United Nations of Beer

Father Johns Christmas ale

by Steve LaRue
(Beer Delegate, UT, USA)

Father John's Christmas ale
Howe Sound Inn & Brewing Company

As much as i tried I was unable to find a local Christmas seasonal. There are lots of draft seasonals at my local pubs, but none with a Christmas theme.

I tried to find the 2007 Sierra Nevada Celebration at my local 'State Store' so I could do sort of a vertical tasting, but they were all sold out.

Thus, I had to plunder my cellar again and came up with a Howe Sound Inn & Brewing Company's Father John's Christmas Ale 2000 (8% ABV).

Served from a one liter swing top bottle at cellar temperature.

This beer pours a deep copper/orange color and has a lot of very fine bubbles that produce an extremely dense rocky head that is lasting forever.

It is filtered and clear and even after seven years, there are no lees in the bottle.

The lable lists as ingredients: malt, yeast, hops, molasses, honey, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.

As I don't recall trying this beer fresh I am just guessing that if there were any aromas of cinnamon and nutmeg that they have mellowed over time. The primary aroma now is of lightly toasted malt and maybe just a hint of honey.

The flavor is very smooth and creamy and is not bitter or alcoholic at all. The spices that have been added to this beer have almost completely disappeared, but not in a bad way. I am thinking that they have mellowed and merged into an incredible toasted malt and butterscotch flavor.

After sitting in the glass during my tasting, the alcohol is starting to make an appearance both in the aroma and flavor.

This is a very fine beer and after trying this one I am inclined to let my other bottle sit until its 10th anniversary. Joyeaux Noel!