Abita Christmas Ale

Brewed by Abita Brewing Company
Style: Amber Ale
Covington, Louisiana USA

This beer has a nice hop flower aroma and taste. The color is a bit plain, being a clear amber with no bubbles. It’s a bitter brew resembling an IPA.

Tap Barcade:An amber beer, with a thin of white head. The aroma has a mild clove presence, an earl-grey tea character, and some caramel in the back somewhere. Light bodied, with some mild caramel in the background and a mild citrus presence. The spice character is weak, with only a light suggestion of clove, which is followed by a slightly metallic bitter finish. Nothing great, but not offensively bad either.

Poured a clear orange/amber color that had decent size creamy off-white head that lasted for a while. Aroma is malty, citrusy, and also of hops. The flavor was hoppier than expected. Malty up front with hop bitterness in the end. Decent mouthfeel with medium carbonation. Okay beer.

2007 version. Clear maroon colors with a touch of ruby. Aroma of mild permanent hair treatment. Taste is medium mild hoppy with traces of alky in the background. Reminds me of many APAs. Some odd veggie or spice tastes that cannot be identified. Medium carbonation. Leaves a rather unique aftertaste that hangs for a while after the session. Probably would not purchase again.

12 oz bottle purchased at Spirits. Pours a clear orange/amber with an average siez creamy off white head. Aroma of citrus fruit, chocolate malts, nutts and biscuit. Light bodied with a watery feel and mild crbonation. Bunt flavor of chocolate and oranges. Once again an oh so average Christmas ale, but still wrolds better then the watery summer special brews that make me cringe.

Not a bad S/H/V. Not very tasty, but very drinkable. Aroma was pine, wood and a little bit of hops. Pour was a dark brown with a thin one finger off white head. Taste was a little bland in the beginning, with pine and spices coming out as it warms. Aftertaste of wood and a bit of hops. Decent carbonation but just not flavorful enough to be great.

12 oz that has a shiny silver label, I assume this is the 2007 version. Medium-sized and lasting head on this uncloudy, dark copper-brown beer. Aroma is spicy wood and slight cocoa. Flavor is unsweetened cocoa, toasted nut, dried wood, fruity and piney hops, and some unidentified dry-earthy herb-spice(s). The hops combine with the subtle spice to give a nice bitter-fruit, deep woody finish to this beer. Palate is almost medium bodied, smooth and dry. Haven’t had the previous versions, but this year’s is unique and flavorful.

Okay, maybe I give them an emotional rating because of good memories, but this is a nice little change for Abita. Spicy, piney, not overly hoppy. Decent drink.