Ebenezer Ale - BridgePort Brewing Co. / Brewpub

TheAlamoWrocker

Texas

2.7/5  rDev -26%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed December 29, 2012. 12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

Appearance: Slightly less than a one fingered head. Dark red caramel appearance.

Smell: Slight dark malts with some alight yeasts smells as well.

Taste: Weird citrus malty taste. More floral than pine in this warmer. Varied spicy, I don't know.

Mouthfeel: Medium body and carbonation, nothing special. Can be used as a session drink for the holidays.

Overall: Not really a fan of this warmer at all. Maybe I'm just not of a fan of how they presented this style. I guess I'm just more of a fan of a maltier style warmer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2012 04:52:48 | More by TheAlamoWrocker

MadTown1000

Virginia

3.48/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

From notes.

Appearance: Dark brown-copper-gold, little foam around the edges

Taste: Sweet with malt on the back of the tongue, floral hops obvious. Not much alcohol evident, or carbonation. Alcohol appears in aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Not much body, floral aftertaste holds on a long while.

Serving type: on-tap

05-30-2011 23:33:08 | More by MadTown1000

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

3.65/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a hazy dark orange brown. 1 finger of tan head.

S - Dark malts, candied oranges, faint cinnamon apple. Unkown fruits. I had to really try and find anything in the nose. Overall the aroma was pretty subdued.

T - Spicy wheat breadiness, a good amount of toasted toffee malt, spiced oranges, over-ripened red grapes. Good hop presence. Has a soft spice blend that I couldn't quite pick out.

M - Moderate carbonation, light to medium body.

Nice malt flavors but a very faint nose on this one. Drinks very easy and finishes dry. Seems a bit thin for a Winter Warmer but a tasty beer nonetheless. I would get this again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-08-2010 03:07:02 | More by StaveHooks

cbarrett4

Oregon

3.43/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Ap - This beer looks like a nice bock style; dark brown
Ar - Smells of herbs but with a faint medicinal note
T - Tastes like winter; spice, anise, douglas fir... not the best...
M - Lighter bodied than I would expect (due to the aromas)
D - slightly disjointed

This is a noble attempt at a winter warmer from a great brewery. I am spoiled here in Portland because we have SO many great brewpups who spend an insane amount of time and effort on their winter seasonal brews. So this one fell short. It lacks the balance I typically attribute to Bridgeport brews. I will taste from bottle and reassess soon. =)

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2009 21:12:04 | More by cbarrett4

beertunes

Washington

3.53/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into straight pint glass. A deep brown color, slightly lighter than most of the style. Poured with a thick head of nice tight bubbles. Head was a pale tan color with minimal lacing. Welcoming aroma with spice and caramel notes. The flavors matches the aroma very well, with a smooth caramel flavor on the back of the tongue. Body was thinner than usual for the style. Very smooth and drinkable, a 4-5 pint session would happen before you realized it. A very good example of the style, if you see it, get it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-04-2009 22:32:06 | More by beertunes

RedDiamond

Oregon

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

I’ve always enjoyed the Dickensian character of Ebenezer Scrooge. Here’s a guy with the charismatic warmth of Dick Cheney’s socks who accidentally ingests some tainted mushroom gravy on Christmas Eve. He squares off against a platoon of disquieted ghosts and wakes up the next day singing We Are The World.

The moral of this story is, next time you hear Dick Cheney say, “Pass the gravy,” pass the man some gravy.

So Bridgeport has named their winter warmer for a literary figure who needed a beer to begin with. Good idea. The beer itself is a clear, glowing vermilion with no head but draping lace. They serve it too cold at Bridgeport (see related rant at Bridgeport ESB review). But my central concern is too much hops early in the boil. If I were a beer sculptor, I’d chip away the bitterness on this one just a bit and try to cultivate the maltier fruitiness that I prefer in a winter warmer. That’s just my personal preference, but I had my sights set on something a bit fruitier for the holidays than this 40 IBU ale.

Still, Ebenezer is a worthy brew and holds together quite well as a strong bitter.

Serving type: on-tap

12-05-2004 02:02:38 | More by RedDiamond

Lawl3ss

Texas

3.65/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Lightly chilled 12 oz. bottle into a shaker pint. No visible bottling date.

Look- Deep red-brown with two fingers of loose off-white head. Good retention. Visible sediment on the bottle.

