Christmas Ale - Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV

dbell23

Tennessee

4.73/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tulip glass. Two finger head that settles to a thin beige head that lingers throughout the drinking. Great lacing. Super dark brown color.

Smell is spicy dark Belgian. Cloves, Christmas spices dominate with malty Belgian ale fragrances. All dark Belgian aromas.

Taste is so complex. Belgian yeast, Christmas spices, smooth malts, toffee, caramel, with a hoppy/phenol finish that has a brown sugar lingering flavor. Alcohol is totally hidden. Great, sitting in front of the fire after a hike in the snow.

Mouthfeel is perfect for this type. Smooth medium/heavy. Just what I look for in this type beer.

Overall a great Belgian winter beer. Can't wait to drink this one again.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 23:15:30 | More by dbell23

Nibbley

Georgia

4.22/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Really nice brew.
Pours a cloudy ruby,garnett color with a beautiful, thick and creamy two finger head.
Aroma of nutmeg, ginger bread and spice cake.
The taste is a great big malty goodness, with dark fruits and warm spicy ginger bread.
Although a high Abv brew the alcohol is very subdued and well behaved.
I highley recommend this one for the holidays.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2008 19:21:00 | More by Nibbley

runningjoke

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The appearance was everything I expected. It's head was large with tight bubbles which turned to foam before turning into lace. A quick swirl will pump up the foam again. When held up to the light it has an opaque caramel/toffee color with some mahogony-red highlights at the edges and bottom of the glass. Continuous columns of bubbles stream to the top of the glass.
Malty smell with traces of cider, rum-raisin, and allspice.
Spicy and hot. It is malty with very little hop character. aftertaste has a slight astringent quality. This beer is really smooth and flavorful. It is an exceptional beer, fitting for a limited release.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2010 00:43:44 | More by runningjoke

Dmart1223

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Interesting beer, if you can get it. It's kind of like fermented fruitcake.

Christmas Ale pours thick, with LOTS of almond-white head that sticks around and plenty of carbonation. It's dark maple brown, a little cloudy, with some hints of red.

The smell's where I got the fruitcake. Just fruit all around, the most interesting of which was either pineapple, pear or both for some reason. I also might've gotten some melon and berries.

That fruitiness also comes out in the taste, which gave me hints of the above fruits, as well as also cherries. The Belgian yeast gives it a funky taste, and the 10% ABV, rather than sticking out, warms your soul.

This is a big, bold beer with a lot going on. I'd like to store one of these for a year to see the difference.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 04:28:19 | More by Dmart1223

mbrown26

North Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on-tap at the Thirsty Monk South.

A: A great dark beer with a nice head. It was a little too dark for me to get a real picture of the color, but it was dark and the head was nice. Lacing stayed throughout the glass.

S: Reminded me of the ABT. 12. Got fruity and malty notes.

T: Lots of malty flavor that has hints of cloves and cinnamon. Very flavorful. A different kind of beer if you're only used to pale ales or IPA styles.

M: Thick and syrupy, but clean.

D: Easy to drink, but one glass sure does for you.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2010 03:27:47 | More by mbrown26

anakar

Israel

4.88/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Spectacular.
Now that we've made things clear let me break this down.

App: Apart from the very lovely and festive looking bottle it comes in, this beer pours a very dark caramel, almost black, with a thick a medium lasting head of fluff.

Smell: Taking a whiff makes you think of several things, the first being - this is a strong one (10% alc ain't no joke), once you got past that, you can sense some very heavy caramel and barleyish smells, just makes you think of stooping lower and lower into an old armchair.

Taste: This is where "Spectacular" comes in. Mind you, this is no light brew and should be takes very seriously. It's flavor is rich and full of alcoholic fumes, anybody who ever had a triple or a quad should know what they taste like, this one is classic but a bit more (to the better).

Feel: is also superb, going all over your mouth it slushes away easily, it has very little carb-bite to it, but it isn't creamy (like a guinness). Watch out! the 10% hits pretty quickly and made me a bit woozy after a pint.

