Tröegs Mad Elf - Tröegs Brewing Company

WMEugene

Virginia

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

12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip glass. Current vintage.

A - Pours a deep ruby red color with minimal head which quickly dissipates into a thin ring. Minor lacing on the glass.

S - I smell the bready yeast, cherries, and malt right off the bat. A very sweet and delightful smell.

T - Very sweet and a little tart. Strong notes of cherry, honey, alcohol, and assorted fruits. In the background is the malted and yeast flavors commonly found in Belgian-style beers. Very delicious, but you better like sweet beers.

M - Full bodied, almost syrupy. Carbonation levels are ok. A little boozy.

O - The Mad Elf is a delightful seasonal take on a Belgian-style beer. It is sweet and boozy, so it's not a beer to take lightly. If you like sweet beers, give this one a try.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2011 23:17:14 | More by WMEugene

2x10

Pennsylvania

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

Pours a hazy brown with a lovely red tint which makes its appearance very enticing.

Tastes of chocolate, honey, and apple with a very bready nose.

as the beer warms, the cherries become very evident and a true warming feeling comes across. The alcohol is truely hidden in the taste, but is felt throughout the body after about 2.

This is by far, my wife and I's favorite beer because of the combination of belgian strong ale, the fresh cherry honey flavor and the fact that its not a beer that compares to the "winter" versions of other beers. You can drink this one year round and we LOVE to save it for the summer time.
This beer also gets better with age and can be stored for several years and is surprising refreshing aged and great in any weather.

Its unfortunate that the mix and match beer stores are buying it all up and limiting the cases that can be bought. It just came out last week and is pretty much sold out in pittsburgh or is being hidden in the back of distributors for special customers.
Get it while you can and savor the yummy goodness that it brings.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 20:16:11 | More by 2x10

sDon

4.53/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A friend recommended this beer to me, and I was not disappointed.

The beer was dark and served from tap in a 16 oz pint glass. It has instant sweetness in its taste -- cherries and almonds -- that is not too intense and blends well with the general dark beer flavor. Nothing about it seems artificial or forced, as can be the case with some flavored beers.

The ABV was a bit too high and prevented long term drinking, but perhaps this cannot be avoided. I hope that I drink it again.

Serving type: on-tap

01-11-2013 23:28:58 | More by sDon

kmpitz2

Tennessee

4.5/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This one pours a nice deep amber color with just a coating of head over top of the beer. The nose is very belgian in character, some spiceyness from the yeast and lots of sweetness, hints of cherries. Smells good. It tastes of goodness. The first thing I get is a nice peppery spice, followed by sweet malt and finished with a nice honey sweetness that goes over the front of my tongue. Wow. Not a hint of the alcohol in there. The feel is nice and thick, leaving a coating of beer in my mouth after swallowing. Drinkability is nice on this one as well. For a big ass beer, its easy drinking and smooth. I like it. Thanks to clvand0 for sharing this with me.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2004 00:56:59 | More by kmpitz2

clvand0

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to meathookjones for the bottle of this. I've been waiting to try it. Pours an amber/red color with a very small head. The aroma is excellent. Aromas of cherries, honey, spices. Very nice. The flavor is odd in a very good way. The honey and cherries meld together for a great flavor. There is a spice there to ... possibly from a belgian yeast. Very drinkable. This is one that could easily sneak up on you. Dangerous.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2004 17:51:21 | More by clvand0

sublimesipping

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

There are many good things about living in the city of Brotherly Love. Finding Mad Elf on tap unexpectedly would be one of them. This may be my favorite holiday beer. I love the color, ruby red. Elegant, sophisticated, like the taste. Beer tastes more like a cordial, essence of berry, a warm brandy like effect. Excellent balance and mouthfeel make this beer dangerously drinkable, even for some of my non-beer friends. The big suprise being that is has a decidedly strong kick to it(11% can defintiely sneak up on you..)A wonderful, happy glass of holiday cheer, a way to keep the holday spirit alive through cold winter nights. If you can find it on tap, it is worth it! Drink it with someone you love.

