Tröegs Mad Elf - Tröegs Brewing Company

Outchillen

Pennsylvania

4.7/5  rDev +21.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Ive had this on tap, and bottles

A: Nice ruby color. Clear with thin white head

S: Banana and clove belgian yeast, Honey and cherries

T: Sweet honey and cherries, a little clovey yeast, little boozey finish

M: Light to medium body. Medium carbonation.

O: Great winter warmer Belgian beer, sweet and silky smooth, one of my favorites of the year

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2011 02:22:29 | More by Outchillen

Roose13

New Jersey

4.7/5  rDev +21.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

22oz bomber poured into a glass

A: A dark ruby red with a two-finger off-white foamy head.

S: Smells like cherries, yeasty

T: Cherries, some honey flavoring. Very malty as well.

M: Crisp, carbonated and hides the 11%

Overall: This was a first try and this beer was amazing. Wow!

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 03:48:22 | More by Roose13

ZAP

Minnesota

4.68/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Fantastic brew....pours a cherrywood color...nose is spicy..body is medium...carbonation seems low....very few hints of the high ABV...extremely drinkable....some spicy alcohol notes on the flavor... Taste is very interesting...kind of an experimental Belgian Dubbel with soft sweet cherry notes...the cherry is not overdone which would have wrecked the beer....instead it adds a subtle elegance to the final product...also hints of oak, and brown sugar in the flavor...

This is outstanding....this is what all breweries should put out for their winter beers....On my dream tap list this would occupy one of the season lines during the winter months....a must try...lived up to its considerable hype ..

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2004 23:29:25 | More by ZAP

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.65/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Clear deep scarlet red hue. A medium sized beige head literally fizzes away in seconds. Not even a thin coating is left. Only a creamy edging that leaves sparse lace. The aroma is really quite remarkable. Beautiful belgian yeastiness, breadiness and mustiness. Sweet brown sugar. And delicate cherry notes. I love it. Oh man, this is one dangerous brew. The taste is fine. The mouthfeel is luscious. And the alcohol is nowhere to be found. This all adds up to an exceptional drinkability. The flavors are subtle, but quite discernable. Chocolate covered cherries. Bready yeastiness. Dark belgian malts. Raisin and rum. A little sweet honey. But I can hardly find a hint of alcohol here. And it's 11%?!? Damn. Maybe just a bit of a lingering bitterness on the aftertaste derived from EtOH. The beer feels like silk in the mouth and the body is medium at best. I understand the "Mad Elf" hysteria now. This is damn good.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2003 05:04:01 | More by Bighuge

beergeek279

Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in the 12 oz. bottle. The color is a very reddish-amber, with a wispy white head. The smell is of cherries and honey. The taste is dominated by the tart cherry, though a nice honey comes through, and somehow the beer is balanced and not cloying; alcohol is not at all apparent in the beer. Mouthfeel is very thick. As for drinkability, I'd definitely have these as long as I could.

Probably my favorite Christmas beer from last year. A rich mix of honey and cherries that's perfect for a cold December night. Simply delicious, and this is certainly a beer I'll be getting plenty of next Christmastime!!

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2004 02:08:42 | More by beergeek279

drumstik

Maryland

4.65/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

First Elf of the Season. I love the ruby red label with the off white and green colors. Of course there is the trademark yellow Troegs cap on top that makes this bottle stand out from the rest.

Pours the a lovely red/amber. This years might even have a little bit more of a dark red hue to it.

Smells of deep rich cherries and plum with lots of malty goodness and a hint of sweetness.

Taste hits with a great malty sweetness with a hint of cherries. Just a touch of spicyness and a tiny hint of hops. As you sip it coats your mouth and throat (perhaps from the honey?) as it slides down with just the right amount of carbonation. Finishes sweet and spicy and a subtle hint of alcohol.

A fantastic beer that lives up to all the hoopla that surrounds it. A great late night sipper to send you off to dreamland. Grab it while you can or you will be regretting it later!

Last year I discovered Mad Elf and I couldn't get enough of it. This year it is wonderful yet again and has inspired me to write my first review here on BA. Hopefully many more to come!

