2XMAS - Southern Tier Brewing Company

patpbr

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A dark amber color with a bit of a head. The smell is cinnamon, sweet and roasted malt. Spices and flavors such as Cinnamon, nutmeg, and hops. Mouthfeel is medium This one is over the top and if your not an adventure seeking beer drinking look elsewhere.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 23:27:15 | More by patpbr

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

4.13/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a Kasteel goblet

Appearance- Dark red and almost opaque with 3/4 finger of off white head that has tiny bubbles. The head dissipates down to almost nothing. No lacing really.

Smell- Clove and cinnamon are most promenint.

Taste- This follows the nose with a bit of gingerbread flavor also added in.

Mouthfeel- It has a pretty heavy body that works well with the spice. The back of the tounge get a slight warming.

Overall- An excellent Christmas seasonal. All the smells and tastes of Christmas with a great mouthfeel and a nice warming finish.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 21:35:54 | More by BrownAleMale

Genuine

Connecticut

4.03/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Went out tonight and picked this up, along with ST's Old Man Winter Ale.

Poured into a clean Duvel Glass - which formed a nice khaki head with little lacing left.

Pours a beautiful dark red/ruby in color

The aroma promotes dark cherry, figs, dark fruit, and clove.

Taste - This where I wasn't sure how this was going to be - Lots of spices to be had here. Lots of clove, cinnamon, orange and nutmeg. A sweetness becomes present after the swallow.

Mouthfeel - medium bodied.

Overall - a nice winter warmer. Not sure if I like it 100%. I could see having 2 of these, but not an entire 6 pack. It has a spicy sweetness that I find with some belgian and scotch ale beers that I'm not terribly fond of, but it's a good winter warmer!

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 23:33:54 | More by Genuine

SouljaSaia17

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Christmas time is here and there are many festive beers being released, so this is the first for my Christmas time collection of reviews. Lets dig in!

A: This beer pours a deep amber color with a soapy off white 1/4 inch head that leaves some good lacing. The head has a lot of little tiny bubbles on top as well.

S: I get some cinnamon spice along with nutmeg. The aroma follows through with some earthy notes like clove and some orange peel.

T: Initial taste consists of spices, nutmeg and cinnamon. The body up brings some flavors of caramel, toasted malts, and orange peel. Has a little bit of a bready dryness in the finish.

M: Lots of carbonation, definitely a festive session beer. Has lots of spices combined with and earthy texture in the mouth.

O: Really enjoyed this beer, like the Old Man Winter one a little bit better than this, but overall a great festive brew. At 8%abv, you cant go wrong and the high octane isnt even noticeable, so thats a plus.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 04:19:40 | More by SouljaSaia17

mattbk

New York

3.68/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance – A nice looking beer. Darker than I expected, deep ruby light brown color. Almost no head/carbonation to speak of. Clear, I hate the way So. Tier filters all their beers.
Smell – I could smell spices as soon as I poured it, may be a spice bomb... no, not too bad, definite some clove, some nice rich dark malt in there, kind of reminded me of Punkin by Dogfish. Maybe a bit of pine from hops as well.
Taste – A bit spicy, a bit sweet, definite alcohol presence making it a bit slick. The alcohol is a bit too strong, adding some astringency and distracting from the rest of the beer. Still, not bad though. I like the way rich malt, spice, and hops come together. For the alcohol taste, there's not a lot of heat, and the drinkability is fairly good on this beer. A bit of citrus right at the end too, not sure if that is hop flavor or orange peel.
Mouthfeel – Medium to medium full. Carbonation fairly light. Nice and full as a winter should be but not so full that it detracts from drinkability.
Overall – I don't mind this beer, but a bit too much going on and too much alcohol taste to make me actively seek it again. I would probably still recommend this to someone who hasn't had it.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 20:32:21 | More by mattbk

mattsdenney

Tennessee

3.45/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Local store only got two cases of this one. Lucky me!

This one pours a clear, deep ruby red with one finger of cream head. Little lacing or retention but looks promising. Heavy scents of spices, malted barley, dried fruit, and booze. Not sure what Swedish Glogg is but it makes for a tasty beer. Heavy on the spices here; cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. A very malty backbone with some hop bitterness in there too. Very boozy finish and aftertaste, warming. Mouthfeel is thick and creamy. Mild carbonation with a slick finish. Overall, a nice, festive Christmas ale with solid flavor.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 02:39:13 | More by mattsdenney

jucifer1818

Florida

4.8/5  rDev +27%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Appearance: beautiful ruby red. 5/5, it looks amazing

smell: spice, spice, spice! Nutmeg, all-spice, cinnamon (a lot of cinnamon), fruit (orange peel, apricot, etc). It smells like Christmas (that is, if I knew what Christmas smelled like) 4.5/5

taste: Dark caramel, heavy spice, light fruit sweetness, and lighter hops. Almost no trace of its alcohol (which at 8%, is a good advantage)
The taste is dominated by the malt, fruit, and spice, with the hops only coming through in the after taste, leaving you with the pure sweet holiday goodness
as a malthead, its my kind of beer
5/5

mouthfeel: for a beer its size feels a bit too light. Still it dwells nicely and is fairly nice
4/5

Overall: 5/5

I might be a little bit biased here, but I see this as the finest holiday beer Ive ever had. It does what it says, and and says what it does (that is, it is a malty, fruity, spiced up delicious brew)
perfect with some good holiday treats. Ill be saving some bottles for drinking when I make ladkas.

