Wreck The Halls - Full Sail Brewery & Tasting Room & Pub

Luchman

Nevada

3.33/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a tulip from a 22 ounce bomber

A: dark, cloudy, burnt orange/amber color with a very faint off white head that dissipates quickly.

S: faint orange peel and grapefruit with a little bit of pine. Toasted malt is there too.

T: Much like the nose. Orange peel with a burnt, toasty malt and some caramel. Ends slightly bitter. Lemon and pine more apparent as the beers warm.

M: Just a tad above too light mouthfeel, which is slick and with low to medium/low carbonation.

D: Very conservative here. A decent IPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 21:26:47 | More by Luchman

CuriousMonk

Virginia

3.35/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 750ml bottle into a dimpled mug. Pours a light cloudy pale amber color. Fair display of lacework. Aroma of light floral, hint of elderflower, citrus, roasted malt, caramel and what I thought was some kind of tulip like feel over the palate. Medium bodied with a dry texture and an average carbonation. Somewhat moderated bitter and sweet flavor. Dry and bitter finish. Thought the tulip notes was very interesting however.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2011 23:05:10 | More by CuriousMonk

magictrokini

California

3.38/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Copper pour with a light white head. Caramel, pine, and orange aroma. Not very strong, but subtle instead of weak. Hops heavy up front, lots of resin without much citrus. Malt and caramel are close to follow. Finish is a decent blend of both. Decent IPA, especially for Full Sail.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2008 23:38:33 | More by magictrokini

DeSoto

Texas

3.38/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Gonna check this one out from Full Sail. I've been drinking their Session series for a long time. Gonna share this one with a co-worker and see what we think.

Bottle Type: 22oz bomber
Poured into a 15oz snifter
Best Before Date: 2/13/2012

Appearance: Reddish brown hue. Nice lacing. Head retention was medium. Two finger head with 25 seconds duration.

Smell: Hop characteristic is funky. Not very clean profile. Smell like wet grassy pond. Coriander in the back around. Not to inviting but curious.

Taste: Nice sharp hop notes. Bitterness comes starts and ends with this one. Nothing complex. Just a good clean drink.

Mouthfeel: Real clean textures. Nothing lingering or offensive. Kind of a simple profile, but wish there was more.

Overall: Nice beer. Have had way better American IPA's than this one, but it is a good example of the style. Still will have my Session Black as my favorite from Full Sail. But now I will try some others on their portfolio.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 06:14:04 | More by DeSoto

BierReise

Florida

3.4/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark clear gold with a thick head and good retention. Has a strong hop aroma with a nutty malt in the background. Body is a bit thin for the style. Flavor reminds me of SN Celebration Ale yet not as good. Blend of hops and grains with a slight metallic finish. Overall ok but nothing outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2004 20:38:25 | More by BierReise

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

3.4/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I got this brew in a trade with Wasatch, Thanks John!

22oz bottle (*Brewmater's Reserve 2007*) served in a standard pint glass.

L - murky, amber color with a tight tan head that thinned out to a light layer.

S - sweet malt and faded hops.

T - sweet malty flavor with a faint bittering on the finish.

F - medium bodied with low carbonation.

D - I got through the bottle.

Final Note: I'm sure this had more of a hop bang when it was fresh and I'd like to try a fresh bottle of this brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2008 21:52:36 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

3.4/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to wasatch for this brew.

Poured into my pint glass the beer is fairly clear orange amber. About one finger of off white head fades to leave a modest lace ring.

The aroma is rather malt forward with a hint of hops. The spice comes through for sure. Cinnamon and clove seem to be the most dominant. Toasted nuts and bread are also present.

The flavor is full on bready malt. Touches of spice and hops as well. Not much else to speak of here.

Medium body with moderate carbonation.

Overall a nice holiday IPA. Just enough spice to set it apart from a regular one.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2010 01:07:34 | More by beerwolf77

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.43/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a hazy amber body with a thin, wispy, white head.

Smell: Aroma of pale and caramel malts along with some citrusy hops and grandma's bowl of wrapped spiced candy.

Taste: More pale malts, as the caramel seems to have gone absent and with only a subdued sweetness. Spicy throughout. Resinous, citrus hop flavor with a moderate bitterness. Hoppy, lingering finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: Looked nice and smelled good, but it kinda lost me on the flavor.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2008 06:41:16 | More by ChainGangGuy

sprucetip

Alaska

3.43/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

From notes. Pours shiny copper, clear, very active with modest dirty white head that lingers for a spell and dissipates gradually. Spotty lacing. Very attractive.

Semi-sharp piny hops, boozy esters, slightly fruity boozy esters, a little grainy, vaguely malty.

