Score: 86/100 – Great
Appearance 6/6
The beer pours a clear deep copper (red highlights) with massive, frothy, creamy, tan head. Exceptional foam retention.
Aroma 22/24
Strong intensity with sweet balance. The aroma is rich and quite perfumy with a mix of esters, phenols, alcohol, and malt. The character has a holiday season vibe with the different components coming together very well. Complex and balanced nose.
Flavour 34/40
Follows the aroma with strong intensity, sweet balance, and pronounced perceived bitterness. There’s a slight metallic off-note but luckily it doesn’t interfere with the rest of the flavour too much. Big, boozy fruit notes pair well with darker malts and some candi sugar. Mild spice and no apparent hop character. Quite tasty!
Mouthfeel 8/10
Medium-light body with high carbonation. The mouthfeel is prickly with some slickness and a mouth-coating quality to it. Notable alcohol warming and a sweet finish. No astringency or harshness on the palate. A little bit thin for the type of beer it is.
Overall 16/20
This is a great beer even if the journey across an ocean is obvious. Slight thinness and a metallic off-note keep this from standing out. The origin is clear from how complex and balanced yet drinkable the beer is. If you haven’t tried this, give it a go – just make sure it warms up past 14 degrees Celsius as it really opens up by gaining temperature.
Beerfection | Craft Beer Reviews | Montreal, Canada 