Blitzen Xmas Ale - Steamworks Brewing Company

Heffeweizenlover

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The Blitzen Xmas Ale is a seasonal beer served on tap at Steamworks Brewing Company near Waterfront Station in Vancouver, British Columbia - the Gastown District. I had a pint from the tap.

I first tried this beer in December 2010 in Vancouver. I flew back in December 2011 to have it again. My favourite style is hefeweizen but as a Belgian Strong Pale Ale/Abbey Tripel this was also quite enjoyable.

In terms of taste, this beer is a strong, yeasty-malty beer that has an intensely fruity taste and a high alcohol content. It is as though the petals of a thousand sweet flowers were reduced into one bottle, and presented to you sip by sip.

The Blitzen is rich and sweet but not sugary and retains a crisp finish without aftertaste. Light golden in colour, the blitzen has a three finger stable head on the pour and a nice cloudy, opague look. The smell presents richly, and much like the taste, you are affronted with aromas of citrus, bananna, vanilla, hops, malt, yeast all rolled into one. The Blitzen tastes and feels like a craft beer, rather than something mass produced. This is a rich, complex, and highly fruity and yeasty beer that commands attention from its taster. It is to be sipped, enjoyed and is not really an "everyday" beer given its richness and complexity. It makes perfect sense that it is featured seasonally, but I wish I could get it anytime, everywhere, all year round.

I took notes of this beer in December 2010, verified and updated them in December 2011 and within two months, penned this review. I'll never forget anything about this exceptional beer. Thanks for reading!

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2012 06:00:22 | More by Heffeweizenlover

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pale amber with a ring of white head; not much retention or lacing.

S: Plenty of spices from the Belgian yeast, some troprical fruit. Alcohol is readily apparent.

T: The alcohol and spicing was a little harsh, so it would probably benefit with some time to mellow in the cellar. Nice fruitiness, balanced bitterness.

M: Well-attenuated moderate body has a fairly dry finish.

D: It's definitely a sipper.

Website info...

Blitzen Christmas Ale
A strong, fruity, belgian-style trippel 8.5% alc./vol.

Our aptly named Christmas Ale is based on the strong beers traditionally brewed by Belgium's trappist monasteries. Trippel is typically at least 8% alc./vol. and has a light golden colour. Because of its high strength this beer has an intensely fruity palate. Up front it has a honeyish sweetness but the finish is dry and champagne-like. Most weary Christmas shoppers would be well advised to benefit from the warmth and 'ho-ho-ho factor' that only a beer of the Biltzen's calibre can provide.

Availability: On tap during December

Serving type: on-tap

12-21-2008 01:38:47 | More by Derek

BDTyre

British Columbia (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

How to describe this? The previous two reviews capture this beer almost perfectly.

This is an opaqe amber colour...and by opaque, it is as cloudy as a winter day in Vancouver.

There is a faint hint of orange or orange peel, cloves and bits of malt. Upon sipping this, there is a definite citrus and orange essence to it, along with the idea of a hefeweizen. This is not spiced as many christmas beers are, but shares a clove hint with hefeweizens. Not spiced, but packs a good bite.

I can't sau that this beer shares my criticism of other steamworks beers. The body on this is great: not watery but not too thick. On the whole, a very well done beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-08-2005 09:40:07 | More by BDTyre

canucklehead

British Columbia (Canada)

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I was expecting the usual winter warmer but what arrived in a great tulip glass was a hazy dark yellow beer that resembled a cross between Don Dieu and a Hefe. The nose was all banana bread, citrus and yeast. The taste was big and fruity with some metallic overtones. The tinny flavour blew off after a few sips and what was left was a darn good Belgian Triple/Pale Ale. Kudos to Konrad the brewer for taking some chances and brewing up a different beer that shows where BC craft brewing is going.

Serving type: on-tap

12-02-2005 14:15:15 | More by canucklehead