Abita Christmas Ale

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

2006 bottle - clear copper with a dense manila colored head. the aroma is lightly toasted grain very lagerish (vienna). No spice noticeable. The flavor is also lightly nutty malty, hints of caramel, a good bit of hop bite. Sticky medium astringent body. Pretty mediocre.

2006 bottle..silver label...reddish brown body with medium off-white head..aroma of grass, pine needles, grain, and light toast..flavor profile of pine needles, grass, stone, and light strawberry (which is something i hardly ever pick up)..average palate

I don’t know what it is about christmas beers that attract me, but I feel obligated to try them. I’ll try to clean them up today.
2006 bottle. All silver label. Clear copper with a huge head. Fair lacing. Definitely NOT a spice/vegetable. Smelled of toasted nuts and malts, and earthy hops. Fairly sweet taste. Light to medium body. Moderate sweet and light bitter taste. A bit thin.

Bottle best by 16 Apr 07. Poured a reddish brown with a fizzy off-white head. The aroma started with sweet chocolate but quickly changed to grainy bread. The flavor was malty but somewhat subdued so had to pin point. Light body and slightly watery.

Bottle is labeled 09/2003. Sour malt and grain smell all over this thing. Moldy grains and moss, rotting wood, etc. Boring and plain, which is probably better than tasting like it smells. Has a red hue.

12 oz bottle, no date, silver label, from Bello Vino in Ann Arbor, MI (December 2006). Given the price and the fact that there was only one of these, sort of hiding on a low shelf, and that the label is peeling easily, I’m betting this is rather old. Still, it pours nicely into the Corsendonk Christmas Ale glass, very clear amber with a decent off-white (quickly dying) head.....faint ginger-licorice spiciness, a bit nutty, overall fairly weak and dull aroma....extremely weak and watery on the tongue, just a bit of brown ale-like nuttiness, old dessicated caramel perhaps, and a bit of dried lemon.....this is definitely past its prime but I don’t really have any confidence that a new bottle would be any fresher....spiciness is certainly muted to almost nothing in this bottle, whether from age or the recipe from whatever year’s model this is, I can’t say.

12 oz bottle of 2006 version. Pours to a beautiful, bright, deep amber color, with a soapy, tan head that fades, and a good bit of carbonation. The nose on this beer is inviting, with aromas of light toast, nuts, and caramel. The palate is lean, with some light toffee, toasty, and light nutty malt flavor. Abita Christmas Ale finishes with more toffee, toasty, and nutty flavor up front, then ends with some grassy hop bitterenes to balance the sweetness of this beer. All and all a tasty, malty ale, but not the most impressive of the Christmas beers out there. I could detect no spice notes in nose, palate, or finish, so I don’t think Abita spiced this year’s version. Nice easy drinking Christmas Ale, one you could enjoy a few of.

bottle courtesy of dirtymike, thanks! Pours a deep hazy brown with a small off white head. Aroma of lightly oxidized caramel malt, bready yeast, toffee, and light chocolate. Taste is the same, smooth finish. Carbonation is light but apparent.