Alpha Klaus Christmas (Xmas) Porter - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

Higravity

Michigan

3.15/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I got this from Cretemixer and I read some reviews before I tried it. First let me say I like the idea of a hopped-up sweet porter but the hop combo in this beer is a turn-off. My nose knows and while it poured a great dark color and creamy tan head that had staying power and left lace, this beer smelled off. I am sure I have a good bottle everything was intake and it doesn't tasted oxidized. It reminds me of a fasting beer that has a lot of extra sugar to help tide the monks over. There are plenty of roasty flavor in there but they are beaten to death by the sugar. It is definately drinkable and a rare enjoyment that I thank my fellow BA for this. I could see having one of these in the yuldetide mood, but not anytime soon.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2004 22:26:37 | More by Higravity

Bierguy5

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev -6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22 oz. bomber. Pours a deep brown with ruby highlights at the bottom of the glass. Huge creamy tan head. Pretty good head retention, and a nice amount of lace on the sides of the glass. Smell has a whiff of chocolate, followed by an onslought of piney hops. Big hop aroma. Dry chocolate beginning, with hints of roasty malt, followed by piney and citrusy hops. Kind of like a porter with a Christmas tree in it. Medium body, moderate carbonation. Very raw and unbalanced. The hops seem to be over the top, and take away somewhat from the malt character. Not very sessionable. However, having said that, if there is any time of the year for beers to be over the top, Christmas is the time. I think that is why this works. Festive beer, certainly worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2004 03:38:54 | More by Bierguy5

HappyHourHero

Indiana

4.93/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Giant, dense, light chestnut colored head holds like a champ, eventually leaving a sheet of lace. Roasted malt, coffee, maybe some marshmallow in the aroma and a smell I couldn't quite place at first, but I think it's hops, kind of piney, very interesting. A pretty dry beer. Bitter chocolate and roasted malt flavor, some black licorice, some mild sweetness, and those hops all bounce back and forth melding towards the end. Body is moderate, thick for a porter. Looks great, smells great, tastes great ... this beer delivers. Very interesing mix of hops and dark malts. I had no idea what I was getting into and I'm just psyched. Gonna have to stock up.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2004 03:26:45 | More by HappyHourHero

meathookjones

Virginia

5/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This was from a 22oz bottle. After finally seeing this in a store in the area I decided to pick up a few. This pours out with a pitch-black body with a tall tan head that slowly rising from the bubbles beneath the surface. The head is still a good size even after I drank the whole glass and all the while putting huge clumps of frothy foam around the glass. This is just perfect to look at it really gets the mouth watering. Aroma is a malty mix of chocolate and caramel with strong roasted coffee presence. Wow the hops are just as strong here with notes of earthy and floral hops coming through all that malt. This is quite a bit to take in and I wasn’t sure what to make of it at first but it is amazing. The taste is an amazing blend of fresh hops and chocolate malt with both coming on strong. It took me a while to really take this all in but damn this is good. The hops cut though the strong malt to make themselves known and add a wonderful contrast. Flavor ends on a lingering earthy bitter note. Mouthfeel is about full and quite coating that makes the taste stick with you. This is something I could drink all day, huge malts, huge hops and it blends together wonderfully. Simple amazing.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2004 21:43:14 | More by meathookjones

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Who would've ever expected hops in a Three Floyds porter? Well, they're there! It's aroma is chock full of resinous, piney and spruce-like hops (Chinook, but mixed with something else... even some Cascades perhaps...) over subtle, toasted and mildly chocoaltey dark malts. It's very dark brown body rests beneath a frothy head of tan foam that holds well and leaves some nice lace about the glass. It's medium bodied and mildly zesty across the palate. The piney hop character is continued in the flavor, but more balanced by its lightly chocolatey maltiness. It's well-balanced with a solid bitterness, but it's far from overdone; and, as might be expected, it finishes with a flourish of hops. It's not particularily complex, offering little beyond its hops and dark malt combination, but it is quite enjoyable and very drinkable in that sense. Nicely done!

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2004 11:23:09 | More by NeroFiddled

nomad

Kansas

4.1/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a color just short of black with a thick off-white head. Lacing is superb as is the head retention. Truly a great sight in a pint.

Smells of muted hops, vaguely sweet and citrus oranges, with a nutty and roasty but soft malt presence. Through two bottles I'd have to say this beer's aroma is pretty weak, at least consistently with those 44 ounces.

Flavor has a smooth, dark core with a toasty black malt ending and little roast barley accents, greatly helping the drinkability. Short chocolate flavors in the middle of the palate as small hop kicks are faintly juicy near the moderate finish redolent of wonderful brown sugar tones. Medium mouthfeel and low carbonation is very nice.

