Hoppy Holidaze - Marin Brewing Company

TheLongBeachBum

California

3.68/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

*2003 Edition*

Presentation: A 22 fluid ounce brown glass Bomber with a yellow ink screen-printed label, which still has the generic Marin Brewing Co. style. Labeled as “Hoppy Holidaze Flavored Ale – 2003”, and listed as Alcohol 7.0% by Volume.

Appearance: Beautiful deep amber-golden body with a peach hue when back-lit. Perfectly clear, it only has the odd streamer to break the monotony. Big head forms during the pour at first, a very smooth looking dirty white color, it slowly settles to a thin ¼” covering, whilst all the time leaving some nice sheet like lacing.

Nose: Deeply fruity. Malts at the start with glazed oranges, satsuma’s, tangerines and a sweet mango like odor in the back third. Not much in the middle. Light hints of Vanilla Beans.

Taste: Malty start with some nice sweet orange fruits and cinnamon to pep the tongue in the middle. Deeply fruity finish that remains sweet with a hint of vanilla alcohol for backbone. Did I miss the hops?? Strange, I kept getting a weird light ginger taste in the back-end of the beer, would that be the mace or maybe the vanilla I wonder?

Mouthfeel: Pretty solid beer, the smooth carbonation lends a velvety feel at times. Decent texture in the mouth but once swallowed it leaves a sticky orange residue that can be a bit sickly after a while.

Drinkability: A nice beer to accompany a Sunday afternoon Movie, but not one to drink throughout the afternoon, its too sticky for that.

Overall: Labeled as “This is made with Pale, Wheat, Caramalt and Munich Malts, and hopped with Magnum and Styrian Golding varieties. Delicately spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, orange peel and pure vanilla extract”.

Quite a mix – very spicy, lots of orange and some malt – but I think I missed the hops??? Maybe I wasn’t paying enough attention. It’s good but a little sticky and sickly sweet at times for me - a bit more hops would have been welcome to balance out the spices and make this great rather than just good. Still nice though.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2003 01:39:24 | More by TheLongBeachBum

beerguy101

California

4.05/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Medium gold/copper color. Small head. Aroma is fruity, mango and apricot, A medium bodied Christmas ale. Brewed with Pale, wheat, caramel, and Munich malts. Hopped with Magnum and Styrian golding varieties. Spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, orange peel and vanilla extract. That said this ale has a slightly sweet maltyness. Hops are evident but not overpowering. There is a definite fruitiness and spiciness to this beer. Orange, grapefruit and nutmeg and cinnamon. The vanilla is not very evident. Smooth taste. Kind of warming. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth/ Aftertaste is slightly bitter, Not much of an alcohol bite at 7.5%. Etched/Painted beer bottle.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2003 01:36:22 | More by beerguy101

Mark

California

3.4/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I love Marin Brewing Co. beers and this is a well made ale. I just don't think it's my style. Looked like a lager which was a bit surprising as I expected something darker. Very spicy aroma, which I gave high points for thinking of the style. Taste was dominated by nutmeg. moutfeel was good and rounded. This really is a well made ale, just not for me. Suzanne liked it a whole lot better.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2002 20:53:59 | More by Mark