Piny bitter character, medium strength, is the platform for this one. Reasonably well balanced by the malt bill, and has some floral and piny flavors before the dry and bitter finish. Something about this one misses the mark on my palette.

Medium body and visociity noticeable briefly, then overwhelmed by the bitter/dryness which pretty much defines the feel.

Just a bit too dry for me. It was going down pretty easily at first, but was harder to drink later. It's at least decent, maybe better, but didn't really work that well for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2010 01:38:09 | More by sprucetip

dbmernin83

California

3.43/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a burnt golden with lacing here and there.
Mild hops on th nose
I just now read that this is an IPA/winter warmer blend. That makes sense. Hops dance well with malts, a light holiday slice hidden in the hop bitterness. Almost tastes like a really light DIPA. Sweet and hoppy on the finish.
Medium bodied, good carbonation.
A good beer for what it is. A "balanced", east coast style IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2011 04:01:53 | More by dbmernin83

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.43/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light brown dark copper type of color, good head, nice carbonation, a little clump left here and there on the glass. Aroma was slightly disappointing, only for the lack of hop aroma if you think of it as an ipa, decent for a winter warmer ya dig?

Taste, it was bitter and hoppy, but the hops didn't have what would seem like an obvious good choice of pine flavor for something named Wreck the halls, winter warmer, ipa etc. . . but it was a substantial beer in the malt department too, not huge, but definitely not thin, plenty of caramel to it. At the price tag of $4 a bomber, it is a beer worthy of a recommendation.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 04:42:41 | More by Beerandraiderfan

cosmicevan

New York

3.43/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

thanks to Rathakem.

a - brew poured a transparent, yet maroon amber. there was a half a finger of foamy head that left some decent chunky and streaky lacing.

s - as advertised, hopped out winter warmer. nice hop and caramel balance, but heavier on the caramel.

t - pretty interesting. more winter warmer than hopped out bomb, but there is some hopping on the finish and the edges of the caramel malting. pretty good, but nothing earth shattering. like bittered malts.

m - medium bodied with a bitter finish.

o - overall fairly good, but lacking that umph to make it special. half way between here and there on the flavors...needs to pick a direction and go full force.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 06:26:20 | More by cosmicevan

froghop

Washington

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

pour is a clear copper with a small off-white head, very nice lacing.

smell is of subdued grapefruit, some perfume, a touch of caramel, a little spice, citrus, a little pine, and sour malts in the back.

taste is somewhat creamy, spice, malt, a touch of caramel, a tad bit of citrus, somewhat sweet in back, and hops, aftertaste is nicely bitter, mouth-feel is dry.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2009 20:07:05 | More by froghop

bruachan

Rhode Island

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

head is excellent; liquid is hazy reddish copper (meh)

centennial hop nose with a sneaky biscuit aroma. i certainly smell what NW hop denigrators refer to as "cat piss". i must say they're onto something

coarse, though not intrusive, centennial bitterness. dry finish allows hops to do their spicy, piney thing. some darker caramel malts produce mild biscuit and butterscotch notes. the hop flavoring dominates the brew, and not because it's so highly hopped, but because the beer behind it seems flimsy (or if not flimsy, somewhat uninteresting)

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2010 01:49:53 | More by bruachan

Suds

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Happy holidays. This beer is a crystal clear amber color with a small, tufty white head. The aroma has an intense hop nose, fresh, herbal, and a little citric. Not much malt in the smell. Balanced taste; I might even call it semi-dry. Some pale malt in the flavor, along with a touch of fruit (pears?). Not quite intense, and the hops that were in the aroma get a little lost. Bitter finish.. The beer is medium body. Not what I really look for in a winter beer, but it's a decent and fairly drinkable IPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2010 03:42:21 | More by Suds

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

$4.99 bomber from Supersaver.

Hazy dark amber body, topped by an off-white level finger of foam.

Strong aroma of pine and herbs, some juicy fruit notes in the rear.

Sticky sweet malt coats the tongue. A bitter blast then covers the entire mouth. Lot of balance to this IPA. Earthy finish.

Smooth medium mouthfeel, with just a touch of bubbly.

Okay drinkability, goes down fairly easy, but not a beer you can't stop yourself from drinking too quickly.

Could have used some juicy fruit with the bitterness. Not a great IPA but worth a spot in the winter rotation.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2011 06:18:15 | More by RonfromJersey

Beer4Baltimore

Maryland

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

22 ounce bottle with an enjoy by date of:1-22-12
A - a clear light coppery bright ale with a finger of fastly receding head. Leaves some lacing.
S - one dimensional hops and a bit of malts if you dig deep.
T - like the smell it's fairly straightfoward. Nice hops with a light malt background and maybe a trace of something herbal.
M - moderate carbonation in a medium bodied beer that leaves a pronounced astringent aftertaste.
D - drinks moderately easy.
Not the winter warmer I was hoping for, but not bad either. Overall it's just a bit beyond a plain American IPA.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 23:53:29 | More by Beer4Baltimore

imasloth

Texas

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served from a 22 oz. grower into a snifet.

