Christmas Ale - Olde Hickory Brewery

tdm168

North Carolina

3.48/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - dark orangish amber with a big frothy, white head that has good retention

S - a bit soapy, a hint of yeast, all around unusual aroma

T - nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, caramel, faint orange peel

M - medium bodied, good carbonation

This is an all-right beer. There isn't anything to separate it from the dozen other beers out this time of year with the exact same spice profile. In the end this is a decent beer but boring. It was nice to try once, but I won't be buying it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 09:58:00 | More by tdm168

DaPan

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

04-11-2013 17:30:36 | More by DaPan

blackie

Virginia

3.73/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

bomber from Bottle Revolution

a: poured into a wide piraat snifter, this christmastime drank is a light amber maple in color, supporting a tight off-white head with spotty retention

s: some amber malty sweetness in the form of caramel, bready, a nice, modest spice presence - the cinnamon, fresh ginger, and orange peel blend together nicely; nice earthy/sweet honey aroma - that doesn't hold up too often in the final product, lightly hopped with a subtle dried grass aroma, smells like holiday cookies

m: lightly dosed with smooth carbonation, body around medium

t: malty caramel with tastefully applied holiday spice combine to create a flavor reminiscent of holiday baked goods, the cinnamon comes out most with ginger just behind, good dark honey flavor, the malting here is on the lighter side for a holiday ale - which works well as it leaves room for the spice and honey to really round out the flavor, only slightly sweet to start - soon swept up by a moderately acidic but benignly flavored hop profile, the bitterness is a little dry and metallic and maybe a little off kilter - but not a major issue, lingers nicely on the tongue

o: while I'm a fan of spiced Christmas ales - even the fairly extreme ones - I enjoyed the restraint used in spicing this one, it's easily noticeable and a prominent feature, but nicely balanced with lightly sweet amber malts

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 04:26:08 | More by blackie

KevinGordon

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +14.9%

02-04-2013 06:30:08 | More by KevinGordon

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.59/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A: Pours an extremely lightly hazy medium amber in color with some ruby red and copper highlights and moderate amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a two to three finger tall dense foamy beige head (with a little bit of sudsiness near the surface) that slowly reduces to a thick film covering the entire surface of the beer with a slightly thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Light to moderate aromas of caramel malts with some honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Overall the aroma is slightly sweet.

T: Overall this beer is lightly sweet but not cloying in any way, upfront there is a light to moderate flavor of caramel malts with just the lightest touch of honey. There are some slightly stronger flavors of spices - cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a touch of clove.

M: Medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation. Slightly creamy but perhaps a little bit thinner than expected for the style.

O: This beer has a really nice holiday flavor - similar to a sugar cookie or snickerdoodles. I found it to be pretty enjoyable but I might have preferred it to be a little more cloying and a little heavier in body.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 02:25:31 | More by dbrauneis

GPHarris

Alabama

2.65/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

a - poured a one finger thick bubbly tan head that left a thin ring throughout. the body was a deep amber color.
s - oranges with some honey and malt sweetness to balance it out.
t - oranges with some spices with a grainy/bready balance.
m - thin.
o - not overly impressed. seems to be a mish-mash of flavors and aromas that don't mesh well. a little dull.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 16:44:43 | More by GPHarris

Texasfan549

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +7.8%

12-29-2012 18:10:19 | More by Texasfan549

kjkinsey

Texas

4/5  rDev +14.9%

12-22-2012 15:18:57 | More by kjkinsey

BigTrubble

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

12-12-2012 00:29:02 | More by BigTrubble

jonmorgan

1/5  rDev -71.3%

12-08-2012 11:44:11 | More by jonmorgan

Durge

Connecticut

3.43/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed at The Mellow Mushroon in Greensboro, NC, this holiday brew is a dark mahogany color with solid off-white fluff on top and lots of lacing. The aroma is weak wheat, really nothing more which seems very odd for a Christmas brew. The flavor is better with mild evergreen and caramel with a little citrus apple brightness. i also detected just a touch of cardboard but not much. There is some distinct juniper and allspice. It's medium light in body with a mild, tingly feel. Good but not great.

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2012 06:18:00 | More by Durge

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev +7.8%

12-04-2012 23:04:26 | More by t0rin0

lupercmda

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

12-03-2012 04:55:31 | More by lupercmda

Axnjxn

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +7.8%

11-30-2012 02:08:45 | More by Axnjxn

OldhouseRecs

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +7.8%

11-22-2012 20:44:22 | More by OldhouseRecs

mklinger

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -6.6%

07-17-2012 14:25:40 | More by mklinger

beer2day

North Carolina

3.48/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Sat on this one for a bit to see if age would smooth it out some.

Orange gold pour with 2 fingers of darker khaki head. Thin lace and decent head retention well into the glass.

Nose is very understated for a winter warmer. Sour fruit (cherries, apples), caramel malt, allspice, and light earth hops round things out. A touch of light peat lingers there too. Not bad, but could be more aggressive.

Tastes is definitely on the sweet side. Honey, flowery hops and a light, spicy finish define this glass. Leaves with a cake-like sweetness on the back end. Not bad, but just a bit too sweet.

Feel is too thin for the flavors, even though they are light.

Overall, not the best offering from OH. Didn't care for it much back in January and not much better now.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 00:19:54 | More by beer2day

acurtis

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -13.8%

02-03-2012 13:32:58 | More by acurtis

danoeltico

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

02-02-2012 23:44:53 | More by danoeltico

cantfindme

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

01-06-2012 05:45:10 | More by cantfindme

jmarsh123

Indiana

2.4/5  rDev -31%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Pours a reddish brown with a small off-white head and good lacing down the glass.

Smells like nutmeg with some malty sweetness.

Starts off slightly spicy then recedes into a honey sweetness with a little nutmeg. Definitely malt forward.

Too thin for my taste. Carbonation level is good.

Usually like Olde Hickory, but this one doesn't do it for me. A bit too sweet without the backing mouthfeel and kind of bland overall.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 20:24:38 | More by jmarsh123

Lantern

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

12-27-2011 13:47:20 | More by Lantern

jak

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

12-26-2011 16:22:09 | More by jak

CooperEllis

New York

3.28/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Not a bad bottle overall but a bit disappointing as it is very thin in the mouthfeel and the flavor is dominated by the two added favors: honey and "spices" here nutmeg.

Redish amber, thin bubbles, no lacing.

Nose is honey, nutmeg, ginger and clove.

Thin mouthfeel, a thin bit of malt but taste is dominated by the cinnamon, nutmeg, clove. Crisp ending helps but I think this misses the mark a bit.

One of the people I had this with felt it was the "tastiest" of the bottles we sampled tonight.

(145th)

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 22:10:11 | More by CooperEllis

meich75

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +29.3%

12-25-2011 06:45:56 | More by meich75