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2005 05:31:59 | More by drumstik

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.65/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Acquired via trade from Silent Sabre, so a big “Thank you” goes out to him.
Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a bright copper color, with a thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of dark fruit (cherries & raisins) and caramelized malt, with a faint touch of Belgian yeast.

T: Flavors of dark fruit & Belgian yeast hit you up front and are pretty much the dominant flavors throughout. There’s a subdued malt character and the 11.00% ABV is no where to be found. After-taste is fruity.

M: Extremely smooth, light carbonation, light-to-medium body, clean finish.

D: Very tasty, not filling at all, goes down very easily. I’m not sure how the high ABV gets hidden so well in a beer that’s as light as this one, but it makes this beer dangerously drinkable. This is an excellent beer. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2006 03:15:01 | More by TheManiacalOne

chiefgtx

Massachusetts

4.65/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I love this one. everything you should expect in a seasonal winter beer. All the fruity spicy hearty flavor. A glass of this is a meal. I am thinking about buying the last 6 pack up the street just to have it for myself! I can't really think of any reason it's not a 5 all around actually. Of the 162 I have tasted in the last 6 weeks...it is in my top ten! If you see it ...give it a chance! Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2010 06:59:20 | More by chiefgtx

Louski

Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-Tap Poured into Standard Pint at Brady's in Feasterville, PA.

Appears a nice red-auburn color with immediate smells of cinnamon, cherry, allspice and clove. The taste actually reminds you of the holidays. A warm sensation is felt with the fruitiness and array of spices that mask the high alcohol content really well. I look forward to this beer's release every year and make certain to store at least a 6-pack of bottles for Christmas in July. A must-drink during the holidays both for its great taste and its ability to make shopping interesting after just one or two.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2012 01:28:46 | More by Louski

JoshW

Pennsylvania

4.63/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a deep ruby/amber color, with the text book perfect finger head.

Smell was sweet, cherries were overpowered by 11% alcohol.

For as strong of a beer as this one is, mouthfeel is thin, honey flavor coats the tongue, cherries and alcohol follow up, someone mentioned "dusty" I think that fits pretty well also.

Drinkability was way too easy for me, started off with one bottle, ended up finishing all 6....

...

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2008 15:08:07 | More by JoshW

goblue3509

Pennsylvania

4.63/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours an reddish ruby color with a one finger head. The beer gives way to little or no lacing. The smell is of roasted malts, with some fruit tones to it. The taste is fantastic, it taste of malt with cherry overtones and a honey note to smooth out the flavor. This beer is full bodied and moderately carbonated. The overall drinkability on this beer is very high, even with the high alcohol content the taste isn't overly alcohol and it is very very smooth, overall an a+ all around.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2009 14:57:59 | More by goblue3509

marburg

Michigan

4.6/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Prismatic body, shifting browns and reds. Interestingly small-ish but tight head. Bits and pieces of honey-slathered white toast float around in the aroma. The more I work at it, the more I pick out something cherry-ish, but it's nothing more than a faint hint of a cherry product, not cherries themselves.

Very spritzy up front and fruitier, sweeter at the finish. Manages to avoid tasting sugary despite this odd dynamic. Mild cherry flavor with spacklings of sugar-free strawberry candies -- those hard ones. Naturally, the cherries express themselves a great deal more as it warms. Feels a bit like a warm jello mold -- squishy beer.

The alcohol here is mild but clearly present. Gives it a distinctly classy feeling and that Belgian-esque complexity. Fruit flavors linger for a few moments after its gone. Sampled this evening thanks to Putnam's generosity.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2004 04:31:00 | More by marburg

jhollick

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Poured a murky dull red color with some copper and caramel coloring. No head, but lacing clings to the glass as I swirl.

Smell: Strong cherry aroma; also lots of honey and sweet malt. It is very thick smelling if that makes any sense. Some spice comes through as well. Awesome smelling beer.

Mouthfeel: Thick, heavy, viscous. Very little carbonation.

