Beer: Santa's Private Reserve Ale
Brewed by: Rogue Ales, Newport, OR, USA
Bottle: 1 pint 6 fluid oz.
Type: Red Ale
ABV: 6.0%
IBU's: 44
Served in: Pint glass
Place of purchase: Beverages & More (BevMo)
Price: $5.49
"Going Rogue" is more than Sarah Palin's new autobiography - Mugsy and Jugsy are going "Rogue" for the holidays! As our two beeraucrats continue their sojourn into Winter beer reviews, it seems that a little nip of Santa's Private Reserve is just the thing to take the chill off, as everyone waits patiently for "The Man with the Bag."
In every proper review, your trusted husband & wife team of Beeraucrats will examine the Appearance, Aroma, Taste, Mouth-Feel, Drinkability and Overall Rating of the Beer and arrive at a Total Score from 1 to 10.
Santa's Private Reserve Ale
APPEARANCE:
Mugsy: Medium to dark brown in color which turns into a beautiful copper shade when held to light. Also, when held to light, beer appears extremely murky and cloudy. However, carbonation can be seen through the swampiness if you look hard enough. Thin head which quickly dissipates into a VERY thin head. Very little lacing left on the glass.
Jugsy: Brownish-red and opaque. Looks a little bit like swamp water! Frothy head disappears in seconds (couldn't even capture it on film)!
AROMA:
Mugsy: Sweet, roasted malts are the first scent to strike the nose. Slight aroma of caramel follows, along with just a touch of sweet yeast. The overall aroma comes off as extremely sweet. This is like a candy shop in a glass.
Jugsy: Smells Earthy, like warm honey-wheat bread. Slight caramel and toffee aromas, along with the roasted malts, seem to marry quite nicely with the piny hops scent. There's also more than a hint of sourdough. The aromas are present yet in delicate form, making them different to parse.
TASTE:
Mugsy: Wow. The taste is not at all what I expected after smelling it. Extremely bitter roasted (almost burnt) malts are the first thing to hit the tongue. This tastes almost like rye. Very toasty. The hops are there too, but overpowered by the malt. Aftertaste is that of dark, semi-sweet (emphasis on the "semi") chocolate. There is also kind of woodsy or bark flavor that comes in as an aftertaste.
Jugsy: Call me crazy but is there peppermint candy in this? Because it tastes like someone swirled a candy cane in my beer! Having said that, the taste is predominately roasted malts with a strong hops presence. (Chinook an Centennial according to the bottle.) I can still taste the warm honey and wheat bread in the body of this ale.
MOUTH-FEEL:
Mugsy: While this ale tastes like it would be chewy, the mouth-feel is surprisingly light and almost a little watery. Goes back extremely easily. It does leave a strong coating on the tongue, as if you've been chewing on sawdust.
Jugsy: This is a light-tasting, smooth beer with a lot of flavor (some subtle, some not-so-subtle). Not a lot of carbonation present. Leaves a very hoppy, almost piny or woodsy coating on the tongue.
DRINKABILITY:
Mugsy: No problem to have several of these, especially at 6.0% ABV. However, the bark-like aspect of the aftertaste might be a little off-putting, especially if seeking refreshment or just a session night with the guys and gals.
Jugsy: Very drinkable and enjoyable ale. Not only is it flavorful and not too heavy, but at 6% ABV, most of our friends could certainly handle drinking this all night.
OVERALL:
Mugsy: Quite interesting. After getting so much sweetness from the aroma of this beer, I was completely surprised by the bitter taste. Now, don't get me wrong - I like bitter beer just as much as a sweeter brew, sometimes more so. And that wood-like aftertaste is so unique. It's quite obvious that the folks at Rogue really do care about what they brew. This beer is fairly complex and certainly not your run-of-the-mill ale or Winter ale, for that matter. However, it all comes down to the question, "would I drink this again?" And the answer is "Yes, but as a novelty." The complexity and uniqueness of flavors are a hit with me, but it's not quite balanced, with the hops being far overshadowed by the bitter malt. And the bark-like aftertaste while without a doubt different, left me kind of wanting to wash it back with something else. Would pair with bold foods like heavy barbecues or rich, dark stews.
Jugsy: I admit that I wasn't expecting much out of this beer. Maybe it was the packaging -- of Rogue's beer in general, as well as the Santa's Private Reserve. It was too cutesy for my liking and I questioned the potential quality of the brew itself. Boy was I wrong! I truly enjoyed the successful balance of flavors in this ale. The folks at Rogue got it right. Although they recommend pairing it with beef or pork, I am thoroughly enjoying on my own! Perhaps it would pair well with our X-Mas Tofurkey? What do you say, Mugsy?
SCORE:
Mugsy: 6.85
Jugsy: 7.50
Beer: 2009 Noël Christmas Ale
Brewed by: Affligem Brewerij, Odwijk, Belgium
Bottle: 750 ml Champagne bottle
ABV: 9%
Served in: Belgian chalice
Place of purchase: Whole Foods Supermarket
Price: $6.49 (on sale!)
