Back Road Christmas Ale 2004

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

Thanks to BBB63 for this one! Wasn’t entirely certain what kind of beer this would be when I opened it, delighted to find a good stout! Poured a thick black, short lived dark tan head. Aroma was of roast and molasses. Flavor matched, with the sweet molasses cutting nicely through the slight tang of roast. Very enjoyable, with a slight treacle note as well.

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

Bottle. Wow. Smokey and meaty. Reminds me of spiced smoked pork. Very, very rich and spicy like BBQ pork. Good amount of sweet, spice, and smoke. Interesting, but I don’t think that this is an impy.

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.

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.

dark black pour with no head....chocolate and coffee aroma with a strong smell of sugars...smooth and crisp palate; flavor was that of a wonderful sweet stout...much chocolate and coffee

bottle from BBB63, pours a thick jet black with a nice layer of creamy coffee colored head. aroma is chocolate and burnt. flavor is exactly the same, with more and more chocolates coming through as the beer warmed a little. amazingly smooth mouthfeel, and just a perfectly sweet aftertaste. saying thanks to mike just doesnt seem like enough after yet another awesome brew.

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.