2XMAS - Southern Tier Brewing Company

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2XMAS into a pint glass. I grabbed a single of this for 2 beans.

2XMAS goes in the glass a dark chestnut brown shade that is able to be seen through. Not to much activity on the top, just a sparse amount of off white bubbles that die down quick. Eventually, the beer looks dead. Smell gives me a mix of a spiced beer and a winter warmer. The fig representation is large, behind that caramel malt, some dark fruit scents, plum, and light chocolate. More spice with warming. This takes some sips to get used to, off put by the large fig presense, the caramel/chocolate malt combo comes through in the middle, followed by a spicy finish. Hops are minimal and not making a dent. body is smooth and a healthy medium with almost no carbonation down the gullet, this one is nearing flat, I think maybe this is intentional in the Glogg tradition. While I enjoyed this I dont see myself making this a tradition, good for the season though. Would probably pair well with some Christmas ham. Never having a Swedish Glogg, I am now intrigued to try one out.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 03:50:58 | More by onix1agr

Durge

Connecticut

3.98/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A dark brown/mahogany color with a fair tan head that holds as a thin cover with decent lacing. The aroma suggests a definite holiday theme with sweet evergreen and light licorice malt. Very nice for a Christmas brew. The flavor follows with plenty of juniper nutmeg and cereal malt. Sweet spiciness and pretty thick malt presence. A good mix with medium body and a resinous feel, modest carbonation. A great seasonal brew that further confirms my continued faith in Southern Tier. Bravo!

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 03:47:41 | More by Durge

Suds

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I'm usually impressed with Southern Tier beers. They always seem to be spot-on, challenging, and very rewarding. Unfortunately, that's not the case with 2XMas. It's a clear, reddish colored liquid with a thin tan head. Medium carbonation. The smell is fruit and spice, with a bit of toasted malt in the background. The fruit is hard to place. The label says fig, but I'm getting a lot of orange and lemon peel. The peel/rind theme plays into the taste as well, which is also full of fruit and spice...a bit of bitterness from the former, as well as the latter. Firm body, good balance. The beer just doesn't really come together, though...the bitterness is distracting. Not bad, just not up to my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 00:30:12 | More by Suds

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

4.15/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - dark reddish amber, a short-lived head of pale mocha is just a spotty cover within a minute or two.

Aroma - spiced with ginger, anise, clove, a fine bouquet of seasonal smells.

Taste - richly toasty malt base, orange, clove and anise providing some great spicy flavors. As the swallow dries, the hoppiness is shallow, a touch medicinal and even a little metallic, but not especially bitter. Decent balance to the sweeter front side flavors. Nice breath of waming alcohol as this winds down.

Mouthfeel - medium to slightly full body, fairly crisp, smooth.

Overall - extremely good session seasonal. I only got a few loose bottles this year, this one's on the short list for a few sixers next time around.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 00:56:05 | More by brewdlyhooked13

oline73

Maryland

3.25/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured from the bottle into a Chimay goblet.

Appearance: The beer pours a cloudy reddish dark brown color, there is more red to this one than brown. There is a layer of off white head that fades quickly to a ring on top of the pour.

Smell: Definitely a Christmas beer. I'm getting a slightly sweet malt component that reminds me of dark fruit and cherries. I'm also getting some Christmas spices and mild orange peel.

Taste: Not nearly as sweet as the smell indicates. There is a dark fruit/sweet grain component but it is overshadowed by the Christmas spices. The finish is really bitter. I'm getting some citrus fruit hops along with a strong spice component. I think the bitterness level is too high here.

Mouthfeel: The body is medium with a lot of tingly carbonation and a very dry finish.

Overall: I think the spices and hops made the finish too bitter. The sweeter flavors needed to be featured a bit more.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 00:57:56 | More by oline73

billab914

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into my Southern Tier glass. Dark caramel color with a thin, frothy, tan colored head to it. Decent retention and lacing as I drank it.

Aroma has a strong cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and peppermint presence. I get a hint of the sweet malty base but the spices are pretty overwhelming. It definitely reminds me of an intense Christmas cookie, but I think the spices could have been a little less dominating.

