Back Road Christmas Ale 2004

Formerly brewed at Back Road Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
LaPorte, Indiana USA

A black beer with a disappearing chocolate brown head. The aroma is sweet roasty with notes of chocolate. The flavor is sweet roasted and slightly sour with notes of chocolate. The end is dry and the body is nice.

Shared at the 12/18/04 Wisconsin gathering courtesy of BBB63: Pours with a dark oily opaqueness with a thin light tan head. Aroma is a subtle blend of light caramel and molasses with a touch of roasted malt. Sweet, almost bock-like flavor has some milky lactose maltiness to it. A very interesting and enjoyable brew from Back Road. Thanks Mike!

Bottled: Brown colourd. Brown dense head. Chocolate, fruit, sweetness in the aroma. Flavour is light hoppy, roasted and has some alcohol notes. Ends on a fruity bitterness with a light alcohol touch on the lips. Nice one: Thanks BBB63 for sending this in my secret santa package.

Bottle thanks to BBB63. I see ike has certainly spread the wealth with this one. Near black with a thin lid of small tan bubbles. Acid coffee, dark chocolate, dark currants and unripe berries in the aroma. Thicker and smooth on the tongue. Earthy dark malt sweetness starts the trip that seems to have a thin coat of tar. White pepper and a touch grain are ground aside the path. Mild bit oaf acid thins this one out and also seems to have a touch of oak. The step child to PP Santa’s Little Helper.

Thanks to BBB63 for this. I love surprises. I write fondly about them all the time. I thought this one was the same as the Back Road 2003 x-mas ale. My apologies, Mike. Pours obsidian with small tan head (which makes sense due to the high ABV). Aroma of malt, big chocoff and fruit, slight cognac., some licorice, slight phenol. Tastes malty, with some chocoff and fruity esters. Some spice is apparent at the finish, along with a milky lacticity, and a cherry tart hint. A bit like the Bell’s Cherry Stout and Lancaster Milk Stout. Well hidden alcohol, and a dry finish. Nice complexity and balance.

This pours black as night with no head and a nice lacing. The aroma has vanilla, cinnamon and carrots. The taste is vanilla and roasted cashews with a bready finish. There are also some light cherries hiding in the background. The aftertaste has cocoa. Thanks for sharing, BBB63.

Bottle of this just released brew: Opaque with a small fading head and some lace, light oily covering as well. The aroma has a lot of milk chocolate and vanilla character, fig, smoke, coffee, hazelnut, earthy yeast esters, some phenols, and a hint of pepper. The taste starts with a bittersweet mocha and coffee kick. Lactic sourness and fruity twang also detected. A smoky, burnt malt undertone runs throughout the drink. Nutty and moderate bitter finish. The feel is oily but lively enough, still a bit thin for the ABV. This still tastes young and is one of the few beers that could use some brief aging. Overall, it pretty good and I’m not disappointed. Let’s see what others think over the next few weeks...

A pitch black beer with a medium brown head. Dry roasted aroma. Roast and coffee flavor. Tasty and full-bodied. Good one!