Blitzen Holiday Ale
Maumee Bay Brewing Company

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From:
Maumee Bay Brewing Company
 
Ohio, United States
Style:
Winter Warmer
Ranked #130
ABV:
7.7%
Score:
81
Ranked #25,798
Avg:
3.52 | pDev: 19.32%
Reviews:
36
Ratings:
78
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 26, 2022
Added:
Dec 24, 2003
Wants:
  4
Gots:
  19
Blitzen is a robust holiday ale specially brewed with Orange, Cinnamon, and Honey. Once each year we handcraft this tasty ale to celebrate the holiday season. It contains a masterful blend of dark malts, Willamette and Bullion hops and just the right amount of orange, cinnamon, and honey. Lightly filtered and bottled fresh this is the perfect beer for the holiday season.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by JohnnyHopps:
Photo of JohnnyHopps
Reviewed by JohnnyHopps from Indiana

3.74/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
After a visit to Toledo, my bro brought back a few bottles from Maumee Bay. This was the best of his selections.

Pouring a nice copper color, the ale produced a healthy head in its pint glass. Immediately, a massive honey aroma was present. The very sweet aroma was attractive to the senses. The initial taste brought a strong dose of honey along notes of orange. It would be accurate to describe this beer as tangy because of the level of orange flavor. Leaving a nice coat on the tongue, the tangy sensation lingers. In the after taste, the cinnamon really throws a strong punch to the back of the throat. It almost borders on being spicy, though it is certainly not too overwhelming.

As a fan of winter warmers, this is a pretty solid effort. I would certainly drink this again.
Feb 07, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of sodavisions
Reviewed by sodavisions from Michigan

3.39/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
LOOK: Semi-opaque dark amber with a nice head of coarse but quickly-dissipating foam.
SMELL: Orange and honey very present, along with malt and a twinge of alcohol.
TASTE: Not overly flavored, which is what I hoped for. Lovely balance between the flavorings and the underlying brew. Nice and robust with some fruit and spice flavors.
FEEL: Thicker than a regular ale. Almost IPA levels of thickness. But it’s nice!
OVERALL: It’s definitely holiday-centric, but I think this is a solid choice for the season.
Nov 26, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by Trboley from Ohio

Jan 05, 2020
 
Rated: 3.63 by bafcats from Pennsylvania

Dec 04, 2018
Photo of KonigObHops
Reviewed by KonigObHops from Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
This beer was poured from a 12 oz. bottle that Inpurchased at a local craft beer store. It poured a hazy amber with an off white head that was about one half finger width thick.

The aroma was hoppy with some citrus and a nice bit of honey.

The initial taste was sweet with a heavy dose of honey up front. Thee was some citrus and hops in the middle, and the honey returned at the end as the beer warmed on the tongue.

The mouthfeel was on the smooth side.

Overall, this was a decent brew. It fit the Christmas Ale style, but there was nothing overly exciting or out of the ordinary about it. There was a good bit of honey, which I enjoyed.
Dec 02, 2018
 
Rated: 3.5 by travelguy from Ohio

Nov 22, 2018
Photo of Try-em-all
Reviewed by Try-em-all from Missouri

2.99/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
That I am drinking this in May is a horrible decision. But it turned cold here, so I can pretend it is Winter. You taste just enough cinnamon to appreciate it with touches of orange and honew. Dark orange in color with a combo of the aforementioned flavors when you dip your snoot into the glass. Thick, two-finger head which dissipates in a few minutes. Definitely seasonal, but lacks that something special, not one of my favorites.
May 02, 2017
 
Rated: 3.55 by Gemini6 from Michigan

Dec 31, 2016
 
Rated: 3.89 by APH from Ohio

Dec 13, 2016
 
Rated: 3.73 by nyrblue2 from New York

Dec 04, 2016
 
Rated: 2.6 by White_Whiskey from Ohio

Dec 02, 2016
 
Rated: 2.29 by Yeldarb92 from Ohio

Dec 01, 2016
Photo of Ellis134
Rated by Ellis134 from Ohio

4.23/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Great Christmas beer. Cinnamon sugar rim on the punt glass makes it special.
Jun 09, 2016
 
Rated: 3.03 by Abrahaam from Czech Republic

Jan 13, 2016
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, 2015 vintage bottling. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy ruby red/copper color with a 1-2 finger dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass. Aromas of raisin, plum, fig, apple, caramel, honey, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, cinnamon, orange peel, herbal, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/bready malt, spices, and fruity yeast ester notes; with solid strength. Taste of big raisin, plum, fig, apple, caramel, honey, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, cinnamon, orange peel, herbal, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate herbal/spice bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of raisin, plum, fig, apple, caramel, honey, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, cinnamon, orange peel, and herbal/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, spices, and fruity yeast ester flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a very smooth, creamy/bready, and slightly sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is well hidden with only a light warmth lingering after the finish. Overall this is a very nice English winter warmer style. All around good complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, spices, and fruity yeast ester flavors; and very smooth and easy to sip on for the ABV. A very enjoyable offering.
Jan 09, 2016
 
Rated: 3.17 by Hoptometrist from Ohio

Dec 30, 2015
 
Rated: 4.06 by 13tido from North Carolina

Dec 26, 2015
 
Rated: 3.64 by torwart68 from Ohio

Dec 11, 2015
Photo of BB1313
Reviewed by BB1313 from Ohio

3.45/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Pours a hazy glowing auburn similar to the color of honey; light tan head that fades leaving bubbly retention and okay lacing. The aromas are faint with lots of caramel malts. Lots of orange too. The flavors are bold and have alot going on. It's on the sweeter side. Lots of honey. Spices are there in the finish. Cinnamon is definitely there. Hints of ginger. Lots of malts. More caramel with hints of butterscotch. More orange notes. Slightly syrupy. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied and slick with lower carbonation. Alcohol goes unnoticed.

Solid holiday brew. It's a little rough around the edges, but I enjoy the flavors.
Dec 01, 2015
Photo of armystrongmd
Reviewed by armystrongmd from Ohio

2.02/5  rDev -42.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.75
Picked up a 6-pack from Kroger in Perrysburg 11/28/15. Bottle states 7.7% ABV and 20 IBUs.

Look: Hazy deep amber/brown color. Thin white head that disappears rather quickly.

Smell: Caramel malts, light cinnamon and honey, slightly bitter smell that's hard to describe.

Taste: Strong cloying sweetness. Incredibly boozy. Some honey, not really getting any cinnamon. Dark cherries, sweet caramel malts. I can't understate cloying sweetness. Cloying sweetness.

Mouthfeel; Fairly thick and heavy mouthfeel that lingers for quite some time. Fairly flat as the level of carbonation would indicate.

Overall: I bought it because I used to live in Perrysburg and was passing through, definitely never would again. I'm giving half of the bottles away for others to try. Honestly, it's the worst holiday beer I've ever had, and I like Maumee Bay Brewing Co. I'll stock to Great Lakes Christmas, Sam Adams White Christmas, or my personal favorite, Southern Tier 2Xmas.
Nov 29, 2015
Blitzen Holiday Ale from Maumee Bay Brewing Company
Beer rating: 81 out of 100 with 78 ratings