Serving type: on-tap

01-15-2005 15:16:15 | More by sublimesipping

wrx2ndregime

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

a- pour is dark red in appearence, very little head from the 2007, considerable down from the 2006.

S- dark cherries, lialac flowers, warm honey.

t- the 2007 I just drank it from aging it about 7 months from last season, the taste didn't improve much from aging it. deffinatly can taste cherries and honey. 2006 was much better from memory.

m- very warming alcohol sensation, bold, and sweet.

d- I've only ever had 3 at a time, and I was pretty much done after 3 of them. It's great on a cold night to sit and savor.

2006 was better then the 2007, I can't wait to get my shipment of 2008 in this year.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2008 00:10:33 | More by wrx2ndregime

degerbah

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Split a bottle with a friend that we found when we were cleaning out his beer fridge (over 120 loose beers left over from tastings and parties)couldn't believe the thicknessor the amazing taste. A great winter warmer type of beer,. A slow drinker and a little boozy but I really could have used this a week ago when we got random snow on opening day. Fantastic and would definitely buy now that troeggs distributes to my area and i don't have to drive to get some from PA.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2009 21:57:26 | More by degerbah

BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +16%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark amber color with a small amount of off white head.

The scent is of sweet malts, cherries and alcohol.

Up front the sweetness of cherries is evident. It is somewhat spicy with a strong alcohol component.

Medium bodied, verry smooth, good carbonation.

This is a very tasty beer, though it is difficult to drink more than two in one sitting.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2009 21:46:30 | More by BeerCon5

crhensel

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

(Bottle into tulip) This beer came very highly recommended over the past 2 holiday seasons, but I had a hack of a time finding it until this year, and I frankly have been saving this one in anticipation. I was NOT disappointed!! Poured a nice red color but with little to no head that was gone in a heartbeat. The nose was heavy with the honey and cherry as advertised, as well as a background of the alcohol. Lively carbonation on the tongue and the drink itself is very smooth. The taste was very surprising, however, as I was expecting more sweetness based on the aromas. There was some sweet there, but also a nice spicy bite (nutmeg?) that lingered, giving that warm holiday feeling and a fine finish. I will definitely be on the lookout for more next year!!

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2010 21:12:31 | More by crhensel

mattgreger

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This holiday brew pours a deep ruby amber color. It has a small light tan head, that fades pretty quickly. Color is pretty translucent, but still has a wonderful color.

The aroma that comes from this brew is also great. The front of this brew has a nice strong belgian yeast, followed by a mix of cherry, honey, and spices. There is also a pinch of apple, a very sweet nose on this one.

Flavor is very nice on this brew. The front of this brew is a honey and cherry. There is a bitterness at the end with apple. The spices in this brew blend really well with the other flavors. This is a strong, heavy brew, but the sweet flavors mask it pretty well.

Mouthful on this one is surely full bodied. It is pretty heavy, but is covered very well with the sweet flavors in the brew. Being a 11.0%, this brew goes down pretty well, especially when chilled.

Drinkability on this one is great. Though it has a high ABV, it is covered very well. As you drink this brew, there is a nice little burn on the back of the throat, but the brew is solid and is an amazing holiday brew. I will most certianly seek this brew out again this season.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2010 21:01:13 | More by mattgreger

BB1313

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into a standard pint glass. Pours a beautiful transparent ruby red on the darker side. Nice white head w/ decent lacing. The smell is superior w/ the cherries coming through harmoniously w/ the malts and grains. There is a slight hint of chocolate I think I'm getting, I could be wrong.. the main focus is on the cherries. The taste matches w/ the full flavor of the cherries meshing w/ the sweet honey; not spicy. The flavors are very clean and refreshing. Although it's full-bodied, it seems pretty thin. Carbonation is right on; nothing offensive at all. The alcohol is well hidden, making the drinkability exceptional! Dangerously drinkable, so definitely respect the Mad Elf.

This beer is a pure winner. I look forward to this one every year and I could definitely drink it every day. This is Troegs best beer, IMHO.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2010 03:06:30 | More by BB1313

Heatwave33

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle to a Dogfish Head Snifter.

Color: Amber with an off white head.

Smell: Cherries, hops, malts and honey.