Overall: I've said it before and I'll say it again "SPECTACULAR" - keep it for special occasions.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 14:50:17 | More by anakar

KiltedCulinarian

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Poured a rich dirty brown into goblets, with a spotty dark head; lacing lasted through to the end. Piney smell, and the taste was full of spices. A touch of bitterness showed through, perhaps making it taste even more like Christmas. I poured it chilled initially and wasn't very impressed, but it improved tremendously as it warmed up a bit. Great to have by the fire during the holiday season, and the bottle size makes it nice to share with friends/family.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2007 07:30:07 | More by KiltedCulinarian

ShareANevada

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a respectable muddled brown into my unibroue stem. A delicate lovely head sticking around for a bit. Smells of fruits and spices, just as one would expect. The first couple sips surprised me with the carbonation. Very fine bubbles, but more than I expected, perhaps the beer was yet too cold.

As it breathed, the carbonation settled down a little and made for a very nice treat. Just lovely balanced flavors, no hint of the lurking 10%. This was a very enjoyable beer, and i'm anxious to see was 2 years on one of these would do.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2009 15:39:20 | More by ShareANevada

JVEyck309

New Jersey

4.93/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bomber corked and caged - pours a muddy bloody opaque reddish brown with one finger head that sticks around in a chalice glass, smell is complex and exciting..cherries and dark fruit aromas mixed with sugars, vanilla, cokeacola, yeasty bread .. I don't know, the works.. It's good to go. This beer made me crack a window open to let in some cold winter air.. much needed. Grandma used to make amazing nut breads.. I want one of those really bad right now.. would pair so well with this rich brew. Ugh.. the complexity, it's like hearing Beethoven's 9th all over again for the first time or like the first time you found your dad's porno. A world opens up and eyes pop out and mind is dancing in a field of whatevers. Taste .. my stupid childish palate is not ready to even pontificate or articulate but hell.. I've had better beers.. too much christmas cheer makes me giggly and I can't think clearly. (Should have held onto this one for xmass.. oh well.. I shall get another bottle!) Spicey dancing dark fruits and a whole lot of spirit. Certain to make your day a bit brighter in the dreary dread of Christmas season... cause who needs family when you got booze, right? well.. I digress. Anyway, theres a lot to this brew and I get annoyed with myself when I try to pull out a bunch of keywords in the BA community.. "dark fruits, esters, phenols, malts - bready, earthy, etc. hops- citrusy, grapefruity, etc.." oh words. How frustrating they can be.. yet we have nothing else to rely upon. Mouthfeel is spectacuallalalrrl bubbly but not overbearing. Now about this beer I am drinking.. think Abt 12 times 5.. it's delicious in all the right places and I am ever so grateful and humble and I reflect upon life's impermanence and how all humankind is akin and yet so vastly different...
Hare Krishna. Goodnight

Go and buy another bottle of this beer, idiot.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2009 04:06:51 | More by JVEyck309

HoosBrews

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served to me in a Belgian style glass. Appearance was dark, with a huge amount of head which laced extremely well. The nose hasd hints of cherry and a prominent alcohol aroma (not in a bad way, just bold). Taste was a wonderful blend of sweetness, warmth from the alcohol, and complex fruitiness and spice. The high carbonation of this beer really gives it it huge mouthfeel. Given the higher gravity of this beer, I'm impressed with the smooth finish which makes this beer highly drinkable. Overall, one of the better Christmas beers I've had all year!

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2009 22:25:56 | More by HoosBrews

YieldToNothing

New York

5/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

first 5 star review
750ml poured into a st bernardus chalice

pours an opaque brown with a quarter inch head. taste hints at nutmeg, smell has some cinnamon going on.

taste is full, this is a heavy beer but the abv is definitely well hidden.

i love this beer and i'm one of few that likes this better than the abt 12.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 03:11:01 | More by YieldToNothing

bobjonesSD

California

3.93/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at O'brien's

It was poured on-tap into a chimay goblet with the silver edge - looked a nice dark brown/black with very little head likely due to the pour. It smelled terrific - dark and spicy with a fruitiness as well. The taste was also quite good but I expected a little more from the smell. Mouthfeel was merely ok - perhaps slightly more carbonated than I would have expected. Drinkability was good - I would have drank several more of these.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2009 00:20:53 | More by bobjonesSD