As the holidays rapidly approach us (I believe that tonight is the sixth day of Hannukah; Christmas is 9 days away; Kwanzaa 10 days away and throw in any other Winter holiday you want), Mugsy & Jugsy find ourselves craving the seasonal brews. Just thinking about those Winter brews, with their Winter spices & high ABV's make us ready to curl up close to a not-so-roaring gas fire & exchange gifts & kisses. For the next few reviews, we, Mugsy & Jugsy will find ourselves, just as we have for the past 3 years, under the glow of our pink Christmas tree drinking good beer.
(You read it right. We have a lovely little, PINK Christmas tree. With black ornaments. We are fashion-forward. When everyone else starts buying pink Christmas trees, just remember who started the fad, okay?) On to our first Winter beer review...!
In every proper review, your trusted husband & wife team of Beeraucrats will examine the Appearance, Aroma, Taste, Mouth-Feel, Drinkability and Overall Rating of the Beer and arrive at a Total Score from 1 to 10.
Affligem Noël
APPEARANCE:
Mugsy: Dark brown with deep bronze tones when held to light. Lots of carbonation visible when held to light. Fairly thick, foamy head that seems like it would last well past the holidays. Lots of creamy lacing left on the glass.
Jugsy: Thick, frothy head which flattens slightly but does not disappear. Color is dark copper with gold, red and brown hues. Mild carbonation bubbles are visible.
AROMA:
Mugsy: Very difficult to detect in the Belgian chalice glass, however when Jugsy & I poured some in to a tulip glass, the aroma became much more pronounced. Yet, still, the aroma doesn't give itself up easily. First off, a fair bit of funky yeast. This is followed by strong scents of holiday spices like nutmeg and cinnamon.
Jugsy: Yeast and malt right at the top, followed by a spicier scent. Smells a little like bread, but not sourdough - more like sweet bread, maybe even a faint hint of fruitcake. Vanilla, pecans and dried cherries, (possibly some dried orange, too) with a touch of allspice and nutmeg. Smells like a Christmas cookie! (Note: for best smell, drink from a tulip glass - it makes all the difference!)
TASTE:
Mugsy: Very subtle spiciness (again nutmeg) combined with robust malt and slightly bitter hops. Very sweet aftertaste, maybe of honey and raisins combined with that of a little bit of alcohol.
Jugsy: Don't be fooled by the sweet smell. This is a dark and bitter beer. Roasted malts are the predominant flavor, followed by a citrusy grapefruit taste. There's a spice in there I didn't smell... cloves, perhaps? Definitely a sour yeast flavor as well. The aftertaste does carry a sweet bread flavor, though!
MOUTHFEEL:
Mugsy: Incredible! I don't think I've ever had a beer this smooth & creamy. It's almost like egg nog! While it goes down a just a little watery, I still can't say enough about the creaminess. Almost like drinking an ale mixed with Irish cream liqueur. Wow!
Jugsy: Moderately creamy. Goes down very smoothly. Despite its complex flavors, the beer feels light. Carbonation and spices combine to create an unmistakable bite. Leaves a bitter, yeasty coating on the tongue.
DRINKABILITY:
Mugsy: While the sweetness & creaminess would lend itself to wanting to drink this all night in front of the X-mas tree, the 9% ABV says otherwise. Mind you, I haven't eaten in a good 6 hours, but after just half a glass, I'm REALLY in the holiday spirit! This one should be handled carefully.
Jugsy: I would say that the Affligem Noël is a very drinkable Winter brew. At 9% ABV, it most certainly is not a session beer, unless your "session"involves getting toasty with a loved one, at home in front of the fireplace. Luckily, that happens to be exactly my definition!
OVERALL:
Mugsy: If Jugsy ever turned to me & said, "You know, Mugsy, I'd love to drink a glass of cinnamon raisin bread!", I'd break out the Affligem Noël Christmas Ale. For such a strong, dark ale, this beer is suprisingly delicate. This would go well with holiday treats like fruitcakes (even the Jerky Boys kind) and other sweets. Perfect for tree-trimming parties, Hannukah parties, Kwanzaa parties and "it's too cold outside, let's get warm by drinking beer" parties. Would definitely buy again. Hope the holidays are extended this year.
Jugsy: This is one of those beers that I know is good. I can smell, taste and feel the quality of both the ingredients as well as the craft that went into making it. Unfortunately, it doesn't hit my personal favorite palate notes, so it's still a little difficult to get very enthusiastic. The Noël is a wonderfully complex, yet light tasting Ale with the requisite high ABV we've come to expect of our Belgians. I be this would go amazingly well with Grandma's fruitcake! 'Wish I had some now!
Score:
Mugsy: 8.70
Jugsy: 7