Smell- Raisin, molasses, brown bread. Warm feel without coming across as boozy. Subtle spice, pleasant. Swirling brings out a fruitier, jammy aroma.

Taste- Caramel, browned biscuits, licorice, mace, raspberry. Lingering earthy flavor and orange marmalade.

Mouthfeel- Medium body, light carbonation. Drinks like coffee dosed with heavy cream.

Overall- Unique, but better straight from the fridge and out of the bottle. Still, it's something I find myself seeking out when it's in season.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 06:52:55 | More by Lawl3ss

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

I miss Bill Murray's real comedy work... Anyway, this stuff pours a mostly clear ruby-influenced amber topped by a finger of glowing off-cream foam. The nose comprises perfume-y caramel, light greens, light raisin, a pinch of cinnamon, and the vague inference of dark fruits way in the background. The taste brings in more of the same, with the spices and fruits (now not quite as dark, but not quite un-dark to not be called dark anymore) increased a notch or two throughout. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a generally smooth feel. Overall, a nice spicy Winter warmer, something I wouldn't mind enjoying time to time during these cold months.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 18:51:38 | More by TMoney2591

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to Papat444 for the bottle.

Beer is dark amber in colour with a fairly large off-white head.

Smell is muted. Malt, a bit bready, spices.

Caramel malt, spices (nutmeg, clove), a bit of dark fruit- slight cherry. Quite malty. Spices are not overdone, fairly low in the mix.

Medium bodied, low to moderate carbonation. Bready. Smooth.

Overall, not bad. Not something I would seek out again but an enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 03:19:25 | More by jrenihan

obrike

Texas

3.6/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a single at Round Rock World Market.

Poured a dark hazy amber capped with a generous off-white head. Minimal lacing followed...not a bad looker.

The scent was pretty subdued, but with some warming, the aromas comprised of dark fruits and faint spices emerged. Doppelbock-esque.

Certainly a malt forward beer with some caramel and fruit but nothing too bold. Hops add possibly a some earthy spicyness but not much more. Was hoping for more pronounced overall flavor. This one felt a little thin for the style, but still was quite drinkable. Certainly hides the alcohol well. There were no real issues with this beer, but it's a bit bland for a winter warmer.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 23:25:47 | More by obrike

olfolxholme

California

3.35/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

37

12 oz bottle into an oversized red wine glass

A - I really like the artwork and text for this beer. There was a surprising amount of sediment at the bottom, but I was pouring carefully and none got in the glass. Very little head. Tiny specks of lacing. A little hazy, but otherwise a nice orangish dark brown colored beer.

S - Spicy, fruity - reminiscent of the holidays. Some sweet bready malts.

T - Mostly follows the nose, but comes across as a nice fruity cola flavor.

M - Pretty thin, but not distracting.

O - This used to be a favorite, but I haven't been impressed with it in recent years. Was afraid I had grown out of this "beginner beer." That may be true, but I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this bottle. One key to enjoying this beer is to drink it on the colder side (not much of a compliment, I know). And definitely pour carefully. I will continue to pick this up every year, for old time's sake, and recommend it to fans of the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 04:39:10 | More by olfolxholme

beer2day

North Carolina

2.93/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Deep red to orange pour with 1/2 finger of darker cream head. No retention and very sparse lace.

Nose evokes cherry syrup. Not terribly inspiring. Light spices underneath, but all I'm really getting is an overpowering hit of cherry syrup.

Taste is better than the nose. Sweet and tart cherries, cinnamon, and a tart finish. Tastes a bit contrived though with too much cherry juice.

Feel is a bit heavy, with the cherry syrup. Very active carbonation, so a good bit of fizz here.

I'd pass.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 03:10:17 | More by beer2day

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.6/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a cloudy, coppery amber with a half finger off-white head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of moderately toasted malt, mild dark fruit, cinnamon and holiday spicing. Taste is dark dried fruit, toasted and bready malt, cinnamon and spices, rather mild tasting. Medium bodied. Nice flavor and well integrated, but very mild and low-key flavoring overall. Pleasant to drink, but kind of characterless (unlike Ebenzer from Dickens).

