Kacey's Kristmas Ale - Rohrbach Brewing Company (Brewpub)

number1bum

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a reddish brown color with a finger or so of ivory head. Doesn't keep much more than a thin lace, and not much stick.

Smell has a big cherry aroma which is quite pleasant, although I can't tell if it's an extract or real cherries or not. Growler does say "natural" flavor added, but doesn't say if real cherries were used. Still, it's a nice aroma, with some subtle spice and sweet caramel and bready notes as well. I don't really get the chocolate malt it said it was brewed with, but it's nice.

Taste has some cherry flavor but not as much as the aroma had. It's more subtle, and overall the flavor is a bit bland. Has a bready/caramel sweetness and a bit of a toasted quality, but again I don't get the chocolate malt. Some spice and vanilla and a sort of earthy flavor in the finish with a subtle bitterness.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied but feels somewhat thin. Good carbonation and pretty smooth.

Not bad, and the cherry is really nice in the nose especially, but the taste is a bit on the bland side. A pretty good beer though and a good local choice.

Serving type: growler

11-26-2010 01:35:47 | More by number1bum

davidmoffitt

New York

3.83/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Deep redish brown color, not much head (but nice lacing), perhaps it's not the FRESHEST growler :(

S- Chocolate, malt, dark fruit, spices (it "smells" like christmas).

T- Malty chocolate just like the nose (but subdued) much more dark fruit in the mouth than you smell - it clearly becomes "cherry" here, not just "fruit." Nice hop/bitterness really balances the end, the cherry lingers at the end - not as sour as a kriek but not cloying or overly sweet.

M- It had plenty of body for this style, left a slightly dry (pleasant) feeling at the end

D- This isn't a type of beer I'd normally seek out but I could drink it all day - it's no 10/10 but it's extremely satisfying

Purchased in a growler at Wegmans

Serving type: growler

12-17-2009 22:52:38 | More by davidmoffitt

Durge

Connecticut

4.28/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Caught the remaining drops of this holiday brew in late January at the brewpub on the outskirts of Rochester. It poured a dark carmel color with a thin tan head and decent lacing. The aroma was a pleasant sweet chocolate coffee malt, even a touch of rye, very nice. The flavor brings more coffee and a spritely rye malt, even a touch of smoke. Very nice. Kind of thin and very drinkable with a touch of cherry. This is really likeable and not your standard over seasoned holiday brew. It's smooth and enjoyable, not too fancy.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2009 05:45:21 | More by Durge

DmanGTR

New York

4.15/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured a dark amber brown, clear with 1.5 inch off-white head in a pint glass. Slight lacing, decent head retention.

S - caramel malts, vanilla, cream, toffee and cocoa. Lightly spiced and well balanced in the nose.
T - rich maltiness, caramel and holiday spices. Light cinnamon and nutmeg notes, a touch of hops in finish.
Mouth- light/medium bodied and moderate carbonation. Very smooth
D- Excellent drinkability, I can definitely do a few in a session.

Overall - not bad at all. I probably would get this again. Could use a tad more in the flavor department and strength of the beer, but overall a very good beer. Unfortunately, it does not pair very well with German food like sauerkraut and schnitzel...

Serving type: on-tap

12-24-2008 06:29:14 | More by DmanGTR

yesyouam

New York

3.48/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Kacey's Kristmas Ale dense, brownish amber ale without much carbonation. The off-white head is thin and dense. It leaves thin sheets of lacing on the glass. It has a spicy aroma, like coriander and nutmeg. The smell of malt is strong and sweet. It is medium-light bodied, smooth and pretty dry. The finish is a little gritty. It's a pretty mellow flavor-- a touch sweet and a touch bitter. There are notes of greenery, spices and fruitcake. The aftertaste is bitter. I had a couple pints of this, while making home brew outside in sub-freezing weather, and it kept me warm.

Serving type: growler

12-21-2008 15:56:33 | More by yesyouam

BuffaloBill91

New York

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

I was lucky enough to get this for my growler at consumers bev center last month- just getting around to uploading the review now...

A- Bronze color - large 3 finger cream colored head disappeared quickly..with light lacing on the glass...

S- Chocolate with dark fruits- cant make out the cherry in the smell, just that its darker fruits.

T- Deep flavor, nutty with chocolate and the cherry is not sweet (which I thought it would be) its a slightly sour cherry flavor that fits well-very good-- kind of taste like a nut brown beer

M- not real thick but thicker than most ales of this type. It doesn't have a lot of carbonation but it fits very well

D- I could've given it higher but after a couple pints I had enough- im sure it could easily be a session beer for some.

Serving type: growler

01-27-2008 21:47:43 | More by BuffaloBill91

armock

New York

3.63/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured a dark brown with an off white head that leaves lacing

S - Malty with a chocolate scent

T - Much like the smell sweet malt with chocolate

M - There is a good amount of carbonation in this brew

D - I enjoyed this one quite a bit good taste makes it a good winter warmer worth trying

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2007 20:30:06 | More by armock

oberon

North Carolina

3.43/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Buffalo Brewpub,poured a deep hazed brown with a thinner but well maintained almond colored head atop.Aroma is dominated by sweet cherry really thats all you really get its not bad but just one sided,flavors are like cherry cola with a bit of bitter chocolate infused its really cut and dry no frills it is what it is.Its really not bad its something my wife would really enjoy me pretty much one and done but its alright.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2007 18:11:31 | More by oberon

Onceeven

New York

2.8/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Had this on tap at Flaherty's. Didn't know what this one would be like when I ordered it. Seems like every winter warmer I get tastes like a completely different style. Granted I don't have much experience with this style, but there seems to be few like qualities in each beer I've had.

Arrived at the table without much trace of a head. I dunno, maybe the bartender was used to pouring Labatt. Maybe it just doesn't have much carbonation. The color was a rich amber, which was attractive nonetheless.
Smell was dominated by cherry syrup sweetness. Honestly that's all I remember.
The taste was more of the same, sweet cherry flavor, being slightly tart and almost too sweet at the same time. Not being a huge fan of cherries, I must admit I grimaced slightly, when I first tasted this one. Sweetness lingers on the tastebuds well after the beer is gone.

Only my fourth winter warmer, but I'm not very impressed with this one. At the bottom of the list.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2004 00:29:42 | More by Onceeven

Stimack

New York

3.58/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Was up in the Rochester area yesterday and was able to give this brew a try. The brew has a deep cloudy brown color with a off white head that has good retention and leaves thick chunky lacing at the top of the brew and a fair amount the rest of the way. The aroma is nice, had a chocolate aroma with hints of fruit. The web site says cherries and I can definitely pack that up but almost a raisin flavor as well? Not a bad tasting brew, but not a favorite with the slight cherry taste. Also the mouthfeel of this brew seems a little lax as it felt watery. Over all I would say it is a good offering from Rohrbach and next time I am up in Rochester I will have to track a few of the other offerings down.

Serving type: on-tap

12-05-2004 13:34:04 | More by Stimack

John

New York

4/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

An extremely easy drinking winter seasonal. Rich, chocolately, an ever so subtle hint of cherries and just the right hop bitterness to round out the brew. Merry Christmas indeed!

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2001 11:05:14 | More by John