Where's the smell? Besides that, a very smooth porter.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2004 20:56:11 | More by nomad

frazbri

Ohio

4.65/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours deep black with noticable ruby accents. Thick creamy tan head with a few larger bubbles. Spruce hop aroma with a hint of citrus and spice. Chocolate, a little pepper and lemon zest. Moderately sweet with a clean bitter finish. Very round, full body with modest carbonation.

This is one smooth beer. The aroma is fantastic! The flavors almost seem muted, but only in comparison to the nose. This is winter seasonal I will return to. I'm just a little sad that I don't have another;(

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2004 02:18:25 | More by frazbri

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.03/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours with a thick creamy light brown head that sits atop a deep, almost black colored beer. The aroma has notes of chocolate, espresso, and an astringent roast grain husk character. These notes are joined by a strong American hop presence that is redolent of tangerine, orange, and grapefruit. The taste is definitely rich and roasty, with solid notes of coffee, and chocolate. The hops are also here, but not as prevalent as they were in the nose. Nevertheless the hops are here from beginning to end. I get notes grapefruit, tangerines and other citrus fruits. There is a sweetness to this beer that accentuates the fruity hop notes, in fact I really like how the chocolate porter notes pair with the citrus notes of the hops, it is like a good orange flavored milk chocolate nougat.

While this is definitely quite tasty, it could certainly use a bit more thick, rich, malt notes. Thicker malt notes would make it just that little bit more festive.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2004 16:59:59 | More by Gueuzedude

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.63/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

deep brown color, with crimson highlights peeking through, blessed with a thick, prodigious cocoa-tan head...
Aroma: mmm,roasty-toasty, cinnamon, ginger,toffee,coffee, and cream...oh, yummy, oh, very good...nice as it gets...
Taste: Very smooth, yet terribly dark and full in the body, full in the flavor, ...a spicy, tastiness rings through the edges and uplifts and illuminates every aspect of the experience...nutmeg and clove...
Body never flags, stays full, and continually delivers flavor...finish isn't as strong as I'd like, but hangs on well enough...
overall, an excellent winter warmer/spiced ale, not a surprise from this outstanding brewery...wish it were easier to find though...

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2004 00:00:00 | More by feloniousmonk

Dogbrick

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Three Floyds always does a good job of taking a well-known style and tweaking it just enough that it is still within the boundaries of the style yet memorable because of its uniqueness. This is another example. The beer is a deep mahogany color with a thick tan head that lasts pretty much the entire glass. Nice lacing too. The aroma bursts with hops, coffee, alcohol and pine. Rich body with a very pleasant blend of flavors. Roasted nuts, coffee, malt and tons of piney hops never let up. The finish is roasty and bitter to the end. I thought the $9 price tag was a bit steep but this is a fine beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2004 19:08:29 | More by Dogbrick

ABV

New York

4.65/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

First of all, the label on the 22 oz. bomber is very impressive. It reveals the Alpha King donning Yuetide cap and dry hopping what is presumably the Christmas porter. (I'm glad they called it "Christmas" porter and not "holiday" porter.) Anyway, as the label implies, what we have here is a very hoppy porter. Grapefruity, piney hops swirling around a dark, roasted malty, chocolate/espresso brew. An extremely unique sensation, to say the least. Smell is phenomenal, mouthfeel a little thin. At 7.5% abv this is not a huge beer. I'd like to see the Floyds kick this one up a notch to, say, 10%. As it stands, one can knock off a bomber of this without too much loss of motor skills. Final verdict --
Alpha Klaus can come to town any time he damn well wants. Great stuff!

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2004 06:05:11 | More by ABV

Wildman

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer poured very dark with ruby background. If formed a light tan head that left trace lace as it subsided. An aroma of roasted malts and flora hops, with some coffee and chocolate elements to it. The flavor was of malt, hops, coffee and anise. The finish is a touch astrigent and creates an interesting aspect to the overall body. A rather unique porter.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2004 03:47:18 | More by Wildman

silenius

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

2004 vintage just picked up today. I think it was released for 2004 within the last day or so.

Pours a dark brown black with a nice 1 finger choco-like head. Lacing all up and down the glass.

Smell at first is almost solvent chemical in nature. Very pine-sol like. After a bit that blows off to just reveal some very resiny green hop aromas. No citrus or floral smells here, boys, just a buzz-saw hoppy green resin aroma. Strange for the style even if FFF is known for its hoppy beers (which I happen to like). Too hoppy and the malt to balance it is much too small. Only faint smoky chocolate aromas find their way through (or is it just my expectation that it would be there).