Taste: Cherries, hops, malts, honey, slight alcohol presence.

Mouthfeel: Great carbonation, smooth and slighlty dry.

Overall: Very well balanced! Couldn't tell it is 11% ABV. As it warmed up the alcohol was present but still very tastey. A great winter brew. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 03:57:25 | More by Heatwave33

ckollias

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed this 12oz bottle out of a large snifter glass.

A: Pours a clear reddish-amber hue with a white ½-finger head that quickly dissipates in to a wispy lace.

S: Sweet cherry and fruit aroma with an alcoholic twinge.

T: Flavor is very sweet with an alcoholic punch to face. Very fruity – cherry is definitely present and dominate. This is almost wine-like.

M: Very strong and boozy. Medium body and minimal carbonation

O: Wow – this beer was great! Definitely a sipper at 11% abv. It wallops quite an alcoholic punch but is easily drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 01:59:53 | More by ckollias

Bi0hazrd

Pennsylvania

4.48/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: ruby red with a 1 finger head and minimal lacing.

S: cherries and malt

T: cherries, honey and sweet malt

M: very smooth with a nice medium carbonation

D: very tasty and easy to drink but not sessionable due to the high ABV. Two of these and I was quite buzzed.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2010 19:50:52 | More by Bi0hazrd

frank4sail

New Jersey

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

I was very lucky to get the last of these at The Beer Yard. Yes quite a drive for me and always worth it.. (Matt is the man).. Jcalbi told me this beer was a must try "by any means get your hands on some". So here goes.. out of my Westmalle goblet: (one of the best labels i have ever seen on a holiday beer!)

Deep bright red sparkle colors swirl in the glass. A nice tan snow head on the pour this then leaves the glass quickly (ABV?). Wonderful crystral ruby look. Sweet cherry hop sharpness to the nose. Initial big bready, yeasty (belgian quality) to the taste. This sharp base then is smoothed by honey and hints of cherry on the tongue. Great balence for a big beer. Your mouth is left slightly dry and wanting more. The beer is not overly fruity or sweet at all, but that hint of honey and cherry skins hypnotise the palate. This is really a treat. If you shut your eyes you would think you were sitting in a bar in Brugge next to Jingle and Jangle (Santa's elfs in A year without a Santa Clause). I would buy more if I could!

PS.. caution after three or four of these you will have full conversations with Jingle... thanks Jcalbi (jim) for the heads up on this brew ....

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2003 02:25:40 | More by frank4sail

ppoitras

Massachusetts

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

12oz bottle obtained via trade with Pisskynights. Thanks for the opportunity...

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed 3/4" of beige head, which laced nicely, over the reddish copper brew. Aroma is of cherries and malts. Taste is not the tartness one might expect from the cherry aroma, but malts upfront, combined with a deep sweet cherry flavor, which is not overdone, as could easily be a problem, but just right. Alcohol kind of creeps in at the end, in a nice kind of way. Mouthfeel excellent, just like a Belgian dark that you would expect, and the drinkability is excellent, in that even if you aren't interested in another straightaway, the character of the brew will make you return at another time. Excellent holiday brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2004 00:54:06 | More by ppoitras

meathookjones

Virginia

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

I originally had this when I was first getting into craft brew and thought it was quite interesting but not my cup of tea at the time. Seeing as it came out the same did I was picking up some other beers I decided to give it a try again. This pours out a cherry juice red with a decent beige head that eventually falls to a coating of bubbles. Decent lacing was left around the glass as this was consumed. Aroma was a bit sweet with a bit of cherries and a bit of spiciness. Alcohol was evident but it mixed well and added positively to the smell. The taste starts off with a sweet maltiness that had notes of cherries and other fruits with a touch of honey. There was a good amount of spice as well. Aftertaste was a lingering sweetness. Mouthfeel was about medium with a slick and warming feel to it. Pretty damn good drinkability here with the large alcohol being hidden really well. It did warm me up quite a bit as I drank it. Overall this is a very interesting and tasty beer that I would recommend if you haven’t had it already. Oh and Venom’s suggestion to have it warm was spot on.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2004 14:44:12 | More by meathookjones

TurdFurgison

Ohio

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

I tried this from a 3L bottle on Dark Lord Day (thanks Todd). This is one of only 2 beers I'll rate from that day (out of God knows how many others I tried "splashes" of), because it really stood out and I was able to get a decent sized glass of it...

