Dogfish Head - Faithfull Ale

Every once in a while we drink a random beer to break up the weeks a bit. Today it's Dogfish Head's Faithfull Ale purchased at Vintage Estates.

This is "a celebration of Pearl Jam's 20th anniversary as a band and their seminal album Ten - In recognition of these milestones this Belgian style golden ale is delicately hopped to 20 IBUs and fruit-forward from 10 incremental additions of black currants over the course of the one hour boil." Faithfull Ale is the third beer in the brewery's Music Series, following their Miles Davis-inspired Bitches Brew and their beer tribute to blues man Robert Johnson, Hellhound On My Ale. This is 7% ABV.

Overall average rating: 8.3/10

It pours a translucent Belgian blonde color that is partially unfiltered. We smell Belgian yeast and crystal malt. Chris thinks it smells kind of like a crayon. The taste is very subtle, with wheat, currant, and Belgian yeast (with a slight banana flavor).

Shawn- The flavor develops really well; every sip tastes better than the last, 9/10.

Angela- This is a really good Belgian-style beer. I'm glad Shawn finally decided to share it! 8.5/10.

Chris- This has a punch - it starts out mild, has a strong middle, and finishes mild. I enjoy the development, but it is too strong in one flavor, 7.5/10.

Hoppin' Frog - Frosted Frog Christmas Ale

Our seventeenth and final Christmas ale is Hoppin' Frog Frosted Frog Christmas Ale purchased at Vintage Estates.

"The essence of Christmas is captured in this very bottle you are holding. Perfectly blended spices compliment Frosted Frog's rich malt flavors, creating the ultimate Christmas experience. Celebrate the holidays as you savor this very special seasonal offering." It has 12 IBUs, 80.1°P, and is 8.6% ABV.

Overall average rating: 9.25/10

This beer pours a ruby red with a good carbonation. The first aroma to hit you and a "big boy" cinnamon and then nutmeg, honey, clove, and orange zest. The taste has the perfect amount of honey to counteract the cinnamon. We constructed a "Bell Curve" for this beer. You start slowly with the hop and orange, build to an intense cinnamon, and finish slowly with honey and nutmeg.

Shawn- "Honestly, I think I smell happiness," 9.25/10.

Angela- This is a smooth beer, spicy and yummy in both aroma and taste, I love it, 9.25/10.

Chris- This is fantastic. You can taste all of the flavors. I can't rate this a 10, but I also can't tell you what it needs to improve, 9.25/10.

Gouden Carolus - Noël

Our second to last Christmas ale is Gouden Carolus Noël purchased at Vintage Estates.

This Belgian beer is refermented in the bottle, and ours was specifically bottled on 09/23/09. "Gouden Carolus Noël was brewed exceptionally for Christmas by the Anker brewery, established in Mechelen since 1369, and is one of the classic Belgian breweries. This very specific Belgian ale is brewed using traditional methods and a recipe with top fermentation. It's high gravity gives this ale its warmth and body. It improves with age and will charm you with its warm, coppery colour and its rich bouquet." It is 10.5% ABV.

Overall average rating: 9.0/10

It is a cloudy copper reddish brown color with aromas of Belgian yeast, cherry, mint, and honey. The taste is a refreshing mint flavor.

Shawn- The mint give sit almost a medicinal finish that kills it a bit for me. They should have extracted the leaves earlier, although it is still well-balanaced with a great body, 9/10.
Angela- There are different flavors in this beer than what I'm used to in Christmas ales; the mint is unique. This is not something I personally could drink a lot of, 8.5/10.
Chris- This beer does so much from beginning to middle to end. The mint is unexpected but well-received, 9.5/10.

Tröegs - The Mad Elf Ale

"The Mad Elf, a jolly and delicious beer for the Holidays."

Our fifteenth (!!!) Christmas ale is Tröegs Mad Elf purchased at Vintage Estates.



"A cheerful concotion to warm your heart and enlighten your tongue. Fermented and aged with a spicy yeast, this ruby red beer delivers subtle cherries and enticing aromas." This is 11% ABV.