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 00:15:52 | More by LiquidAmber

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.15/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

It has a thin head with no lacing and a hazy, copper colored body.
The aroma is only the faint smell of hay. A bit of a disappointment.
It tastes like yeast, a barnyard, grain and with a mild bitterness.
Low carbonation and medium body.
A fair enough beer but lacking in the appearance and smell areas.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 23:37:10 | More by Fatehunter

bmwats

Louisiana

3.35/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a standard pint.

A: Dark amber hue. Pours about a half finger, foamy, white head. Settles quickly leaving a slight coverage of foam on the surface. Some distinct beer ring lacing.

S: White bread, paper, and diluted tea.

T: Oaky and really earthy malt. Kind of a synthetic raisiny licoricy bitter sweet thing.

M: Kind of light and shallow with a slight finish.

D: Very session-like.

Atmosphere is pretty good. Nice hue, decent head, and some pretty solid lacing. Nose is a flat bready combination, only slightly enhanced with some fresh tea leaves. Very woody and earthy with some bitter and sweet notes. Comes across as a little "fake". Overall, this is a fair quaff.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 03:49:36 | More by bmwats

kojevergas

California

2.8/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

6.4% ABV confirmed. 12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a nonical Guinness pint glass in me gaff in high altitude Castle Rock, Colorado. Reviewed live. Expectations are average.

Served straight from the refrigerator and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a four finger head of off-white colour, nice thickness and cream, and good retention for the relatively high ABV. Body colour is a very dark copper with amber hues. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: Spice, sweet malts, hints of toasted character, and some buried bright fruit esters. An above average strength aroma. Little yeast or alcohol comes through.

T: Malty sweetness, biscuit malt, some toasted malt, sweet sugary bright fruit hop esters, some floral hops, and residual malty sweetness on the finish. The third act flirts with a medicinal character. Too sweet all around. A bit imbalanced, but fairly enjoyable. It's certainly drinkable. Lacks yeast character. No alcohol comes through. Lacks subtlety and complexity.

Mf: Smooth and wet. A bit too thick. Slightly overcarbonated. Palate presence is understated.

Dr: Drinkable but underwhelming. A very forgettable winter warmer. I wouldn't bother with this again. A pedestrian effort from Bridgeport.

Low C

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 02:21:09 | More by kojevergas

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.43/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into an Irish pint glass.

The beer pours a really deep hazy cinnamon color. A dark cream colored head keeps a nice layer of film while leaving spotty lacing.

The beer smells deliciously piny with notes of apples, cherry, and cinnamon.

The taste profile starts out toasty and malty. A good spicy body follows with hints of cinnamon, brown sugar, and a good spiced apple finish.

The mouthfeel is dry, medium bodied and somewhat crisp.

Overall, this is always one of my favorite December beers. Great flavor and feel.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 19:01:55 | More by JuicesFlowing

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

2.68/5  rDev -26.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a Horny Goat pint glass.

Appearance- A reddish brown hazy color with a half finger of off white head that stays with the beer and leaves a nice lacing.

Smell- Not a whole lot going on, get some citrus notes and maybe some red apple.

Taste- Yikes! You get that citrus up front with a long finish of a almost rubbing alcohol flavor. Very off putting!

Mouthfeel- On the heavy side of light body with an abundance of carbonation.

Overall- A great looking beer that has a very off flavor that ruins it for me.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 22:26:25 | More by BrownAleMale

Murrhey

Montana

3.48/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass. Reviewed live.

A- Half a finger white head with medium retention. Thick and full head. Walnut color with low clarity. Cloudy.

S- Airy, floral hops and a chocolate malt backbone. Battling scents. Interesting, but not rich. It's alright.

T- Flavorful, roast malts with good backbone, some fruity flavors. Hard for me to pick out much.

M- Sharp carbonation and dry finish.

O- Above average, but not killer.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 04:47:57 | More by Murrhey

SerialHiker

Illinois

2.58/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Pours a nice deep, dark auburn/brown…some head formed but only really a thin layer stuck around…definitely some sediment floating about…tons of bubbles bubbling about inside…(3/5)

Smell: Not much going on here initially…I smell some alcohol heat mixed with holiday spice way, way in the background, but I’m gonna have to wait a bit and see if more shows up as it warms…15 minutes later, there’s still no improvement, it basically has a bland malt smell…(2/5)

Taste: Classic amber malt flavor in front…transitioning with some holiday spice, very mild though, but still the basic amber ale taste…the finish has a sour, bitterness…(2.5/5)

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body…lots of carbonation, more than I would expect from the look…smooth, wet and fluffy with a surprising dryness in the after taste…definitely the best part of this beer…(4/5)

Overall: This isn’t my favorite brew…maybe one of my least favorites I’ve had in a while…it’s really bland, the smell and taste leave a lot to be desired…the name suggests that it’s a holiday seasonal, but the lack of any real spice in the aroma or flavor is confusing…it sets me up for something that I’m not getting…even beyond that, the beer itself isn’t all that good…humbug…(2.5/5)

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 02:58:17 | More by SerialHiker

allforbetterbeer

Colorado

3.38/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter.

