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Father Christmas Highland Ale
The Olde Burnside Brewing Company
- From:
- The Olde Burnside Brewing Company
- Connecticut, United States
- Style:
- Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
- ABV:
- 9.2%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.88 | pDev: 10.57%
- Reviews:
- 30
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Dec 30, 2017
- Added:
- Jan 27, 2004
- Wants:
- 7
- Gots:
- 4
Legend has it that Father Christmas wandered through Scottish villages gathering a merry following and distributing sweets to children and "wee heavy," a cheery libation, to adults. Like its predecessors, Father Christmas is heavy and potent, tremendously and uniquely satisfying and flavorful. The aroma of toasted grain and mocha are mouth-watering. Father Christmas Ale is ruddy and ruby-brown, topped by a thick, loose, tan head. Sweet, roasted malt and mild smoky tastes merge into a phenomenal finish. The tall, cobalt-blue bottle, brightly labeled, makes for a wonderful presentation and host's gift. Delightful in every respect, Father Christmas Highland Ale is a Yuletide staple and Santa's favorite. He enjoys a pint at my house annually and never spares a drop.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Pahn:
Reviewed by Pahn from New York
3.8/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.8/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
1 liter swing top bottle into Duvel tulip. It's Christmas Eve, may as well start into this giant Father Christmas Highland Ale from my hometown brewery.
Appearance: Free pour yields a 2 inch frothy offwhite head that dissipates steadily and lacelessly. Pours a hazy red orange, and leaves small streaks and spots of lacing.
Smell: Butterscotch and caramel at first. Very rich and dessert like. Soon, a strong cherry cordial note emerges (it's not like cherry, or chocolate, or chocolate covered cherry, but the full on, syrupy flavor of eating a cherry cordial). The cherry cordial and caramel sort of vie for prominence. Faint sourdough aroma present underneath.
Unique and inviting.
Taste: Like the nose, but with a watery and sour Euro-lager-like tang, with cherry cordial in the middle and caramel in the crisp finish. Takes some getting used to, but after a few sips, I'm on board.
The two main players in the flavor and aroma remain prominent... in fact, this beer doesn't change much from start to finish. Alcohol is completely masked. Some toasted bread flavor is there under the fruit and caramel. It's good, and well balanced, but a bit bland.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied. At times creamy, at times watery. High side of moderate carbonation. Crisp, semi-dry finish.
Overall: This is an interesting beer. Despite being decidedly less complex than the better Scotch ales of the world, the flavors here aren't something you often find in a beer. Nor is anything really out of place.
Father Christmas Highland Ale is a good one for celebrating. It doesn't have the character to stand up to the kind of "sit there, drink, think," kind of drinking that I often do, but it would be perfect for getting merry in the company of friends. Hidden alcohol, pleasant taste, giant bottle.
Dec 25, 2011Appearance: Free pour yields a 2 inch frothy offwhite head that dissipates steadily and lacelessly. Pours a hazy red orange, and leaves small streaks and spots of lacing.
Smell: Butterscotch and caramel at first. Very rich and dessert like. Soon, a strong cherry cordial note emerges (it's not like cherry, or chocolate, or chocolate covered cherry, but the full on, syrupy flavor of eating a cherry cordial). The cherry cordial and caramel sort of vie for prominence. Faint sourdough aroma present underneath.
Unique and inviting.
Taste: Like the nose, but with a watery and sour Euro-lager-like tang, with cherry cordial in the middle and caramel in the crisp finish. Takes some getting used to, but after a few sips, I'm on board.
The two main players in the flavor and aroma remain prominent... in fact, this beer doesn't change much from start to finish. Alcohol is completely masked. Some toasted bread flavor is there under the fruit and caramel. It's good, and well balanced, but a bit bland.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied. At times creamy, at times watery. High side of moderate carbonation. Crisp, semi-dry finish.
Overall: This is an interesting beer. Despite being decidedly less complex than the better Scotch ales of the world, the flavors here aren't something you often find in a beer. Nor is anything really out of place.
Father Christmas Highland Ale is a good one for celebrating. It doesn't have the character to stand up to the kind of "sit there, drink, think," kind of drinking that I often do, but it would be perfect for getting merry in the company of friends. Hidden alcohol, pleasant taste, giant bottle.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by KelsoSaaz from Maine
4.19/5 rDev +8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.19/5 rDev +8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured into snifter
A: Pours a deep mahogany brown that shines amber when held to light. Thin, quickly dissipating, khaki head.
S: Woody, peaty and rich cherry aromas up front. Caramel and other sweet malt tones are apparent as well. Earthy and boozy notes too.
T: Sweet and rich malts up front dominate flavors. Not as much cherry flavor as I would have expected. Very soft, medicine and cherry flavors are what you taste here. Earth and slightly tart dark fruit flavors lurk in the background.
M: Very slightly viscous body. Moderate to mild carbonation.
O: A nice winter treat. Malty and sweet with deeper cherry flavors than other similar beers this beer sets itself apart from the pack in a good way. Not your typical scotch ale; this beer is great for philosophical evenings in the dead of winter.
Mar 04, 2014A: Pours a deep mahogany brown that shines amber when held to light. Thin, quickly dissipating, khaki head.
S: Woody, peaty and rich cherry aromas up front. Caramel and other sweet malt tones are apparent as well. Earthy and boozy notes too.
T: Sweet and rich malts up front dominate flavors. Not as much cherry flavor as I would have expected. Very soft, medicine and cherry flavors are what you taste here. Earth and slightly tart dark fruit flavors lurk in the background.
M: Very slightly viscous body. Moderate to mild carbonation.
O: A nice winter treat. Malty and sweet with deeper cherry flavors than other similar beers this beer sets itself apart from the pack in a good way. Not your typical scotch ale; this beer is great for philosophical evenings in the dead of winter.
Reviewed by tigg924 from Massachusetts
4.4/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.4/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Appearance: high carbonation, 1/4 inch head, clear, brown in color
Smell: peat, caramel, and berries
Taste: big time caramel and cherries, light chocolate and bread
Mouthfeel: very sweet, medium body, moderate carbonation
Overall: I loved this beer and is now one of my favorites coming out of Connecticut. This is a malty dessert beer and not an everyday drinker. The caramel works perfectly with the cherry for a holiday treat. I will be getting this again.
Jan 06, 2014Smell: peat, caramel, and berries
Taste: big time caramel and cherries, light chocolate and bread
Mouthfeel: very sweet, medium body, moderate carbonation
Overall: I loved this beer and is now one of my favorites coming out of Connecticut. This is a malty dessert beer and not an everyday drinker. The caramel works perfectly with the cherry for a holiday treat. I will be getting this again.
Reviewed by PicoPapa from Connecticut
3.71/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.71/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle. Part of the ever so popular 2 pack.... Pours a dark brown color with some medium brown ruby hues and a half inch of head. Minimal lacing. Aromas of caramel and butterscotch. Malty and boozey. The taste is more of the butterscotch with lots of caramel malts. Slightly watery with lots of alcohol flavor. Earthy towards the end. Slightly medicinal. Butterscotch finish. Mouthfeel is a bit thin. Overall, a decent Scotch Ale I'd buy again, but I'm not a big fan of the 2 pack format.
Dec 02, 2013
Father Christmas Highland Ale from The Olde Burnside Brewing Company
Beer rating:
87 out of
100 with
58 ratings
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