I love southern tier, and this make me like them even more.
Here is hoping for more 2X brews to come.
they've all been spectacular

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 04:45:42 | More by jucifer1818

TagoMago

New York

4.4/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

It seems like seasonal beers are being released earlier and earlier with each passing year. It's not even Halloween yet, and already the Christmas beers are hitting the shelves. When I was at the store tonight, I stumbled upon this beer made by Southern Tier, which makes another one of my all-time favorite seasonal beers, Imperial Pumking. 2XMAS -- a name which is apparently a play on 2XIPA, an imperial IPA also made by Southern Tier -- is an imperial spiced ale, which, according to the label, is brewed in the tradition of a Swedish Glogg; a type of mulled wine. I must say I was reluctant to pick up this beer after reading the description on the label, which states "ale brewed with figs, orange peels and spices." I was afraid this would be yet another one of those spiced holiday beers I am all too familiar with; the ones with the oft-putting aroma, cloying flavor, and thin but sticky body.

I poured the beer from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass. It pours a very dark, rich copper color with a thin but creamy one-finger head that subsides rather quickly while still leaving some slight lacing in the glass.

When I smelled the beer to see what its aroma was like, I really didn't think I was going to like it at all. It just had sort of the typical spiced holiday beer smell that is common with inferior Christmas beers. The figs and orange peel are very prominent upon first whiff. To be quite honest, it smelled exactly the way I was afraid it would.

Thankfully, my initial impressions about this beer turned out to be completely wrong upon tasting it. Right up front you notice how smooth and creamy the body of this beer is -- almost incredibly so. There is such a richness and subtleness to this beer that totally makes up for any obnoxious spice flavors that might have been present. Except I didn't detect any. This beer has a surprisingly good flavor, and the spices, figs and orange peel come together nicely, without ever being overpowering. It's just a really nice flavor, and the body and mouthfeel complement that flavor perfectly.

I see this as being the Christmas equivalent to ST's Imperial Pumking, another beer that is heavily dependent on spices. Like the Pumking, the body and mouthfeel of this beer really make it what it is. The flavor is bold without being overt, and the creaminess in the body is what really drives things home, making this an exceptional seasonal ale, and one which I hope Southern Tier continues to make.

Overall an outstanding beer, and one I would highly recommend, even to those who dislike spiced beers.

Overall Rating: 92/100

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 04:37:49 | More by TagoMago

dheacck11

Connecticut

3.84/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Pours a rich coppery red with creamy off white 1/4 finger of head, fading rapidly.

Nose is delightful. Full of holiday spice with just a hint of orangey sweetness.

Taste is full of spice up front, with ginger, all spice, and lots of nutmeg. Progresses on to a mild sweet maltiness and finishes with dry, bitter, soft hops.

Mouth feel is a little thinner and more watery than I would prefer for the style

Nice winter spice beer. Easily drinkable and tasty, but not really complex or special here. Just a good winter spice ale. Lots of brown ale characteristics going on.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 00:26:21 | More by dheacck11

AnalogReigns

North Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Nice appearing ale, but with a very british, quickly disappearing head.

S: Aroma is nice, figs and cinnamon. Sophisticated subtle Christmas spices.

T: Taste is really excellent--distinctly spiced, but like most current top quality Christmas beers, subtle, and not over the top. Cinnamon and sweet figs come through to my palate, with moderate to low carbonation.

M: Good mouthfeel, just right for the style.

