Back Road Christmas Ale 2008

Formerly brewed at Back Road Brewery
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
LaPorte, Indiana USA

Name: Christmas Ale
Date: March 28, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party
Vintage: 2008
Appearance: opaque brown, wispy tan head, bits of lace
Aroma: sweet chocolate and caramel aroma
Body: big creamy body
Flavor: rich chocolate flavor, lots of caramel sweetness, light smokeyness
Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.6/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10

(22oz bottle, thanks BBB63) Small beige head atop red-black body. Aroma is moderately sweet, chocolate, roast/smoke, light coffee. Taste is medium sweet, chocolate, smoke/roast. Low carbonation, medium-full body, smooth.

Bottle shared by argo0: Pours a barely transparent dark mahogany with a thin stringy-lacing off-white head. Aroma of sweet dark caramel and chocolate with a hint of black cherry and earthy smoky oak. Body starts with good viscosity and rich, oily sweet dark chocolate and licorice notes with a lot of fresh oak and a touch of coffee. Finishes smooth and hides its alcohol well. An enjoyable strong porter.

Pours dark brown with a tan head. Smells roasty with some spicy elements. Tastes of roasted malt, some chocolate, molasses, some spicy elements. Vegetal finish.

12-oz bottle from Pat’s Liquors in Porter, Indiana: This pours an intensely dark, opaque brown body with a tan head and loads of lace. It has a smokehouse aroma over strong coffee, bittersweet chocolate, and chewy dark malt. The flavor brings out some piney hops that mesh fairly well. There is a burning charred bitterness that grows as the drink goes on, getting a bit annoying near the finish of the glass. Over all, a pretty decent brew.

Bottle ala BBB83. Near black with a small tan ring of bubbles. Meaty, light smoke aromas. Hints of chocolate in the background as well. Pale and toasted malt flavors start and lead to an earthy smoke flavor in the middle. Some oak, dark chocolate and dark fruit lie underneath. Dry finish and a touch of iodine, akin to a single malt scotch. Another brew that would be great to have while grilling/smoking.

From one of those fancy wax covered bottles and served in my big ole Tripel Karmeliet tulip. (I opened one at the brewery but was too busy yapping to take notes). Pitch black with a fading beige head which left spotty lace upon the glassware. The nose has a wonderful combination of smoked and chocolate malts, grassy hops, oak, mineral water, prune and dare I say... Cloudberry (okay I know no Cloudberry is in the beer but damn it, I smelled some anyhow). The taste is spot on for what is expected with lots of charred and mocha overtones over a layer of dark fruit and dry clean oak. Gets a bit grainy in midsection before racing off towards the ashy and oily finish. A stunning brew, Chuck seems to have mastered these smoked dark beers... now I am still waiting for the re-release of the black IPA. This is more than do in the meantime. Me hopes those getting some as gifts enjoy this as well.

Thanks to Mike for bringing this! Poured near black with a creamy cap of beige head. The aroma picked up sweet black patent malts and chocolate with complementary smoke action.. just decadent, picking up cocoa right on the back. The flavor was just as good with semi-sweet chocolate, caramel, and lighter coffee at the core with moderate roast all around.. charred smoke and coffee bitterness around the edges.. finished with even more chocolate and smoke. Medium-plus bodied with spicy, lingering bitterness intricately intertwined with the rich malts.. great brew!