Taste: Ohhh mama! A year in the cellar has mellowed this to perfection. The bite and slightly green flavor is gone. No hops that I can discern, but at 15 IBU that is no surprise. That isn't what this beer is about anyway. The slick and juicy sweet flavors roll all around the mouth, with the cherries exhibiting both tarnessa nd sweetness. The malts and honey give body and additional sweetness, almost giving it the consistency of a mead. A bit of spicing rounds out the flavor and keeps things from going over the top on the sweetness scale. There is some dryness at the back, presumably because of the intense amount of alcohol.

Drinkability: What can I say? Somehow this 11.25% monster is drinkable...very drinkable. Don't drink too many, as you will be red faced and making a fool of yourself. The sweetness is very high and tart and dry are the only balancing factors, but I still can't get enough.

Overall: Given sufficient time to mature, this is one of the most drinkable, comples, and fun winter beers around. Tip of the cap to the Brothers Trogner.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2006 23:51:21 | More by jhollick

UnionMade

Colorado

4.58/5  rDev +18%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a bright, sunset red. Hazy, but the color is luminous. Very impressive. A thick, creamy froth of ivory head pillows up with a vigorous pour, dropping as quickly as it came. The head settles into a scattered, striated mist, bordered by a thick collar. Upon close inspection, the bubbles in the collar are miniscule, almost microscopic. Sheets of lace cling to the glass, a collar of head begrudgingly holding on throughout.
The aroma is very complex, the honey and cherry immediately apparent. Rich, luscious malt cradles a very sweet maraschino cherry scent. Loads of caramel and toasty sweetness, with shovelfuls of candi sugar. Plenty of fruitiness, of course tons of cherry, with lighter, more subtle notes of raisin, plum, date and red grape. A bit of sneaky alcohol flits through the shadows.
The flavor starts with a very sweet, caramel drizzled toastiness. Sticky gobs of honey enter in immediately, lending a softness to the overall feel. Maraschino cherry creeps in early, ushering in a rich, full fruitiness. A bushel of raisin, date, plum and red apple is dumped on the palate, some sourish red grape and raspberry easing the way into the finish. A pleasant, barely balancing fruity sourness tames the malt somewhat, vague hints of earthy, herbal hops assisting. Great spiciness from the yeast. Soft clove and medicinal astringency, doing it's best to bury the alcohol content in the end. Interestingly, a distinct cherry cough syrup taste creeps in with warmth. A faint sting of booze sits on the tip of the tongue after every sip, beating back the sugary horde. The aftertaste is very sweet, with a pronounced honey-dipped cherry. Very mild, yet active carbonation supports a full, syrupy mouthfeel, vesseled in a very full body.
Really awesome stuff. I'm usually not a fan of stuff being added to beer, especially adding two sweet things to an already sweet style. These folks at Troeg's really pulled it off, though. The malt is easily tempered by the sour spiciness in the finish. I really liked the carbonation, how it gently carried the beer with just enough to get the job done, yet still retain that bouyant belgian feel. Please bottle this again.
Thanks to Sulldaddy for the bottle!!

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2004 03:37:46 | More by UnionMade

denmah

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +18%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

On-tap brought to me in a goblet, cold, having mad elf before poured out of a bottle, i let it warm up a bit and sweat, thats when the smell and flavor really wake up.

Appearance: Deep Ruby Red, with a very small head, that totally disappears.

Smell: an almost overwhelming smell coming out of the glass, honey,spicey, cinnimon, nut, very strong.

Taste: very complex, all of the incredibly strong flavors blend together well.

Mouthfeel: medium feel in mouth, once you have a sip, you experience about 3 different tastes, first you taste the cherry and honey right away, then you get a bit of a malty carmel taste in the mouth, followed by a slightly bitter hoppy aftertaste.