O: Overall, one of the best, if not THE best Christmas beer I've had this year. Better than Anchor Christmas (as that stuff is just too spiced) and not quite as sweet as Anderson Valley Winter Solstice...just a really sophisticated, top quality Christmas ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 00:16:57 | More by AnalogReigns

scvance

South Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Pours a deep amber color, with a thin white head. Poor retention and no lacing. Smells of holiday spice and malt, slight alcohol notes. Tastes similarly, rich caramel malts up front with a good amount of spice character. Slight alcoholic taste towards the finish along with a very slight bitterness. Hop bitterness is almost non-existent, so this beer is unbalanced and malty. However, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, for the style, this beer does a fine job. Very good beer for the cold winter season. Very drinkable, medium body and low to medium carbonation. I recommend giving it a try if you're looking for a good winter seasonal for those cold nights.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 22:18:53 | More by scvance

JDFish

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Poured from a bottle dark amber with reddish tint. Small head retention and little lacing.
S: Spicy in the form cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom
T: Follows the smell, lots of wintry spice and herbs. This includes cloves and hints of anise.
M: Medium mouthfeel. Definitely a quality brew, especially if you are into spice.
O: A fine beer, I prefer a little less spice in my winter seasonals, but I would definitely not turn down one if offered to me.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 04:47:45 | More by JDFish

BasterdInABasket

Wisconsin

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

12 oz bottle, BOB 10/19/12, poured into Tulip glass
A- Ruby/Brownish in color, one finger off-white head recedes quickly, little retention, lacing
S- Fresh mint, gingerbread dominate, nutmeg, cinnamon
T- A lot of mint, almost peppermint schnapps-like, ginger, generously spiced, some sweetness, flavors linger on nicely in the mouth
M- Medium body, decent carbonation, could go for a little bigger body
O- Hope this becomes an annual offering, one of my favorite Christmas beers, best to let it warm a little though to let the mintiness? blend in with the other spices

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 05:48:22 | More by BasterdInABasket

mecummins

Illinois

3.11/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Poured from a bottle to a pint glass

A- a reddish gold color with hints of orange It only poured a half a finger of head, not even enough for any lacing. Sort of disappointing.

S- Sweet caramel malts with figs, raisins and orange peel

T- Fruitcake in a glass. Very sweet (just verging on cloying to me) with figs and chewy raisins. The orange zest really helped save this beer and brought it back into somewhat balance. there is no way I could ever drink this while eating anything however.

M- Syrupy but not at all lush. Short finish

O- It was OK. Nice to sip on it's own at a holiday party, but I wouldn't go out of my way to find it. There are plenty of other great holiday beers out there to drink instead.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 20:17:16 | More by mecummins

Mgm54

New York

4.23/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Serving type - 12oz bottle, popped it open the second I got back from the store. Date of bottling right on the bottle (read, 10/24/12)

A - a deep mahogany red, wonderful color, exactly what I want out of a beer like this. The dark color makes me feel the weight of the spices more

S - Smells like a wonderful gingerbread cookie cookie, and the aroma fills the area around it when poured out of the bottle into a glass. This is exactly what I want when I open a beer like this, and the smell simply makes me happy to drink the beer

T - Reminds me of a gingerbread cookie, or some spiced egg nog. the spices are the forefront of this beer, and unfortunately hides the fig and orange taste of the beer a bit. That said, fig and orange are defiantly present, and you will notice them. Great taste, just can seem like a little much at times. But, If this one is in the mood for one of these beers, 2XMAS will not disappoint

M - good mouth-feel, but I wish it was stronger, maybe creamier.

O - Great beer, would recommend a six pack every holiday season. I will 100% be in the mood for this beer many times over the cold months, and might have to buy another sixer soon.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 23:14:18 | More by Mgm54

stxp

New York

3.45/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

appearance: deep brown, thick head doesnt stay long, nice big carbonation

smell: spice, lemon/limey, a bit of sulfur, soda-like

taste: ginger, nutmeg, holiday spices, a bit fruity like lime, slightly bitter, piney hop

mouthfeel: very clean, fast finish, slight lemon linger

overall: not much alcohol warmth, plenty of holiday spice, a tad bitter, good sweater weather beer

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 00:31:44 | More by stxp

AC-Mivsek

Ohio

4.71/5  rDev +24.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A- Pours dark red with a thin white head which leaves some good lacing.

S- Nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and a bit of pine.

T- Comes on strong with gingerbread and cinnamon with some dark fruits in there as well.

M- Medium carbonation with a medium body. Not too heavy, but not light. Hard to tell it is 8%.

O- Definitely one of the best Christmas ales I've had. Beautifully crafted,and dangerously delicious.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 00:03:15 | More by AC-Mivsek

BenjaminBlondbeard

New York

3.53/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The first of my 25 beers of Christmas countdown is Southern Tier's 2XMas.

I poured the 2XMas into a pint glass from a bottle, and saw a deep dark reddish brown. Then, held it up to the light and saw a beautiful deep red amber. The ale is clean and vibrant, with almost no head. The centimeter of foam disappears quickly, and there is little and then no lacing as I finish the glass.

First on the nose is the Christmas spices and a syrupy sweet malty smell. There is a rich, roasted fruit smell that accompanies the first whiff. With the first sip the spices become more pronounced.