The taste shows a little more of a molasses and gingerbread flavor to it, but again the spices are all pretty intense. The cinnamon, clove and nutmeg are particularly intense in the finish.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Overall, it did taste like an intense Christmas cookie so given the name I think they hit their mark. I do think however that the spices could have been toned down a bit to let some of the malty flavors come out. I think it compares reasonably well to other Christmas beers out there though overall.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 23:49:15 | More by billab914

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz Bottle from the Syracuse NY Wegman's for 2.25$

Appearance - Reddish copper colour with an average size fizzy and frothy beige head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is some fairly good lacing. The head lasted for 4-5 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, dark fruits, butterscotch, all-spice, herbal/pine

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts and some butterscotch. There is also some raisin,herbal/pine notes, all-spice and a fruit cake like taste. It ends with a malty sweet aftertaste with some lingering all spice.

Overall - A little too much grut beer flavour for me. Not one of my favourite tasting style of beer unfortunately. Still pretty festive and tasting, and it's probably worth having at least one of these this holiday season.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 01:48:45 | More by spinrsx

superspak

Michigan

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 10/31/2012. Pours lightly hazy ruby red color with a 1 finger dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin lace that lingers. Spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of big raisin, fig, orange peel, caramel, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, clove, nutmeg, floral, brown bread, and herbal earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance of malt, fruit, and spice notes; with good strength. Taste of raisin, fig, orange peel, caramel, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, clove, nutmeg, light anise, floral, brown bread, and herbal earthiness. Lingering notes of dark fruit, orange peel, brown sugar, caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, light anise, floral, brown bread, and herbal earthiness on the finish for a while. Very nice complexity of malt, fruit, and spice flavors; with a great sweetness/spice balance; and zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a creamy, slick, and slightly syrupy mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice spiced Christmas ale! Great balance and complexity of malt, fruit, and spice flavors; and very smooth to sip on. A very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 04:02:15 | More by superspak

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.63/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a tumbler pint, the beer is a vibrant, deep, blood-amber coloring with a thin, filmy, cloudy, off-white head that coats the surface. Aromas of heavy spicing and fruit, with a rich, sweet cherry and berries backbone giving rise to all-spice, coriander, and fennel. Smells very festive and warm. Flavors are rich and roasty, with a cinnamon and cider theme. Cherry cordial and licorice form the base of the brew, with the all-spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg filling the rest of the palate. Candied overtones, with an evergreen highlight throughout. It's like Yankee Candle made a holiday beer flavor in drinking form. Screams christmas time. The aftertaste is more of a linger of the spicing, with a strong herbal tea characteristic. Filmy, slightly lingering finish to the brew. Overall, you don't really notice the 8% ABV while drinking, which makes it easier to drink a few of these at a time, in turn keeping you nice and toasty on those cold winter nights. Interesting brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 00:21:18 | More by GarthDanielson

tigg924

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: 1/3 inch head, brownish-red in color, clear, high carbonation

Smell: fig, toasted malt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other spices

Taste:fig, big caramel, clove, and cinnamon

Mouthfeel: sweet with slight bitterness, high carbonation, light bodied

Overall: Really tasty holiday brew...lots of malty sweetness and enough holiday spice..One of their better small bottle beers..I will pick this up again.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 15:07:20 | More by tigg924

Mitchster

Michigan

3.15/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

$1.99 for a 12oz bottle @ BevCo. Brewed with 4 different malts, 2 varieties of hops, Figs, orange peels, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and fermented with ale yeast. 8.0% ABV.

Pours out to a clear dark ruby, forming a nice creamy yellow head with excellent retention and nice lacing. Mild to moderate carbonation, ~2.0 carbs. The nose is very spicy...lots of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves on top of a slightly nutty malt backbone and no real hop aroma. Mouthfeel is thick and full, creamy with a dense body. The taste is a recap of the aroma. Lots of spice, some nuts in the middle, then tobacco lingering in the aftertaste complimenting the spice. Very spice forward. The orange peel is subtle but it does come out towards the finish and I get a little yeast autolysis and some higher alcohols too. The alcohol almost has the sensation of black per, which would make a more interesting holiday beer than all the spices.

