Tröegs Mad Elf - Tröegs Brewing Company

alexhammond

Maine

3.53/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

pours a nice looking redish-orange color with a very thin head. smells of cherry and honey, but this is clearly noted on the label so maybe it's just because I'm looking for these scents. a bit of orange and cinnamon are also noticeable.
the taste is a little too sweet, but I really enjoy the mixture of flavors, and the extra sweetness (especially with the cherry) was kind of a nice surprise as I was expecting a much spicier/darker brew.
very light carbonation, served it at almost room temperature, and I think this is probably the best way to drink it in order to really bring out the full range of flavors. the high ABV and sweetness make this beer something I would probably only have one of at a time, or even split a bottle with someone. a sipping beverage for sure. all in all, definitely a great beer for the holiday season, as it warms the insides, and caters to being shared with good friends or family.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2009 23:13:52 | More by alexhammond

kenpo23

Massachusetts

3.08/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

oh christmas beer oh christmas beer....

A: pretty flat, with no head. pretty red color that some irish red ales dont even have.

S: nice fruity smell. i can smell the cherry (and it doesnt smell like cough medicine to me) and honey.

T: wow, smooth. i can't taste the honey at all but my other half, the super taster, is amazed that i can't taste it. the alcohol taste didn't really hit me.

D: sip away. i cant imagine trying to pound one of these.

nothing extra special about this beer. its very much got a holiday flavor to it though. i bought one for christmas and i will do the same next year, but no more than one for me.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2010 21:44:10 | More by kenpo23

Mertzy81

Maryland

4.09/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A: Pours a murky brownish-red with a decent head of off-white, coarse bubbles. No retention or lacing.

S: Aggressive nose of syrupy cherries. Hints of vinous grape, a bit of lactic acid, and sugary fruit juice.

T: Juicy cherries hit the palate, along with a smooth blend of spices, sweet and grainy malt, and Belgian yeast. Hints at cloying cough syrup but is pulled back by the malt and yeast. Bit of a smooth, medicinal honey sweetness. Fruity Belgian esters mix well with the cherries and honey. A bit of alcohol in the finish, but it's barely perceivable.

M: Relatively full body and fine carbonation.

O: This definitely grew on me as the glass drained. Can get a little cloying, but ultimately it's pretty balanced, and the hiddenness of the alcohol is remarkable for 11%.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2013 08:50:12 | More by Mertzy81

boblinneman

Pennsylvania

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

Maybe a little young, but this barley wine is good. Dark ruby color looks great when held to light. Smells of sweet cherry and alcohol. The sweet honey/cherry flavor is balanced well with hops. Very clean finish with a lingering alcohol warmth. Wish the beer was bottled so I could age some.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2002 19:38:14 | More by boblinneman

ryandurka

New York

3.63/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

this strong beer is from pa and that makes me proud. it taste like a beer from easton, but unlike the beer i wont mention , this one doesnt give me a head ache. mad elf is seasonal so get it if you can find it. its worth seeking out and the price is low considering it is on par with beers imported from euroland.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2008 23:44:47 | More by ryandurka

Cavalier92

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This is a solid holiday offering from Troeg's, but by no means a super star. They sell it as containing honey and cherries and being ruby red in color, but mine was coppery brown and tasted more like a strong golden ale.

It's got a spicy nose from the Belgian yeast and it finishes smoothly for an beverage with 11% ABV. The sweetness and alcohol hide any hops or yeast notes.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2008 23:49:51 | More by Cavalier92

jc85

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked this up at a local Wegman's. I didnt realize how expensive this 6pack was until I got to the register.

Appearance- Poured a nice redish brown, with a finger off white head that dissapated quickly.

Smell- Defnitly my favorite thing about this beer. You can cherries and honey bombard your nose as soon as you take a whiff.

Taste- Good taste, definitly more cherries than honey, and the carbonation level is a nice balance, gives it a little sting when you take your first sip.

Mouthfeel- Light bodied, it fits the flavor nicely though.

Drinkability- You could probably throw back a couple of these before you remember that its 11%, by then it will be too late.

Overall good beer, cant wait to see what a year of cellaring will do to this.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2010 09:12:00 | More by jc85

Brouwerij78

New York

4.93/5  rDev +27.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is a delicious seasonal ale! A dark, cherry colored and fragrant ale worthy of the higher price tag. I bought this in a 6-pack (which is much more economical than the large bottle sold) and really enjoyed it's fruity, rich and slightly sweet flavor. This beer is a thicker style and is best enjoyed chilled in a thin baloon style wine glass to be sipped, savored and enjoyed! A treat indeed!

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2011 14:51:36 | More by Brouwerij78

Scourge07

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured into pint glass from bottle. Had about a finger of head that dissipated down a bit, but maintained retention. It's not as red colored as it appears in some of the pictures online. It's more of a rich, clear copper color.

S: Spicy yeast - very Belgian. Very sweet smell with a touch of honey. Cherries not as apparent, in my opinion.

T: Honey, sweet malts/yeast. Slight hint of cherries in the aftertaste. Very sweet with practically no bitterness.

