Old Jubilation Ale (Avery Brewing Company)

Avery Brewing Company has been a "staple" shall we say of breweries that we consistently like.  While I (Lily) admit a small bias to liking Avery beer after studying at the University of Colorado, Avery keeps proving to us that their beer should just always be in the fridge.  Now that Thanksgiving has passed, and I am willing to listen to the 24/7 Christmas Carol radio station, I thought it would be appropriate to try some more Christmas ales.

In a pint glass the beer looks quite sophisticated with its deep mahogany color.  There's not a particularly strong aroma to it, but the taste is nice and malty.  There is a hint of bitterness to the flavor also, but it only gives the beer more character.  The flavor is smooth and would definitely stand up to stronger flavors.  The aftertaste is subtle and won't linger in your mouth for too long.  It was a relief to drink this beer after having attempted to drink the beer from the previous blog post.

I (Gene) probably wouldn't go out of my way to get this one - as I will to get some more Great Lakes Christmas Ale before the season is over - but I'd be happy to have this in colder weather.  It'd probably be great with a book by the fireplace.

Rating:  3.0
8.3% ABV

He'brew Jewbilation Sweet Sixteen (Schmaltz Brewing Company)

We're usually fans of the He'brew line of beers from Schmaltz. When we saw Jewbilation in the vicinity of other beers - such as Old Jubilation by Avery - we assumed it was a Christmas beer and grabbed it in order to study it for science.

Instead, this is simply an Anniversary Ale - a curiously-chosen sixteenth anniversary.  The beer advertises "16 malts, 16 hops, 16% alcohol by volume." Yes.  Sixteen percent.  Holy crap.

I (Gene) am usually a fan of strong beers, such as those from Lost Abbey.  But this is simply too much.  You can smell the malty, faintly chocolate beer as soon as you open the bottle.  When you take a sip, you will still be tasting an unpleasant malt aftertaste half a minute later.  That's aside from the sharp, pungent initial taste.  This is a lot like drinking hard alcohol, except that it's vile and you're drinking a pint of it.

Hmm...this would definitely be a committal beer (this is Lily).  I also don't care for it, although it would be handy to have around when that creepy guy in the bar is hitting on you and you need an excuse to exit the conversation.  I would probably say something to the effect of "Dear Lord, this beer is too much.  Sorry, gotta go.  If you want my number it's 867-5309."  I also like strong beer every once in a while - like Daisy Cutter, Arrogant Bastard, etc. but this is too much.  Then again, I'm a big supporter of the simpler the better.  So, needless to say this beer won't have me coming back for more.  I think I'll stick to their nut brown ale.

Rating:  1.0
16% ABV

Fistmas (Revolution Brewing)

Revolution Brewing Company is located in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago's near north side.  While the most well-known Chicago brewery is Goose Island (a subsidiary of Annheiser-Busch, with all of their bottled beers produced outside of Chicago nowadays), Revolution is quickly becoming one of our favorites.

Fistmas (all of their beers have a name that alludes to their fist logo) is a pleasant, very hoppy ale.  However, it doesn't seem particularly festive for the Christmas season - to me (Gene) it seems like more of a fall beer.  The closest comparisons that come to mind are Great Lakes Nosferatu and New Belgium Red Hoptoberfest.  I (Lily) enjoy this beer very much, and I think this Christmas Ale is somewhat close to the bieres de Noel of France.  However, I was hoping that this beer would have been a little more spiced, or different than just a hoppy beer.

Rating:  3.0
ABV:  6.1%

Christmas Ale (Great Lakes Brewing Company)

Great Lakes has a number of great seasonal beers to go with their year-round offerings.  The single most well-known of these is their Christmas Ale.  Stop into any bar in Cleveland between November and December and you'll find a large percentage of the bargoers drinking pints of the spiced ale from snifter glasses rimmed with cinnamon.

This Christmas Ale is pleasantly light (but don't get fooled by the high alcohol content).  It has a hint of bitterness, but nothing unappealing.  The overlying notes are ones of sweetness, honey, and spice.  This pairs well with the cinnamon that some enthusiasts use.

Outside of the Cleveland area, you'll find this on draft once in a blue moon during the appropriate season, and you might find it at some liquor stores that specialize in craft beer.  If you do, don't hesitate to pick up a six pack or two - and don't let it sit in the fridge forever; it's famous for only lasting a couple months due to the honey in it.

Rating: 4.0
ABV: 7.5%

Double Milk Stout (Southern Tier Brewing Company)

After a hiatus from beer blogging, we're back!  We picked up this Double Milk Stout by Southern Tier Brewing Company in a mixed 6 pack from Binny's.  Southern Tier is based out of Lakewood, New York.

This milk stout is brewed with two varieties of hops and three types of malts.  It is a pleasant beer that brings everything a milk stout usually does.  It seems to be a little thinner than other milk stouts we have had before.  However, it still has a nice chocolatey and bold flavor that is not too overwhelming.  The aftertaste overstays its welcome a bit, but that's somewhat to be expected with stouts.

As with most beers of this nature, pairing this with subtle flavors would be a waste of food - but of course, overly-spicy food would be a waste of the beer.  Enjoy with red meats or by itself.

Rating: 3
7.5% ABV