I just made a batch of Glogg and I love it, but this just isn't all that good. Way to spice heavy, like chewing on potpourri or sipping on your grandmothers candle.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 02:38:40 | More by Mitchster

prototypic

Ohio

3.55/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2XMAS pours a deep red color. Really nice looking color. It’s very clear. Backlighting bolsters its attractive garnet color. An off-white collection of bubbles gathers on the surface. It doesn’t quite materialize into anything further. That’s disappointing. The bubbles disappear very quickly. Interesting. Lacing was very light and spotty. Not much to discuss there. The color looks really nice!

The nose is alright. It’s a bit weak and needs more strength. It’s not bad though. It kicks with a mix of caramel and toasted malts. It smells a little sweet. Chocolate malts are there to a lesser degree. Holiday spice notes of cinnamon and ginger are present. Those are easily the most notable. There is a bit of a dark fruit note. Smells like fig or plum. There’s a bit of a piney hope scent. Alcohol is there, but doesn’t smell all that strong. 8% abv seems about right.

The flavor is about on par with the nose. The malt base is definitely a mix of caramel, chocolate, and toasted varieties. The caramel adds some sweetness. Cocoa flavors are secondary, but blend well. Holiday spice flavors of cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom are nice. Tastes like there’s even a bit of clove here. It’s not bad, but almost seems too spicy. Secondary notes of plum and fig round it out. Alcohol isn’t all that strong. Definitely not warm or hot. Finishes spicy and sprucey.

2XMAS has a medium body. Carbonation is light and the bubbles feel soft. It’s smooth and goes down easy. For what it’s worth, drinkability would be good if the flavor would be just a little better. Nice feel though.

2XMAS is a pretty good holiday release. It’s definitely spicier than a Winter Warmer. Frankly, it’s a bit too spicy for me. As far as holiday beers go, it’s worth grabbing a six pack. There are a ton of great holiday releases though. This one’s solid, but doesn’t do a great job of distinguishing itself.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 03:33:16 | More by prototypic

Pencible

Virginia

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: This poured a clear dark copper with a bit of light tan head.
S: It smelled like lots of nutmeg and clove, with some copper hops and cinnamon and vanilla.
T: It tasted just like the scent, full of holiday spices. It had a lean and spicy aftertaste.
M: It was watery with a little carbonation. Fairly light body.
D: This was a nice holiday ale, with lots of spice. The scent and taste and body were all good, with a smooth finish, so it was easy to drink. Mmm.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 21:15:27 | More by Pencible

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.98/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a dark red amber with a thin, off-white head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of sweet and caramel malt and lots of holiday spicing; cinnamon, cloves, ginger and a slight cola element. Flavor follows taste with a substantial sweet malt body with a nice mixture of spices dominated by cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Somewhat nutty. Excellent medium body with pleasant creaminess. A nice warming winter beer; not sure why this isn't a winter warmer rather than herbed/spiced beer, but it does well on both counts.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 03:55:43 | More by LiquidAmber

claspada

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a dark cloudy amber color with a small eggshell head that recedes to leave some spotty lacing.

Aromas begin quite like a spiced loaf of holiday bread. I get cardamom first and foremost with accompanying cinnamon and ginger. Then I get the toasted sweet bready pale malts and equal caramel malts with emerging citrus zest notes.

The tastes follow the nose with the toasted bready sweet maltiness and caramelized malts. There is a raisiny, figgy, dark fruitiness next and the finish is dominated by the spice notes once again of cardamom, cinnamon and clove.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation. Finish is gently sweet and spicy but neither one is overly so.