M: Easy drinkin' for 11% Only a slight alcohol burn in the aftertaste. Full/syrupy mouthfeel

O: This is definitely a great Belgian-style ale, and perfect for the holiday's. However, I was expecting the honey and cherry flavors to stand out more, since they were advertised on the bottle. Unfortunately, they were quite subtle. Not something I would buy again, but definitely worth trying!

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2011 04:56:34 | More by Scourge07

eslemarc

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bomber in a Mad Elf tulip glass.

The beer pours with an off-white cream colored head, maybe a finger tall at most, deep amber color and fully transparent with visible carbonation. Little lacing from each sip.

There is a strong scent of cherries and a little honey sweetness. Some alcohol is present, similar to the alcohol presence in a red wine. Slight hints of a malt breadiness with a clear hop balance to keep from being too sweet.

Relatively lighter mouthfeel than I would have imagined, a fair carbonation leads to a clear taste of cherries and maybe some banana. Tastes clearly boozy, but deceptive to the 11%abv.

The beer seems more like a digestif, very comforting and warming post dinner to substitute a port wine. The sweetness would work well with dessert. A fine beer as a great winter warmer.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 17:52:20 | More by eslemarc

jtrockchalk

Missouri

3.48/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Clockwork Orange for this one....An extra in a package I recieved today.

A - Beautiful shade of amber with ruby like tones. Poured nice finger to finger and a half head that quickly receded to wisps.

S - Not as much going on here as I'd expect. I smell honey and yeast can't pick up the cherries that the color makes me expect.

T - Nice Belgian style dark ale. I pick up just a wee bit of the cherries here, along with toffee/caramel malt and just a hint of that circus peanut finish that is usually more prevalent in Hefes and Belgian Pales.

M - Kinda thin, not much lingering on the palate here. Carbonation is nice and cuts the alcohol well.

D - Still kinda finding my way in this category. Overall this beer is very solid and while I would have it again, I won't seek it out or likely drink more than one in a sitting and that's not because of the alcohol content which is well masked, but the fact that there are many more interesting brews out there to try.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2007 00:18:55 | More by jtrockchalk

willPS21

West Virginia

3.85/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Very, very surprising beer!! One I had passed by plenty of times due to the gimmicky-looking packaging/name. But that changed when the guy in the store had me at "11%, cherry flavored." Wow. I've never had a single beer that disguised it's 11% punch this well, and I doubt I ever will again, it's amazing. I almost want to call "bs" and do some kind of test on it, it's very hard to believe. The beer is so light overall. It's not chewey or very viscous and actually finishes pretty clean. I get more tart than sweet from the cherry, which I like. The color in my snifter does have a nice reddish hue. The head was dense, foamy and 1/3", and dissipated fairly quickly. Other than that, it's just good, something you could picture chicks liking. It's not an all day beer but I could do it several day out of the week. I have a newfound respect for Troegs for pulling off the Mad Elf.

Ahhh now I feel the two beers that were in the half-22 I just had...

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2010 05:11:27 | More by willPS21

stephendedalus

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Ahhh...Autumn and winter brews--some of my favorites, and Mad Elf is no exception. While this is not the best example of a Belgian Strong or a holiday ale, it is remarkably smooth, packs a festive punch (11% ABV), and is available for a limited time only. So...

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle decorated with our friend the mad elf. Color is a nice amber-red with gentle carbonation evident. A decent head at first--nice and white, but faded quickly. That said, the Mad Elf does lace better than some other high ABV ales.

Spicy aroma. Alcohol is definitely present, as is a malty sweetness--and yes, you can detect some fruitiness, although it is sortof difficult to pin the aroma as "cherry" regardless of what the bottle says. The cherries do come through a little more in the taste, however, as does a well-balanced malt bill (mostly light, but just enough roasted or chocolate...to be interesting enough. Some spiciness-pepper due to the alcohol. All in all, however, very drinkable.

A bit thin in mouthfeel, but this is easily overlooked. Due to the decently masked ABV, accessable flavor profile, and of course, the picture of the mad elf himself, this is a nice beer to be enjoyed with friends around the holidays--or as an introductory beer for someone who may not ordinarily give beer a fair shake. Happy glugging!

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2005 21:02:12 | More by stephendedalus

MadElf25

New York

4.28/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A. Served in a cognyac glass with a ruby red coloring made me think of Christmas Morning.

S. A Sweet aroma, i really smell the Cherry Flavor.

T. Sweet yet tangy with heavy tates of cherry, i gave it a 4 due to a little bit of an after taste.

M. Very smooth going down, light and airy.

D. It is Definatly a beer i could enjoy again and again

Serving type: on-tap

12-28-2009 16:58:19 | More by MadElf25

rlparker3

Virginia

3.85/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

9-Jan-2009 Home

Pours a reddish brown with a slight beige head which quickly fades to nothing. Aroma of Cherries and possible milk chocolate. The taste is a slightly sour cherry which quickly becomes strong cherries then a pleasant malt and spice finish. The beer leaves a thin syrupy (but pleasant) residue. This is a fine beer but I never crave more than one.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2009 03:21:26 | More by rlparker3

codyw

Virginia

3.38/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Almost no head. Nice Deep amber appearance with a ruby hue.