Drinkability: amazing if you let it warm up to almost room temp, and keep sipping lightly, if i try to drink it too fast i start to dislike it. nice sipping with the strong alcohol going with it is excellent, you have to remind yourself its 11% abv

Serving type: on-tap

09-10-2009 16:36:26 | More by denmah

bob3701

New Jersey

4.58/5  rDev +18%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I was not sure what to expect with this beer and considering the steep price for a 6-pack, I hesitated. I am now happy I picked it up, it was fruity and spicy and more perfect for the holiday season than I thought it would be. A very unique beer.
Head disapates quickly and not much lacing but a great aroma that hints of what is to come. You can feel the alcohol in this one but it is very drinkable. This made my mouth very happy and after two the rest of me was pretty happy too.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2009 01:09:17 | More by bob3701

santoslhalper

Pennsylvania

4.55/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep, glowing dark red with a thin head. A tiny bit of carbonation bubbles up. Chocolates and cherries burst through the smell of this beer. A nice warming scent of alchohol as well. This is a suprisingly malty tasting brew. Very sweet and fruity with a small but pleseant amount of hops coming through in the back. A beautiful holiday beer. This is going to be one of my "12 beers of christmas" this year. The best offering from Troeg's I've had. This is one of those beers that you won't forget for a long time. Highly, highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2004 04:55:02 | More by santoslhalper

tenant

Pennsylvania

4.55/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sweet cherry and yeasty banana play well against eachother in the nose. The color is a reddish amber topped off with a ring of white around the edge of the glass. Tight, almost abrasive carbonation gives the tongue a heads up while a rush of tastes enliven the palette. Noble hop aromas, carmelized cherries, subtle malt sweetness, along with a complex, spicy dimension typical of Belgian strong ales combine to express qualities of licorice and bubblegum. The high alcohol content is gracefully hidden in the taste, revealing itself with a warming sensation in the chest. This is a big beer that most certainly must be consumed in moderation. I am more than impressed with the Elf, however Mad he may be. This years version easily lives up to all the hype.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2004 01:28:31 | More by tenant

sickpuppy

Pennsylvania

4.55/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer pours a dark amber to almost crimson red color. The aroma is malt and cherries but the cherry aromoa is faint to me. As far as the flavor I agree with the cough syrup taste however it is not a bad thing as I think of it more as a fruit backing of cherries. Overall I would not drink this beer on a regular basis however this is a great beer for an occassional quaffing!

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2008 01:11:31 | More by sickpuppy

Edwin

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Sampled on tap at the Troeg's Brewery during their release party.

Appearance - A nice, deep brownish-red. Some initial head that disappears fast, similar to all Troeg's beers.

Smell - Smells like the holidays. Some sour notes with a cherry smell is evident in there. Hints of spices throughout.

Taste - Not for everyone, but will definitely satisfy most. Taste of sweet/sour on the entry and a leftover display of cherry, spice, and some other fruits I can't quite put my finger on. Definitely a different beer than anything I have ever tasted.

Mouthfeel - Strong yet smooth. A very powerful feel on the tongue. After two of these bad boys, it gets easier and easier to send down to the stomach.

Drinkability - It is very drinkable on a cold day. Reminds me of Christmas in frnt of a warm fire. Be careful...at 11% alcohol, this one will turn your Happy Holidays into 8 Crazy Nights if you aren't careful!

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2003 15:28:01 | More by Edwin

Dantes

New Jersey

4.53/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Package: 12oz. brown, longneck, crowned bottle. Great holiday red label depicts a tipsy elf hanging on the Troëgs name. Blurb describes beer as an”ale brewed with honey & cherries.” 11% ABV. No information about bottling date or specific year, but I know it to be from Holiday 2003.

Cost: $2.25 per single at Gary’s

Presentation: Snifter at ~60º

Appearance: An absolutely beautiful glowing ruby red that formed a substantial bone-colored head during the pour, which subsided quickly. Obvious gunsmoke on opening. Interestingly, the beer poured brown, but was definitely red in the snifter. The carbonation was so fine, requiring close examination under a halogen desk lamp to detect it.

Smell: I was pleasantly surprised by the multi-dimensional aspect of the aroma. No cough syrup cherry here! Alcohol is very restrained, allowing sweet cherry, pale malt, subtle spiciness, and some other fruity esters to come to the fore.

