Back Road Christmas Ale 2005

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

Bottle from BBB63. Pours black in color with a large rocky head that fades quickly to a ring and then disappears completely leaving scattered lacing about the glass. Deep roasted malt and subtle smoke pervade teh aroma. Medium bodied, smooth on the palate. Chocolate flavors blend with coffee notes. Slight smoke mixes quite nicely, never overbearing. Well made!!

Thanks to BBB63 for sharing this. Pours a very dark brown, nice sized medium brown head. Aroma is a coffee bar that allows smoking. Flavor is sweet, lots of chocolate, not much smoke. Smooth on the palate. Very nice.

Thanks for the gift Mike! This beer pours to a thick creamy beige head atop a dark black body. Nice lacing. Looks great. The aroma is very strong with mocha and dark chocolates. I get some sweet smoked wood as well. The flavor is a deep chocolate and smooth balanced smoke. Also noticeable are vanilla, coffee, and that rauchbier-ish flavor. This is a great beer. The palate is rich and sweet and chewy and lightly oily. Wow! Well done Back Road!

Milwaukee YEHa!05, brought by BBB63, but I’m rating the extra bottle (thanks Mike!) I brought home as I can contemplate this a bit more. Deep charcoal-brown body, medium creamy tan head. Smoked malt aroma with chocolate and toast as a backdrop. The smoke is up-front in the flavor, ahh, that hickory-smoked bacon, but there are layers of chocolate and toast beneath the smoke that balance it out quite nicely. The coffee is a bit strong in the aftertaste, but this is much superior to the Autumn Ale.

Tosa YeHa ala BBB63. Opaque brown color with a small lid of tan bubbles. Roasted and light smoked malt aromas. Coffee and smoke flavors are all over the place. Thick and somewhat chewy. The malt is somewhat lost in the middle, but does return late in the taste to help return it to a brew. Another coffee brew that a lot seem to enjoy much more than I do. Perhaps I just haven’t grasp this cup of joe as much as others.

Moderately thick pour and the darkest shade of brown possible, with dusty tan wisps serving as the head. Subtle smoky nose, along with melted semi-sweet chocolate morsels and brown sugar indoctrinated brown bread. Keep it coming. Hazelnut dust. Scratch n’ sniff chocolate scented stickers. I’d like a little more smoke in the nose, but it’s not worth bitching about. Flavorful indeed. The perfect marriage of jerky on a picnic plate (sans divider) sitting next to a chocolate brownie. Encompassing, concrete syrupy sense by means of melted dark chocolate that’s been secretly pumped with key contributions from crème de cacao and frangelico. Distant, background meanderings from French roast coffee grinds. Enjoyable indeed, all thanks to BBB63!

Chocolaty aroma with a subtle smoke aroma and a hint of butterscotch or bourbon. Smoke doesn’t stomp on the chocolate flavors at all. Dark brown with a thin, light brown head that sticks around. Smokey chocolate flavor with lots of malt complexity, very good! Medium body and oily texture that is very nice.

Bottle at Aaron and Kathy’s Holiday/YeHa Party on 12-3-05. Courtesy of BBB63. Opaque blackness. Small tan head. Nose is smoky and roasty with light tobacco, hint of coffee, dark choco notes, and a hint of caramel. Roasted malts, caramel, coffee, vanilla, smoke/ash, spices, molasses, dark chocolate, and some woody notes makes this a perfect beer. Body is full and mildly carbonated with a nice roundness about it. Finishes with more caramel, coffee, roasted malts, light hops, pleasant smokiness, bittersweet chocolate and light vanilla. Very nice stuff! Both Back Road beers were very impressive!