Overall I enjoyed this beer. The mouthfeel was a little lacking but the overall flavor profile delivers what it advertises as a Christmasy spiced holiday ale. Sometimes the spices are horribly overdone (mainly with clove or ginger) but here they are restrained and work in balance with each other and the base beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 18:36:32 | More by claspada

garymuchow

Minnesota

3.46/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

I suppose by the time one gets to Valentines Day the Xmas beers should be done.
So, nice and pleasing spicing that is dominant but not too strong. KInd of has a brandy atoma. Some malt backing.
Pours without much head. Dark bronze and very clear.
Surprisingly dry and doesn't drink like brandy. Spice are showing a little more age her than in the aroma and thus are less fresh and more dull in presentation. Firmer malt base here. Really drying, did I say that already?
Moderate to higher body. Lower carbonation that is soft.
This is fine enough. Nothing to write home about, but not a problem or a disaster either. It became a little more annoying in time.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 02:12:10 | More by garymuchow

merc7186

New York

3.98/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into pint glass.

A: Deep Reddish Amber Hue, Passes Some Light, Thin White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Sweet Malts

T: Cinnamon, Sweet Bread, Nutmeg

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Spicy, Mildly Malty

Overall, still a pretty excessive xmas ale but not as bad as others....drinkable but overly spiced.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 03:32:49 | More by merc7186

Brenden

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The color is a medium-dark brown with a red tone to it. A light brown head grows to one finger that drops to a fairly heavy foam in time. It leaves a ring of lacing at the top of the glass with some spotting beneath.
Spicy it is; not overly spiced, but definitively and strongly. It also offers a bit of citrus, mostly zest and a bready quality that's part gingerbread but more very doughy, spiced "Christmas"-type bread. On the tongue, there's a malty backbone with some bitterness coming out in the middle. It finishes with a sugar/spice combination as alcohol sneaks in as sort of an afterthought.
The feel is nicely thick with a bit of heft in its sturdy body. It's smooth, and doesn't offer so much a crispness as a bite, even as it hits the lips.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 20:56:00 | More by Brenden

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - An standard pour yields the slightest of late developing light khaki colored head that quickly fizzes away... What's left is a very thin splotchy veil of lacing (and that may be an overstatement)... The color is a dull slightly muted ruby red with a faint brownish hue... Carbonation is light and moderate paced in the form of very small bubbles rising along the sides of the glass...

S - A big assertive aroma... A very pleasant mix of holiday spices are first to greet the nose... Heavy on the cinnamon... Some nutmeg... A bit of clove... Orange zest... Light brown sugar... Perhaps some fig and some raisins... Complex, robust and rather enjoyable...

T - The dominate flavors are a mix of medicinal and hoppy... Next are a thick layer of spiciness highlighted by cinnamon... Brown sugar... The orange zest and dark fruit notes take a distant back seat but are still noticeable... A bit of heat...

M - Medium bodied... Sleek... A bit sticky... Slightly dry... Slightly chalky... Light carbonation...

D - This Southern Tier offering screams Christmas Beer in a good way... If it weren't for the medicinal notes on the palate this would be a top notch seasonal offering... In it's current form it's a very nice brew and likely worthy of a six pack investment each and every holiday season...

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 03:04:07 | More by philbe311

adamette

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Live review. Poured from the growler that I had filled at World Wines & Liquor in Mentor, Ohio last week for $10.99 into a clean, clear glass.

A Pleasing 2 inch light brown, creamy head takes several minutes to dissipate down to a thin layer of a translucent, dark brown or mohagany body. Pleasing look. I really like the thick, confident head. 4.5

S Warmth of figs and spices over a malt backdrop and little hops bitterness in the smell. Really nice "warm" smell that welcomes you in. 4.0

T The warmth from the smell carries right into the taste. This is a not overly sweet malt based beer which is akin to a cookie rather than a spoonful of molasses or honey. There is a nice grain body to the beer and the spices and figs complement it all nicely. I really like the taste of this beer. After some repeated sips...and my second glass...I have noticed a kind of a dropping off of the taste...it kind of flattens out after the beginning and middle taste. 4.0

M Nice grain bigness through most of the feel but again it kind of drops off and settles into a lingering malt and spice aftertaste. 3.5

D/O Drinkability is quite good for the elevated ABV of this 8.0% beer. Overall this is a fine seasonal beer. I enjoyed it and I believe that you will too. 4.0

Serving type: growler

12-13-2012 03:05:04 | More by adamette

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-Pours a burnt crimson shade. Quite a pretty color. Body is transparent. Head never fully developed. A ring of bubbles leaves behind plenty of remnants however.