The huge head that doesn't fall into the glass is obstructing my olfactory senses. The head is impressive, and retains in a fashion not often seen in American beer. Through it I can smell just a touch of sweet grains.

The flavors seem a bit dull. I get some basic sweeter malt, mostly lighter with a touch of darker. There is a bit of hop flavor, but it isn't really very distinct. In a winter warmer I want a thicker and rich array of malty flavors, and a stronger presence of hop flavor (though not bitterness) or at least the old remains of hops, as in slightly aged English versions.

The mouthfeel weighs in just to lighter side of medium in body with ample carbonation. Seems almost overly carbonated without enough sticky body to support it.

Conclusion: I was afraid of this. Bridgeport makes appealing looking beers, but it seems that they often fall short with the execution. So many craft brewers (big and small) these days are making really fine beer, so to produce mediocre beer just doesn't cut it. Bridgeport loves to tout their position as the oldest craft brewer in Oregon, but it seems that they haven't updated their beer to compete with the ever more and more refined and perfected craft industry. For example, this beer can't stand up to other winter beers like Jubel, Hibernation, or even the mild mannered Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome. This isn't bad beer by any means, but there are just too many better options to ever buy (or drink) it again in this price segment.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 21:41:19 | More by allforbetterbeer

jmbranum

Oklahoma

3.95/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Nice malty aroma with some hops.

Pour a clear dark amber with a generous head. Lots of lace left on the glass.

Flavor: lots of pineish hops, very toasty malt, pretty dry but a little bit of lingering sweetness at the end. A tiny hit of spices (I wish there were more).

Medium mouthfeel. A little bit overcarbonated to me.

Overall, not a bad beer but not as good as many others of the style. This frankly felt like more of a dark almost-an-IPA than a winter warmer too me. I think this beer would have been improved with more spices and a little bit less hops.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 17:25:10 | More by jmbranum

jsanford

Georgia

3.08/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours dark mahogany with a fluffy ivory head that settles to a thick cap. Malt-forward aromas of caramel, brown sugar, dark fruits, and some Winter spices. Similar to the nose, sweet caramel and toffee malt, candied orange peel hops, brown sugar, and some mild spices. Mouthfeel is fairly smooth, with a medium-full body and moderate carbonation. Decent Winter Warmer, but nothing new.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 02:19:12 | More by jsanford

Pegasus

Texas

3.53/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Clear deep amber body, surmounted by a dense, persistent white head, which persists well. Thick glass-coating lace adorns the glass walls. The carbonation is moderate and slow-rising.

Aroma: An abundance of dark toasted malt vies with pine tar hops for prominence. There are faint notes of cinnamon and ginger as well, but these seem as more of an afterthought.

Taste: Opens with rich toasted malt, soon followed by an abundance of piney hops. As the taste progresses, the hops rise to ascendency, presenting lingering tarry notes. These linger at the back of the mouth well beyond the close of the taste.

Mouth feel: Smooth, soft, full, and quite pleasant.

Drinkability/notes: A decent example of the style, although something a bit over-the-top would have been even more appealing.

Presentation: Packages in a custom twelve-ounce brown glass bottle with a pry-off crown, served in a New Belgium Brewing chalice.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 03:38:12 | More by Pegasus

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.4/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Brownish-red and hazy, good one finger head and fairly good lacing.

Spicy and hoppier than I'd expect from a winter warmer, a bit earthy with a touch of solvent like notes.

Spicy again on the taste, caramel malts, floral and earthy hops, a tinge of alcohol.

Body is pretty full and mildly bitter on the finish, with some residual caramel malt flavor.

Overall it's a decent winter warmer. Not my favorite, but good enough for inclusion in a mixed twelvesky.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 00:09:03 | More by AlCaponeJunior