Overall average rating: 9.25/10

This pours a translucent red with sweet aromas of honey, cinnamon, cherry, and clove. The taste is cherry, honey, and slight alcohol, which is to be expected with this high of a percentage ABV. We all agree that this tastes better on tap.

Shawn- First of all, the Mad Elf is not your friend; drink responsibly. That being said, this is one of the best renditions of a Christmas Ale in the United States, in my opinion. You can taste the alcohol, but it's not overwhelming. It is truly a Christmas ale, 9.5/10.

Angela- This is one of my favorite Christmas ales, although it is uniquely flavored with the cherry added to the traditional Christmas spices. I look forward to this beer every year, 9/10.

Chris- I love this beer. It is my favorite American Christmas ale to drink every year. The way it unfolds on my palate is unlike other American Christmas ales, 9.75/10.

Thirsty Dog - 12 Dogs of Christmas Ale

Next is Thirsty Dog 12 Dogs of Christmas Ale purchased at Vintage Estates.

"The name sums up the idea of bringing the best together to celebrate. It is filled with seasonal flavors from generous amounts of toasted and caramel malts, mixed with equally generous amounts of honey, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. We feel it is the perfect libation, filled with flavors of the season." This is best served between 43-49°F, has 21.51 IBUs, 18.5°P, and is 8.3% ABV.

Overall average rating: 8.8/10

It is a clear light red amber color with aromas of ginger, honey, cinnamon, and clove. The taste is pretty much what we smell, with top and side tongue bites.

Shawn- I prefer this exponentially to Great Lakes Christmas Ale. This is delicious and pure and is smartly executed. I am a huge ginger fan, and it is good from the smell to the taste with a refreshing finish, 9.25/10.
Angela- This is a Christmas ale. It is spicy and drinkable, something I actually drank while baking the hundreds of Chistmas cookies I baked this year, 8.75/10.
Chris- This is a phenomenal beer, though I think the flavors could be developed a bit more, 8.5/10.

Breckenridge - Christmas Ale

"Plenty of good cheer - Good friends ever near."

We're nearing the end of our Christmas ale journey! Next up is Breckenridge Christmas Ale purchased at Havana House.

"The chill of a Colorado high-country winter calls for a beer with extra flavor and strength. Here it is. Our holiday seasonal is the fermented equivalent of a good fire." This has 22 IBUs and is 7.4% ABV.

Overall average rating: 6.5/10

This is a slightly cloudy red amber beer that smells of burnt sugar. The taste is thinner than most Christmas ales, with a side tongue bite and a back of the tongue finish.

Shawn- This has good drinkability, but it doesn't hit true Christmas notes. Sweet ≠ Christmas, 6.5/10.
Angela- This is thin but drinkable. It doesn't remind me of a Christmas ale, but it is decent, 6.5/10.
Chris- I could drink this year round, but it's not much of a Christmas ale. My lower rating is based on style representation, 6.5/10.

Three Floyds - Alpha Klaus Christmas Porter

"It's not normal."

Our twelfth Christmas Ale is Three Floyds Alpha Klaus Christmas Porter purchased at Vintage Estates.

"Alpha Klaus is Alpha King [their flagship beer]'s festive cousin. A big American Christmas Porter brewed with English chocolate malt, Mexican sugar and of course, tons of strange American hops. Cheers!" It has 38 IBUs and is 6% ABV.

Overall average rating: 7.0/10

This pours black with a long-lasting mocha head. The aroma is "citrus hoppy as shit," says Shawn. There is also a slight wheat scent. There is a front tongue bite with a slight back and side tongue finish. We also taste something sweet we assume to be a cinnamon/Mexican sugar combination and not honey because it's a light sweetness.

Shawn- This beer follows the Three Floyds style well with a slight Christmas interpretation, 7.5/10.
Angela- This isn't "porter" enough for me, although it's not a bad beer. There is just enough hop in it, however, for me to not particularly like it, 6.5/10.
Chris- The taste is not as hoppy as the smell, but it tastes more like a barleywine than a porter, 7/10.