Deep brown color with a wispy almost-foam on top (bearing in mind it was poured into a cognac glass). Delicious aroma of cherries and dark fruits, not unlike a lightly muted Trois Pistoles but with a spice component. The flavor was much better than I'd hoped, lots of fruit and fruity esters, definitely cherry comes to mind.

The beer was thick enough to coat my mouth and keep the flavor long after each sip. Outstanding, I was really glad to have tried it.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2007 12:21:50 | More by TurdFurgison

atsprings

North Carolina

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

Acquired in a trade with ThomasHardy. The beer pours a crisp red amber with a thin head that quickly diminishes to a ring. The aroma is dominated by cherries and sweet malts. The taste is an extremely unique blend of cherries, sweet fruits, and even a touch of caramel. The beer is medium bodied and the alcohol warms, but is altogether well hidden. I must say, this is a truly unique beer that can be enjoyed any time of year. I look forward to trying some next year and see if enjoying it in the winter makes it taste even better.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2007 01:17:48 | More by atsprings

PittBeerGirl

Pennsylvania

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

A- Beautiful translucent dark red body. The body is brilliant when held up to light and screams "Christmas." I have had several of these over the holiday season and experimented pouring into two different tulip glasses and a chalice. This beer produces a very thin, creamy, off-white head that fades rather quickly and leaves a thin collar. No lacing is left behind in the glass.

S- Belgian spicy yeast upfront with a well-balanced mix of cherries, honey, and alcohol in the background.

T- Cherries and honey upfront with a massive bready yeast background. The alcohol and spiciness comes forth for the swallow. What lingers on the palate is hints of cherries, and plenty of spicy Belgian yeast wrapped in a warm blanket of alcohol.

M- Medium carbonation and smooth body with an alcohol slickness.

D- This is my favorite winter seasonal so far. This is a twist on Belgian Christmas ales -most I have had experience with have a licorice or anise presence while this PA representation does not. This is a great ale by Troegs. The summer naked elf is similar to this one-but does not have the complexity.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2008 00:53:07 | More by PittBeerGirl

kwakwhore

North Carolina

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

Thanks to Jcdiflorio for this bottle.
Pours dark red with a very small head which quickly subsides into a small ring of bubbles around the edge of the snifter.Not much in the way of lacing either.
The first, second, and third thing that I smell are fruits, fruits, and more fruits. Cherries and a hint of banana and finally, a bit of Belgian spiciness from the yeast.
Flavors are similar, mostly sweet fruit and a bit of spice, with just a hint of hop bitterness at the end to balance things out a bit. Flavors become quite a bit more complex as the beer warms a bit. The hops and spice become more prominent.
The mouthfeel is pleasant and quite refreshing for such strong beer.
For 11% abv this is amazingly easy to drink. A delightful mid winter treat and a really delicious nightcap. I will definitely be looking for this one come next Christmas.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2008 03:47:37 | More by kwakwhore

cvfish

Louisiana

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

Rated the #1 christmas beer in Don Russell's book

A - Poured a cloudy red color that produced a fluffy white head that retained well and left a nice lacing around the glass

S - Strong scents of cherries and sweet honey with some spicy backgrounds, possibly cinnamon

T - A sweet cherry and honey flavor that mix well with the spicy flavors of cinnamon and malty goodness

M - Medium bodied with fair amount of carbonation

D - Very good Christmas beer, well earned reputation

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2008 00:00:58 | More by cvfish

MetalHopHead6

Virginia

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

Tröegs Mad Elf poured deep amber, with red highlights when poured and held to light. There was no head and very little lace. The color was very striking.

The smell and taste were very sweet, tart, and fruity, like dried cherries. The feel was thick, bitter, and aggressive. There was a strong warmth from alcohol. This was far too enjoyable for the alcohol content.

Tröegs Mad Elf is a sweet and delicious cold weather treat.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2009 19:10:47 | More by MetalHopHead6

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