Taste is hoppy for sure and (thankfully) the smoky chocolate malt reports for duty. Green hop burps bring back memories of the Dark Lord sludge. *shudder* Hops definitely predominate this one, but the malt plays a bigger role in the taste than in the nose. A nice sweet-smoky chocolate that leaves a pleasing combo of smoky-roasted malt with hop bittering on the finish. I still think the hops are too overdone.

I think a much better example of a hoppy porter that is properly balanced comes from Goose Island in the form of their XXX Porter. Had it the other day and was floored!

Mouthfeel is round with some light prickling from the carbonation. I keep thinking of a nice charcoal grilled steak when drinking this beer.

I think with age this might balance out a bit, but for now it is too hoppy for a porter. At the very least it doesn't have the stuffing to stand up to all the hops foisted upon it.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2004 02:57:11 | More by silenius

bigbeerdrinka

Germany

4.4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This brew pours a deep dark brown color almost black with a billowing offwhite head about an inch or so thick. As I pour this brew its aromas make themselves quite present almost immediately. There is a mix of beautiful resiny hops, followed by some deep roast like aromas, and just a hint of bread. Initial flavors to this brew start off quite roasty with a slight nutty character to it. But these flavors are quickly overwhelmed by the intense hop flavor that lets you know this isn't your ordinary porter. The hops give off an almost spruce like, piney resiny flavor that mix in the most interesting way with the malts. At first I was a bit overwhelmed but as the brew warmed up a bit, the flavors complemented themselves quite nicely. The finish to this brew is slighty bitter, with the the malts lending a night chocolate roasty finish. The body of this beer is truly superb, almost chewy and the carbonation just tingles on the tongue, keeping me fully excited for the next sip. Overall a truly original porter than will warm up your holiday spirits.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2004 17:43:50 | More by bigbeerdrinka

SheepNutz

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz. bomber poured into a snifter. It pours a deep ruby red, almost black color with one finger of head. There is just a little bit of lacing on the glass. The smell is very hoppy. Lots of fresh hops, but a good malt background. The taste is sweet with some chocolate. The hops that are present in the aroma aren't really representing in the taste. Need more hops early in the boil methinks! The mouthfeel is nice and strong. The drinkability is pretty good for a 7.5% brew. A nice take on porter.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2004 08:45:00 | More by SheepNutz

Boto

Connecticut

4.72/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz. bomber: Thank you for trades, or I would have never gotten this gem. It pours an inky dark brown color. There was some tan head, but it dies down quickly. A pleasant aroma. A mix of hops, roastiness, coffee, and some smokiness. The taste is an all-out assault on your taste buds (but a pleasant assault). Smokiness, some chocolate, some hop bitterness coming through (although it is sweet to the taste overall). This is just flat out excellent. Thanks to TAR for the trade!

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2004 17:52:38 | More by Boto

egajdzis

Pennsylvania

4.68/5  rDev +12%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured black with some reddish hues, tan head and nice lacing on the glass. Piney hop and slightly roasted aroma. Taste started resiny hoppy, then turned roasted with some coffee as well. Full creamy mouthfeel. This is a one of a kind, super hoppy porter... but by no means any sort of Herbed / Spiced Beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2004 23:30:16 | More by egajdzis

tar

Bahamas

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

During the holiday season I enjoyed this both on-tap and from a bottle (I really got behind at transferring my notes to the site). This review is based on a 22 oz. bottle. The familiar "Alpha King" exchanges his crown for a Santa hat on another of Three Floyd's great looking labels. Pours a dark, dark brown with a thick frothy tan/off-white head. Hoppy floral aroma and citrus scents make themselves known right away--a bit reminiscent of Dreadnaught in smell. Tastes very nicely of chocolatey roasted malt with a great hop finish. This is a smooth, highly drinkable, and very enjoyable beer. Overall this was definitely one of my favorites of the Christmas season and I am definitely looking forward to having it again next year.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2004 15:41:04 | More by tar

GreenWBush

Oregon

4.55/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

When my local liquor store scaled this down in price from $9 to $5 I had to snap on it. No expiry date but with the nature of FFF who cares. Interesting X-mas themed take on the FFF Hop King.

Bottle mentions English malts, Mexican sugars, and American hops.

A head that mysteriously transforms from white to dirty brown during the pour remains a nice almost 3/4" crown on the beautifully chocolate non-opaque ruby body.