Buttermaker

California

3.9/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a perfectly fine beer but with all the outstanding Christmas beers out there the St. Bernardus Christmas Ale doesn't really distinguish itself. The best thing I can say about the nose is it's rather unremarkable...mostly malt with some alcohol. The taste is good...again mostly malt with just a touch too much alcohol for my taste. If you like warmers try the Delirium Noels which hides it's 10.0% ABV much better than this one. There's definitely some dried fruit on the palate but no nutmeg or other x-mas spices in this one. Mouthfeel and drinkability are in line with the taste.

Recommended Music Pairing: Ray Charles - The Spirit of Christmas

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2009 05:13:18 | More by Buttermaker

RedBeerchetta

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Got a 750ml bottle at Publick House Provisions in Brookline, MA.

Lots of carbonation, almost as much as a cola. Color is milk chocolate brown. No red hue to it even when held up to the light. Large bubbles in the head that quickly disintegrate into a 3/4 coating on the top.

Smell is of yeast, some alcohol and a little bit of spice.

A bit cloying- quite sweet with more body than the other holiday beers I've had this season (like N'ic Chouffe and Affligem, both of which are more balanced).

Not my favorite holiday beer but still quite nice and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2009 23:25:39 | More by RedBeerchetta

scoots511

California

3.85/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served out of 750mL bottle the corked "popped" and removing the cork was effortless due to the conditioned bottle psi. Pretty awesome label on the bottle. Makes me want to see this under the xmas tree.

A: Dark amber color, off-white head with tight carbonated head

S: Fruit-like apple/grape crisp smell

T: Nice depth/complexity to the taste. Many flavors going on. A slight bit of sourness on the sides of the tongue

M: Nice belgian mouthfeel

D: At 750mL 10% it's highly drinkable and smooth, a good one to share on a cold winter night by the fire.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2010 08:09:18 | More by scoots511

amiles

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Caged 750 with a loud pop upon opening, poured heavy into a St. Bernardus glass. Massive tan head that slowly dissipates to a pillow cover. Very large bubbles. Color is murky brown... typical, but nice. Leaves icicle like lacing around the sides. Even though the bottle suggests drinking this a bit cold for the style, I'd really recommend letting this one warm up a bit. I was SLIGHTLY disappointed when I first cracked this one,but now with a little more than a half left in the bottle, at a warmer temp... This is a fantastic beer. Glad I bought a few bottles! Nice addition the Bernardus line-up.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2007 03:28:43 | More by amiles

noslenwerd

Pennsylvania

4.85/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Hazy brown with a burnt orange tint.

S: Smells spicy and fruity

T: The taste to me was amazing and everything I expect from a dark belgian ale. A bit more carbonated than your average belgian dark, but I thought of it as a good thing. Very complex flavor but no one flavor hit me, but was mildly fruity.

Summary: Extremely drinkable beer and thus far my favorite "Winter Warmer" to . Will for sure be drinking this one again...

Serving type: on-tap

11-18-2009 03:35:39 | More by noslenwerd

adamparker05

California

4.35/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a nut brown color with a rich mahogany core and a dark honeyed amber rim. Very light head but tremendous lacing!

Christmasy nose of prunes, sweet malts, root beer, touch of some cinnamon.

Flavors of chocolate covered raisins, rich holiday fruit, sweet christmas breads, with a great frothy root beery sweetness on the finish that just won't quit.

SUPER light carbonation (no "hiss" on opening!), very nice mouthfeel and with super finish.

Very drinkable! Not as heavy as most holiday beers!

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2008 23:58:23 | More by adamparker05

txbrewer

Texas

4.1/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - dark brown (slight red with the light showing through it) with a healthy head that holds for a few minutes and then fades to plenty of stuck lacing in the glass.

S - a little yeasty, a little toffee/chocolate bittersweet, just a touch of alcohol. When I first popped the bottle (champagne corked 750 mil) it had a bit more of the sweetness to it, once poured though, it diminished.

T - mild hops with the toffee/chocolate bittersweet coming through but not overpowering.

