Intense aromatic spicy:cinnamon,clove,nutmeg.Sweet bitter upfront followed by sweet malty flavor.Smooth astringency.Full body,correct carbonation.Dry prune & molasses on the finish lasting to the aftertaste.Pleasant drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 11:41:37 | More by GONZALOYANNA

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a CBS snifter. 2010 vintage thanks to chpueblo22.

Appearance - Pours a dark brown body that is nearly completely opaque. Transparent as I pour it and a bit translucent at the edges. Not much of a head and really only a ring of lace to speak of. I let a few chunks of sediment fall into the glass. They are now clinging to the bottom and slide into the body as I drink it.

Smell - Earthy malts and strong toffee. Huge spice presence. Cinnamon. Like a pre-flambe bananas foster. Booze, as well.

Taste - Not as pleasant as the aroma. The flavors are nice, but they don't blend well with the finish for me. Spice and toffee up front, but it isn't sweet at all. Dry, quite dry. The finish is bitter with a significant spice presence. I enjoy drinking it, but after I finish a sip it doesn't linger on the palate in a pleasant fashion.

Mouthfeel - Overly bitter for the style. The spice and malt backbone are nice, but the finish is just awful. Well carbonated and surprisingly thin. I suppose that's a result of the dryness of the drink.

Overall - A strange dichotomy of nice flavors and a disappointing finish. I'll finish the glass no problem, but the aftertaste is pretty off-putting.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 03:18:42 | More by Alieniloquium

brew3crew

Ohio

3.78/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at the brewery.

A-brownish black, so not completely dark. White head around the ed ge s
S-smells very spicy. Herbs definately dominate
T-lots of roastiness and herbal tones.
M-medium bodied and smooth. Crisp.
D-ok at best. Asked for a taste and got a pint. Not really complaining too much just took a while to finish

Gets better as it warms up. Prolly better with age.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2011 19:10:07 | More by brew3crew

davey101

Connecticut

3.78/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I assume this is the 2011 vintage. 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

A - Dark brown body with a small mocha one finger head. Some large bubbles creating some edging.

S - Loads of winter spices. Sweet roasty malts and some candied sugar.

T - Cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, roasty caramel malts, and some dark candied fruits. Higher ABV is hidden well. Nice balance between the malts and spice. Mouth feel is medium bodied.

O - A tasty winter warmer that's head up well over the last few months.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 01:13:11 | More by davey101

younger35

Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Received this brew almost a year ago from eyebrews and I don't know why today seemed like a good day to drink. I've really only had 2 pumpkin brews this year so apparently come end of September it's time to get into the Christmas brews. Drank from my Stone India Pale Ale flute.

2008 version

Appearance- Pours a dark brownish copper with a fairly decent half finger tannish head and a boatload of thick chunky yeast pour out. The cap recedes to almost nothing leaving a super thin collar and a bit of thin random lacing.
Smell- Well funny enough it actually sort of smells like a pumpkin brew. Cinnamon and clove seem to dominate the nose along with some nutmeg and allspice. The spices mixed with the lightly toasted maltiness give a gingerbread likeness that is really nice. This might be the most highly spiced brew I've ever sniffed.
Taste- Holy shit, the nose translates to the taste. The spices are almost bitterly potent as the allspice and nutmeg are freaking intense. Loads of chocolate and cinnamon combine along with a bit of caramel giving an almost milky way like taste. The alcohol is also fairly prevalent even amongst the spices. I can imagine this was a crazy ABV bomb while fresh. Finishes with a bit of gingerbread and cocoa and of course allspice.
Mouthfeel- Fairly light body with a milky alcoholic feel and a tinge of warmth on the end.
Drinkability- Considering the size of the brew and the intensity of the spices it's actually really tasty. The chocolate and spices are intense and pretty much awesome. Nice change of pace this time of year and a good beer. That's saying something too considering Winter Warmers aren't my favorite.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2009 21:52:34 | More by younger35

granger10

Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I'm not completely sure about the style of this beer, so if somebody else knows better than correct it for me. I do know that this beer was spiced up bigtime! It was also very dark and very thick. The initial taste was of a thick burnt malt flavor. That was followed by some spices mainly ginger with a few others. A slight floral hop flavor came but went very quickly because more spices came along the lines of nutmeg and (cardamon?). I don't know what exactly all the spices were but I do know that they worked well in this beer. I couldn't have too many of these though because they were very filling.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2003 14:33:50 | More by granger10

oline73

Maryland

3.85/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a dark mahogany color with a finger of light tan head that goes away quickly.

Smell: Stong smell of sweet malt with some mild roast, molasses, an lots of dark fruit. Mild spice, this bottle has been cellared for a year. Some alcohol as well.

Taste: Really sweet malt with dark fruit and some chocolate. Chalked full of molasses. Some spices and warming alcohol in the finish.

Mouthfeel: The body is on the thick side with smooth carbonation and a slick finish.

Overall: The age did this beer well. Still warming, but much smoother. I'd have another.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 05:03:16 | More by oline73