A deep roasted chocolate nose presents itself when the beer is cold but as the beer warms its all biscuit-surrounded herbal hops. A few light whiffs of alcohol and caramel poke through as well.

As with many FFF beers, the lace is mighty impressive. The dense body of the beer is evident even as you pour it, as it seems to coat the glass with unusual unlightness of being. Its viscosity is akin to hot fudge!

In what is seeming to be a impressive trait in this beer, the taste is so complex on your palate it hits in waves. At first you notice the major roastiness of the beer and the sweet chocolate espresso notes. As the palate is warmed by alcohol it is easily set down in between the hoppy land of the Dreadnaught and the Alpha King. Really damned good.

The mouthfeel is perfect too: not overly sweet in nature, not syrupy, but thick and chewy. I'm only half way through and i'm craving another.

Yet another damned fine beer from Nick Floyd and Co!

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2004 02:58:56 | More by GreenWBush

Rastacouere

Quebec (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Courtesy of Raindog, thanks sir Body is dark brown and initially wears a tan head that fast becomes one of the quickest dissipating festival of bubbles I've ever seen. Aroma is very intense with more hops than I can shake a stick at. This is woody, herbal, chocolatey, grapefruity with notes of marijuana and smoke. Quite the melting pot you'd like to cook your dinner with. Very direct and dry yet eminently appealing. On the tongue, it's very grassy, reminding me of the Saison from a few hours ago, sweeter than expected with lots of brown sugar, maple and chocolate. Still, after a few sips, the feeling you have is to be drinking hop juice.. but good hop juice! Well-made and to my liking where a fine medium body with appropriate carbonation sure helps. So, when is next christmas?

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2004 19:22:18 | More by Rastacouere

PhantomVodoo

Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Huge dark tan head that left some lacing. Dark brown to black beer.
Wonderful, big, grassy, floral hop aroma. Roasty malt and chocolate underneath the hops. Very inviting!

Taste shows a mild to medium roasted malt backbone with plenty of chocolate notes. Big, grassy, floral hop flavor with hints of citrus. Decent to solid balance with everything meshing together nicely, but this one is about the awesome hop flavor in this beer. Finishes well. Smooth.

Good body and a slight creaminess to the mouthfeel.
Very drinkable.

Overall, this beer rocks! Mammoth thank you to TwelveVoltMan for sharing his only bottle with me!

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2004 01:15:40 | More by PhantomVodoo

waughbrew

Massachusetts

4.8/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Brownish-black, beige head lasts not too long, laces well. Piney citurs hop spice, huge chocolate, molasses, some tar, yeast. Spicy dark chocolate-covered orange rind. Smooth, carbonation bite melds into hop/roasted malt bite. Overall very nice and distinct, well-made, impressive.

Many thanks to cretemixer for the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2004 03:01:12 | More by waughbrew

cretemixer

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Deep chestnut in color with garnet highlights around the edges. A thick, dense, tan head slowly settles to about a 3/4 inch layer leaving a thick, clingy lace.
The aroma is a rich mix of bitter chocolate and sprucy hops with a hint of coffee. Toasty and sweet, a hint of honey maybe.
The taste is initially surprisingly smooth. The hoppy bitterness you're expecting from the aroma waits in the lurch and jumps out after you swallow, coating your mouth in a sheet of bitter bliss.
Medium-full body, nicely carbonated and about as drinkable as they come for my tastes. It just satisfies all the senses without numbing your mind "too" much.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2004 12:32:29 | More by cretemixer

mikeys01

Colorado

4.47/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served from a frighteningly decorated 22oz bomber, acquired on a recent trip to Indianapolis. Been looking forward to trying it for a while. The Alpha Klaus pours out an deep dark suede brown with a creamy and persistent dart tan head. Aroma is surprising and mouthwatering, a unique blend of roasty chocolate notes and a very hearty dose of citrusy hops. Taste is amazing, different and leaves you craving more. It has everything a great porter should, lots of good roasty flavor and complexity with hints of chocolate and coffee drifting across your tongue. But just as you're starting to appreciate the perfect traditional porter flavor the hops grab you and make you sit up and listen, lots of crisp grapefruity flavor. A surprisingly good match, very well done brew, a bit too drinkable perhaps, as I wish I had lots more...

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2004 01:37:33 | More by mikeys01

aracauna

Georgia

4/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This is something that I was really looking forward to at the Southeastern Ratebeer gathering. Very dark brown. The huge aroma is screaming spruce at me. The malt is dry and clean and really comes across as a dry brown ale than a porter. Still, it's tasty and one of the few dark beers I've had that had dominant hops that I really think work that way.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2004 19:02:25 | More by aracauna