S: Strong cherry smell. Also some brown sugar. Can definitely smell the alcohol.

T: Definite presence of cherries. I feel like the alcohol could be hidden a little more. At times it felt just like a slightly carbonated cherry wine. I think a little more hop and malt character would have helped balance out the overwhelming presence of cherries. Definitely a sweet beer. Not as complex as some belgian imports.

M: Smooth at first, but then the high ABV really hits you. I wish it was covered a bit more. I think it could used a little more carbonation. Perhaps my bottle was bottled poorly, because I recall a previous one having more carbonation.

D: You could definitely get drunk from a few of these. Not a bad beer, but I think there are better drinks out there.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2008 04:07:36 | More by codyw

deanwilson

New Jersey

4.88/5  rDev +25.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A. Rich reddish copper

S. Alive with fruit, especially cherries and bananas.

T. Flavorfull from start to finish. Honey and cherry upfront, with a touch of sweetness, then a hoppy, citus, dry banana finish.

M. Suprisingly un-syrupy given the high alcohol content.

D. Very easy to sip on. Seems to taste well with just about any food.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2008 22:48:39 | More by deanwilson

whiterascal

Arizona

3.95/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: muted reddish brown, no head
S: a little cherry scent, and some raisins, honey.
T: wow. Unexpected. Just a little hint of cherries. Sweetness. I can definitely taste the honey. A bready finish.
M: slippery
D: great beer, but I'd stick with one for tonight.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2009 03:15:05 | More by whiterascal

ProLiquorMan

Ohio

3.18/5  rDev -18%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Appearance: What a beautiful color! I'm going to call this color red amber. Very little head. But this could be because I don't know how to properly pour beer.

Smell: The only thing I'm getting is some citrus smell. Think about a grapefruit without the sourness and bitterness.

Taste: The taste is very similar to the smell. Again, all I got was some citrus/grapefruit taste. Was expecting more flavors.

Mouthfeel: It was a very "clean" beer.

I was disappointed with this one. There is nothing wrong with it, but it certainly wasn't worth the $16 for 6 bottles. The bottle claims to have some cherry and honey notes. I didn't get any of those. It really lacks flavor.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2009 18:43:05 | More by ProLiquorMan

Fermenticusrex

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into mad elf tulip.
Pours reddish amber very clear with a nice fluffy white head.
Lots of cherries, some vanilla, honey, and a little booze.
Follows the nose, cherry, vanilla, and a little alchohol. Not much honey though.
Thin watery mouthfeel, not much of a problem except maybe it makes it too easy to drink.
Overall a nice beer, not exceptional but solid. Hides the 11% very well.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 06:46:41 | More by Fermenticusrex

grego

Maryland

3.05/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer was from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass. Poured very red with not much head that didn't last long. the smell is malty with some spicyness to it - hard to describe for me. The taste is the same sweet, cherries, cinnamon. Mouthfeel is very dry. I like Troeg's beers a lot but this one is not a style I prefer. If you like a stronger holiday style beer then I imagine this would be great, just not my thing.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2006 23:53:08 | More by grego

deathdealer666

New York

2.75/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a tulip.

A deep amber color with no head.

Smells like a penny and sweat. Kind of mineraly.
Not pleasant.

The only geat thing about this beer is you cant taste the cherries. There's a wierd kind of nothingness it.

It really coats your mouth I don't know what it is but it stays with you.

And then there's the booze. You never would of guessed it at first impression, but alas, yes it is 11%. Now I'm gonna go take my kid trick or treating. Half drunk. Thanks for nothing Troegs.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2009 15:48:18 | More by deathdealer666

ElliotNess

Australia

4.47/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had a bottle last night for the first time, my initial glance at the bottle as i poured it into a glass was the ABV of 11%. I was surprised to see that a christmas ale would be this high. But the taste and drinkability, did not hint at the level of high alcohol. The taste gave a cherry flavor upfront and finished smooth like a good ale does. A very unique flavor unlike other cherry beers I've tasted, and would conclude that i hope to find some around town before the season ends.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2011 22:27:00 | More by ElliotNess

jamesdr1968

Pennsylvania

1.6/5  rDev -58.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

This beer poured a beautiful dark ruby red color with a nice, creamy head. The taste was a smorgasbord of cherries, vanilla and honey --- an extremely sweet beer, but unfortunately it reminded me too much of cough syrup. I would like to try this on tap to see if there is much of a difference. Great appearance, but the taste was too overwhelming.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2005 00:34:19 | More by jamesdr1968

mj71

Maryland

3.83/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Pours a red-twinged dark gold. Almost no head, which completely disappears quickly. Zero lacing.

S- Almost cough-syrupy. Alcohol fights with cherries for dominance

T- Cherries start and finish the sip with honey poking through as the carbonation flares. Very alcoholic, slightly spicy back-end.

M- As the beer warms the maltiness comes to the forefront. Not many hops detected

D- High ABV limits the sheer volume you'd want to down, but as a sipping beer, the complexity and originality make it a winner.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2007 00:17:25 | More by mj71