Christmas spice, and especially the clove flavors, come alive as I take a drink. The body comes on thick, and then has this effervescent moment that highlights the slight hop spice, and added flavors, and ends with the mouth coated in sweet malt, spice, as well as figgy fruit, and light citrus. Very flavorful, and filling, so it is good in small quantities. The second glass warmed by the time I finished it, and tasted like a good spiced fruit cake.

This is the first brew I have ever had to claim "Swedish Glogg" style. According to Wikipedia it is, "Mulled wine (otherwise known as Glögg or Gløgg) is a beverage that ranges from alcoholic to non-alcoholic. It is usually made with red wine along with various spices and raisins, served hot or warm. It is a traditional drink during winter, especially around Christmas and Halloween."

2XMas is a nice spiced ale, and is a good brew to celebrate the holiday season.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 04:33:00 | More by BenjaminBlondbeard

weeheavybutdieting

Georgia

4.38/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served from a growler from Ale Yeah, Roswell, GA into a Westmalle chalise.

A:A slightly muted brown with a hint of red ruby. A light lacing that chases away quickly.

S: All of the Christmas herb/spice goodness on the nose that you would expect from a Christmas beer.

T: If you are afraid of over the top holidy brews then this beer is for you. Don't let the scent throw you. This is a well-balanced beer. It keeps with the style and carries a good bit of herb and spice on the front of the tongue with a nice carmel in the middle and a little bit of hops throughout to balance it all out.

M: This bad boy looks like it will be a big sticky mess but it comes to the tongue in a much lighter and fresher way. While keeping a nice warm spice on the tongue.

O: This has become my favorite holiday beer this season. It was hard to find but worth the search. It is a rare find to have a holiday beer that you can come back to over and over without just a one off, "That was fun, now back to a real beer." attitude.

Serving type: growler

12-23-2012 01:02:50 | More by weeheavybutdieting

vtisme

Oklahoma

3.73/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served from a bottle into a snifter
A - the beer is more red than brown, the head is light brown
S - Cloves more than anything else
T - Cinnamon!, nutmeg!, chai
M - Sharp, medium carbonation, alcohol comes through in the end
O - Too heavy on the nutmeg and the cinnamon to really enjoy, I had high hopes but after 2 the last 4 of the pack are going to be given away.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 00:23:36 | More by vtisme

MaddMatt639

3.8/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Tasted on February 7, 2013:

A: Pours a very dark amber, Kind of a maple color. Barely any retention.

S: Numerous spices right off the bat. A faint hint of orange and some cinnamon. No fig.

T: Mouth full of spices. Picking up mainly cinnamon and nutmeg. Very malty in the beginning and a slight fig note in the end. Not very sweet in the end.

M: Wouldn't go as far as smooth, but a good sipping beer. I have a medium heaviness left on my tongue.

O: A very unique and good spiced winter ale. Enjoyed the cinnamon and nutmeg. Just wish there was a little more to it.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 09:03:49 | More by MaddMatt639

travisdiener32

Florida

4.55/5  rDev +20.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Grabbed a single a week back because I had never seen this from southern tier and love a little holiday kitsch.

The friend I was with grabbed some nameless pecan beer due to a weak beer palate and snuck a taste of 2XMAS before I even had the chance and exclaimed "the best beer I've ever had". I thought I was in trouble. Appearance is on par, solid head. There is a bouquet of aromas, akin to a fruitcake you would actually want to eat. Taste is figs, molasses, slight pecan, graham cracker. Body is medium, but I almost want to chew it. A very drinkable, tasty addition to the realm of fall/winter beers.

This beer will probably stand as one of the better/best readily available seasonals. It's a beer that you won't have to seek out, but will simply be available when you need a notch below imperial stouts during the winter season.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 02:24:15 | More by travisdiener32

darrmitchell

3.68/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a ruby tinted brown.

Mouthfeel left a bit to be desired for me. It was thick and thin at the same time. Not sure how to describe it other than weird.

Taste and smell were excellent. Spices were evident from start to finish..particularly the cinnamon. It even has a pleasant after taste.

Overall a very enjoyable holiday beer. The warming effect was great.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 01:38:15 | More by darrmitchell

djspe

Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A wonderful winter seasonal brew with a bite. I don't taste the figs as much as as orange peel and nutmeg, it definitely hits the mark as an xmas beer. Quite drinkable on it's own and wonderful with a warm bowl of curry. Pleasant carbonation, a bit sweeter than I normally like but you can't tell this is a triple caliber abv. Would definitely buy again, I'm not sure I would want to drink more than one in a sitting though.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 00:51:07 | More by djspe

SgtPepper5088

4.05/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Wanted a good holiday brew and glad i made this a part of my mix 6. i would buy again.

Tried it in a bottle & poured into a pint glass. Slight head.

Strong Christmas-y aroma with an overwhelming cinnamon smell. Overall good mix in taste. Strong warm after taste, definitely a quality holiday brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 01:46:02 | More by SgtPepper5088