Back Road Christmas Ale 2007

Formerly brewed at Back Road Brewery
Style: American Dark Lager
LaPorte, Indiana USA

Thanks to Mike for bringing this! After I ripped part of the glass off with the cap, this poured deep brown with a short, looser cap of tan head. The aroma found some odd summer sausage upfront, which faded almost completely when this aired out.. sweeter chocolates and caramel emerged after the sausage.. sweet and decent, but there was a touch too much smoke in here for my liking. Lots of smoked malts in the flavor department along with lesser chocolate and caramel.. a touch of darker fruit on the back along with herbal bitterness.. spices, herbs, and smoke on the finish.. the smoked malts were better balanced in the flavor than the aroma. Medium-bodied and lightly toasty on the palate with decent balance. I’d drink this again.

dark black pour w/ a brown head and some lace. Smoky aroma of roast malts fades quickly... reminds me of a light smoked beer. Avg pal. Flavor is sweet chocolate, coccoa powder w/ touches of that dry bitterness a warm swallow and a touch of overroast/smoke. Pretty nice.

Bottle, courtesy of BBB63. Black with tan edges and no head. Light chocolate, a tinge of roast, yeasty with a touch of sourness in the nose. Interesting - flavor has notes of caramel, chocolate, bitter charcoal, light (non-infected) sourness, raisin and earthy hop character. Somewhat astringent. Pretty sweet, some alcohol presence detected. Medium bodied, smooth texture with mild carbonation.

Poured from a 12oz bottle and served in a Back Road shaker. This beer poured an oily, dark brown hue with a thin, dark tan head that faded away rather quickly. A fair amount of sticky lacing was left around the glass. The aroma of the beer was made up of chocolate, prunes, mild fruity esthers, and also a bit of lager yeast. The flavor consisted of prunes, dark malts, sticky sweet caramel, and some light smoke. The mouthfeel was full-bodied and slightly sticky with very mild carbonation. Big and easy to drink. Very tasty! This was the first vintage of Back Road’s Christmas Ales that I have had the pleasure of trying, and I can’t wait to have 2008. Well done.

(12oz bottle, thank BBB63) Small tan head atop brown-black body. Aroma is medium sweet, chocolate, caramel, smoke. Taste is moderately sweet, milk chocolate/caramel, light smoke. Smooth medium body, light syrup.

Thanks BBB63. Bottle. Pours dark, brown, small tan head. Spicy aroma, roasty, chocolate, sweet. A bit more robust that most schwarzbiers, but still has a bit of bitterness from the roasted malts.

12oz bottle, courtesy of BBB63. Thanks, Mike! Pours a murky, dark brown color; light tan, medium-bubbled head. Some dark roastiness and fruitiness and cola in the aroma. Medium, chalky mouthfeel with relaxed carbonation: chocolate and cocoa and some dried fruits, but a little bit messy. Medium, dry chocolate and cocoa in the finish.

Thanks to Mike for this. Dark black color. Aroma has hints of olives and some smoke. Very sweet, fruity flavor. Body was a bit sticky.