M - easy going, all the smells and flavors blend well enough to keep this going down quite easy.

OK, ever made that root beer float and had the head that just took a few to go away...that is how this poured. I am currently at the end of the bottle and there is still some lacing sticking around the pint glass. For me, this has just enough of the hops and toffee/chocolate to keep me coming back for another (and I am wanting a second bottle at the moment). I will be back for another of these and will be looking for other St Bernardus bottles in the local markets.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 22:21:19 | More by txbrewer

Throckmorton

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

this review refers to my bottle, but have also had it on tap at two places this season. to my surprise, I PREFER it out of the bottle.

A - deep brown, hints of red. nice cream colored head that lasted awhile.

S - some nut or even toast, along with a sweet aroma like a minced meat pie.

T - wow, nice fruits - currants, plum, prune. Deep and smooth and complex, could hardly notice the alcohol. Nice malt under-pinings. Flavors have good, pleasant staying power, nice after taste.

M - warm, thick.

D - oh yeah.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2010 18:03:49 | More by Throckmorton

01001111

California

4.53/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Cloudy, warm, caramel amber.

S: Sweet banana bread. Very malty.

T: Much like the smell; sweet, caramel bread flavors with hints of spice, nuttiness, and dark candied fruits.

M: Full bodied and smooth with a bit of zest.

O: Quite an amazing brew. If it weren't for the sweetness I could make this a regular indulgence.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2012 02:16:30 | More by 01001111

keepersj12

New Jersey

4.4/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is one good beer. Why oh why deer lord would this only be available at Christmas. I guess that answers it's own question. The lord is no fool. Beautiful mud pour. Nice head. Aroma of wine. Taste is sweet then sour and then just good. Heavy alcohol makes it a bit tough to drink when driving. Otherwise down it goes.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2008 22:39:15 | More by keepersj12

icetrauma

Texas

4.85/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured this 2010 vintage into my Chimay Chalice. Poured your usual belgian brown color with 1 finger of off white lacey head that disappeared over time.

Smell was that of deep dark fruits and a even bready malt.

Taste was superb as to be expected from St. Bernardus brews. Touch of bready malt up front with berries and dark fruits such as fig and black cherries lingered on the palate as the brew made its way down.

Mouthfeel was nice and smooth. Medium feel. Not to thick and not thin by any means.

Drinkability on this is a must have for any belgian beer fan. I will procure another bottle and cellar it. I can only imagine how much smoother and silkier this brew will get with time.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2010 20:04:50 | More by icetrauma

bronco94

Maryland

4.68/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2009 bottle poured into a snifter

A - dark brown with a slight hint of red when held to the light, thick tan head that receded slightly and remained through the duration of the beer. Great lacing

S - like Christmas in a bottle...Belgian 'yeastiness', spices (cinnamon, nutmeg), candied dark fruits (raisins/figs)

T - follows the smell nicely. Like the smell, but slightly sweeter. Mild alcohol presence can be tasted which works well with the sweetness. The Belgian yeast flavor is very present

M - Nice medium bodied mouthfeel, moderately carbonated...just enough to make it flow silkily through your mouth.

D - easy to sip on and finish a 750ml in an evening. The alcohol is there, but hidden fairly well. I could easily drink one of these each week throughout the holiday season..it is a great beer

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2010 20:00:34 | More by bronco94

MeanGene

Pennsylvania

4.68/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Big ol' 22 oz bomber into my Ayinger Celebrator glass.

I've had the pleasure of having this beer last Christmas for the first time and thought it was terrific. Went back the next day and our local store was all out.

Luckily, our local Wegman's picked it up this year in abundance!

Pours a dark red with a one-finger white head with formidable lacing.

Smells like a Belgian with winter spices

Taste is terrific. Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of Belgians...I like them don't get me wrong but I'm hard to really impress. This is out of this world though. Good amount of winter spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc) with a nice finish

Mouthfeel is very satisfying...stays with you for a few minutes but really pleasant.

Drinkability is higher than average for a big beer...still, wouldn't want to drink more than one in a night!

Pick it up!!

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2009 23:35:04 | More by MeanGene