Taste: Obviously the cherries and honey are the stars here, but this beer isn’t overly sweet. Impressively, the cherries don’t impart the sweetness of maraschinos, but more of a dark, morello cherry depth. A little more dark malt toastiness might have been a nice counterpart. Some phenolic “burn” and yeastiness also cuts the sweetness nicely. Very warming, but with a relatively light finish for such a big beer.

Mouthfeel: Deserves special mention here. I just don’t know how they did it. This is a heavy, warming beer, that manages to be light on the tongue and palate. As mentioned above, the carbonation is spectacular: ultra-tiny bubbles run through this beer, helping cut the sweetness and alcohol, while providing a creamy texture. The carbonation is definite and long-lasting, while being very subtle. Much like a ballet dancer, it combines grace and delicacy with the strength of an all-pro linebacker. Unique in my experience amongst barley wines and other high ABV brews.

Drinkability: So drinkable, it probably ought to be illegal to sell this! The alcohol is subtle and the flavors full but not overwhelming. Dangerous!

I don’t know how I haven’t reviewed this yet. According to my records, I bought 4 of these. I drank one almost right away, and pulled this one yesterday. That means that there should be 2 more in my cellar. I think I must have drunk the first one too cold as I don’t remember its making this kind of impression. Heeding VENOM’s warning, I served this one warm (but not quite room temperature as I expected it to warm further). Great advice, but next time I will probably start drinking this a touch colder, as it warms quickly and the sweetness begins to dominate. This is an impressive achievement, combining complexity, depth of flavor, warming alcohol, and an impressive texture in one great beer. A bargain considering the product. I’m only sorry I didn’t get more. Next year, I’ll be buying much more if I can get it.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2004 23:07:30 | More by Dantes

pavandal

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Beer poured into my tulip glass from a growler purchased today. It poured a nice honey - red color with a 1 inch head. Honestly, the most inviting beer I've ever had. lacing left a nice bubbly coating on the glass as I drank.

Smell began with some bready smells, but as the head disolved, it turned to honey and cherries, with alchohol behind it.

As the beer hits your tongue, the first flavor you taste is a bitey sweetness. this is probably due to the cherries involved in the brew. I also taste a lot of bready notes. The high ABV can't be tasted, as far as I can tell. This is a very great tasting brew.

I can see this beer getting dangerous to those that aren't familiar with it. This beer feels great in the mouth, light enough to make you want more, but it has some weight behind it to make you know you're drinking something.

I really, really dig this ale. if the ABV wasn't so high, this would be a constant (as much as it could be, given it's limited run) for me. I don't know why people have said that this tastes like cough syrup, because I sure can't taste it.

Serving type: growler

11-30-2006 02:49:22 | More by pavandal

BlindPig

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Cheers to Todd1 for hooking me up with a bottle of this.

A- Thin off white head on a clear deep amber body. Has a tint of orange in it too.
S- Big cherry aromas. Other candy like fruits also. Maybe some candyish sugar? Light spices, not much hop aroma, and a little pale malt in the back ground.
T- Some big cherries come up front right away which then fades into a more subtle sweetness with honey and some mellow spices. That then changes to a very light bitterness with the warming of alcohol at the same time. Maybe just a tad harsh on the warming but is still a nice touch. They do very well on covering up the alcohol in the taste.
M- Full body (maybe just a tad on the medium side) and low carbonation.
D- It is a very interesting and different brew. I really like it and probably would get it if I could. It is nice and complex and a lot of different levels of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2006 09:06:40 | More by BlindPig

jayrod20

Texas

4.53/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz. bottle a ruby red with a small amount of head and scents of sweet fruit and alcohol taste has a bit of sweet cherries and honey with a backing of some belly warming alcohol. A winter warmer indeed but not an all night beer just a couple and I'm good. A great night cap.

An addictive beverage that you want in succession.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2008 23:53:32 | More by jayrod20

sonicdescent

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Oh double dear, this is too damn drinkable for the amount of alcohol in it. Pours a nice gold with scents of honey and sweet malt. Taste is dangerously good and smooth with a
Medium body that coats the Mouth with it's honey goodness. I could drink this all night and that's why this beer scares the he'll out of me.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2008 03:01:47 | More by sonicdescent