A- Pours a rich orange brown color with a noticeable head that dissipates quickly.

S- I get entirely hops ... citrusy, which I like.As it warms there may be a sight hint of malts.

T- Very strong hop flavor with little malt to finish.

M- Light body with light mouthfeel. Very little hop aftertaste and no real after-feel.

O- Much more IPA than winter warmer. I really don't know about this one ... Just seems like an IPA, which I like, but given the holiday name I expected something different and more complex.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 23:52:45 | More by imasloth

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle poured into a Pint glass.

A - Dark brown with no head at all. A few tan bubbles form around the edges.

S - Roasted malts, spices, cinamin, nutmeg.

T - Similar to the scent, pretty mild.

D - Average body, low carbonation.

O - Forgetable. Pretty boring to be honest.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 04:10:01 | More by HuskyinPDX

BlurryVisi0n

New York

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served today 05/18/2012 with a best by date of 02/13/2012 (So keep this in mind when reading my review).

Poured into a pint glass.

Appearance: Slightly hazy amber, 1/4" off white head settled in seconds after the first sip.

Smell: Very very light floral, not really impressed at all.

Taste: Very tasty actually, slightly bitter but overwhelmingly smooth. Very light caramely body with the usual piney after taste.

Mouth: Medium carbonation good after taste but nothing new here.

Overall: Not a bad beer, I knew nothing about it till i tried it and it was good but to make a seasonal out of it is a little out there. It is a borderline imperial with it's complex flavors, I would definitely get next season's fresher this time. Salud!

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 16:59:19 | More by BlurryVisi0n

HalfFull

California

3.48/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap in a pint glass, this brew pours a clear orange amber in color and yields a thin head. Retention is short and lacing reduces through the glass, becoming flatish towards the end.

Smell is a blend of light resiny pine hops along with some sweet malts. Nothing really jumps out to grab or deter from the nose.

Taste follows the nose accurately. A decent balance yet nothing particularly robust and finishes with a tinge of bitterness. Feel and carbonation are good on the tongue even when the head dissipates fully. Drinkability is good, not too sweet or bitter. This beer has a dryness I might expect from an IPA but otherwise is reminiscent of an APA to me. Yet surely preferred over their standard IPA offering.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2008 00:16:23 | More by HalfFull

francisweizen

Australia

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

A cloudy dark reddish/amber colour with a nice big head of white foam. The aromas are very subtle, but hint at caramel malts, and fresh/piney hops. The tastes is quite hoppy up front, but the piney/earthy hops are soon eclipsed by a big load of caramel malts. The mouthfeel is good, but a bit rough around the edges, and the drinkability is good for an IPA. A good stab at the style, but i've had many better IPAS, and better beers from this brewery as well...

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2004 15:49:55 | More by francisweizen

TheLiterati

California

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

Poured from a 22 oz brown bomber. Amber colored with a big, sturdy off-white head. Smells of citrus and fresh bread along with mild spice, white pepper and pine. Nice.

Mouthfeel was spot on – nice carbonation, full without being heavy.

Bold hoppy flavor well balanced with light spice and other flavors. Holds my attention from start to finish, even as it warmed. Also did not “sour” as it warmed, as some hoppy brews will do. Finished dry. Nice seasonal offering from Full Sail. Definitely drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2006 23:31:18 | More by TheLiterati

Patrick

Massachusetts

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

A: A murky brown golden color with a thick off white head. Lots and lots of lacing.

S: The hops are pretty faded at this point. Looks like its barleywine time. Lots of molasses and caramel on the nose.

T: Decent bitterness up front, but quickly overrun by the caramel sweetness. Maybe some vanilla in here too. Good taste, just not all that much like an IPA anymore.

M: Smooth, tiny bit bitter, crisp.

D: This beer is OK, would liked to have had it fresh, but still not horrible.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2008 00:08:54 | More by Patrick

beertunes

Washington

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in straight pint glass. Poured a very nice orangeish-gold color with about a half-inch of off-white head that decent retention and lacing.

The aroma is mostly citrus and pine hops, with a trace of grainy malt in the background. On the tongue, the scant malt foundation does a nice job of supporting the hops, again mostly citrus and pine.

The body was decent, not quite full, but more substantial than a lot of others (including this breweries own regular IPA). Drinkability was very good, having multiples of this nice beer is easy.

Overall, a very nice beer. This one of the few yearly releases from Full Sail that I look forward to and it has yet to disappoint. Worth seeking out.

Serving type: on-tap

12-03-2010 21:52:04 | More by beertunes