S-I know it has already been stated in the few earlier reviews, but this smells like Pumking. Cinnamon, clove and nutmeg all over the place. Like a Swedish Christmas cookie tray. Plenty of caramel along with a cool amalgamation of spice and bread. The spice meshes with the bread malt to make a Christmas cookie nose. Very interesting. Slight hints of orange and dark dried fruits.

T-Figgy and loaded with a plethora of spices. Gingerbread men. Cloves and fruit cake. There is also a surprisingly bitter finish. This doesn't remind me of Pumking as much now. The spice lingers pleasantly. Sweet and spiced with a satisfyingly bitter end.

M-Creamy. Matches its ABV quite accurately. Drinks far easier than I expected it to. Booze masked very well. Boy, do those spices linger.

O/D-Must eat with a Gingerbread man! This is Swedish satisfaction to the max! Haven't run across a 'Glögg' before, but they are pretty damn cool and perfect for ushering in the Holiday spirit. I was very skeptical of this beer, but I ended up enjoying it. I can't wait to scream "MY BEER TASTES LIKE SANTA!" to the next person I see.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 02:54:18 | More by VelvetExtract

jera1350

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ruby/mahogany colored with a fizzy head that dissipates quickly to just a small ring around the glass. It does leave some lace though.

Cola, fig, plum, prune, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Matches up well with the nose here. Very deep complexity. Sweet, malty, fruity and full of holiday spices. Significant hoppy bitterness and spice at the end.

Medium feel and mostly smooth. A bit slick, but dries out towards the end.

Definitely fits the bill as a holiday beer. This may very well be the best holiday ale I've had. It's big and bold with sweet and spice and everything nice. Very warming and just really hits the mark for being a Xmas brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 04:30:16 | More by jera1350

brewcrew76

Wisconsin

4.2/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Fairly clear beautiful mahogany with a thin off white head.

S - Reminds me of gingerbread spices. Nutmeg, cardamom, clove, ginger with some graham cracker, bready malt. This smells like christmas in a glass.

T - Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, mace? & allspice. Like the aroma, this is christmas in a glass. A touch of alcohol is present to make the holidays that much more fun. Light orange peel as it warms which compliments the spices nicely. Some dark fruits also but not as much as I was hoping for.

M - Medium body with light carbonation and a slight burn from the spice and alcohol combo.

D - This beer screams christmas. This is how I remember Great Lakes Christmas tasting years ago although I had it recently and it tasted like a spice mess. Not sure if the beer changed or my palette. I really enjoyed this one. I love figs and had a hard time picking them out.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 03:05:05 | More by brewcrew76

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle, poured into a tulip

A pretty clear reddish/brown body with a small eggshell cap. Some dots and lines of lace inside the glass. The nose is of baked dark bread, dark candi sugar, toffee, caramel, figs, orange peel, cinnamon, and coriander. On the palate, the figs and toffee/caramel flavors lay a foundation for the spices and orange peel to do work. The finish is dry from the candi sugar with a touch of residual sweetness and some of the bready malt to try and balance it out. Medium body, a bit syrupy. This is a nice little christmas ale that surprised me. The flavors and aromas are tightly wound into a well-crafted ale for the season.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 02:49:20 | More by ColForbinBC

Kendo

New York

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had it on tap at the Lionheart in Albany, where it was part of their "Southern Tier Tap Takeover Night."

A: Body is dark coppery amber with a small off-whitish head. Left a little lace on the glass.

S: Definitely spicy - I get ginger and cinnamon in the nose.

T: First impression is simple: spice. Cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg fill the spice bill. Brown sugar and a solid malt foundation provide sweetness as well. However, there's a solid hop bitterness (think lemony bitterness) at the end that fights to balance the spice.

M: Medium in heft, pretty smooth but with some modest carbonation.

O: Good stuff. Bigger than your usual holiday offering, and while the spice takes center stage, as is typical for a ST beer, it's no slouch in the hops department. I like.

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2012 02:09:45 | More by Kendo