BridgePort Ebenezer Ale

Brewed by BridgePort Brewing (Gambrinus Company)
Style: English Strong Ale
Portland, Oregon USA

Pours a transparent ruby mahogany with a small, frothy, spotty-lacing light tan head. Aroma of lightly sweet caramely and grainy English malts with a touch of citrusy hops. Body starts with some foamy carbonation and piny hops toward a thinner, bittersweet finish with some earthy drier malts. An ok English strong ale, but could be a little sweeter.

I like this beer, especially today, on a balmy, rainy fall evening. Lovely color in the glass, fine-grained, unremarkable head - although it does stick around. Faint nose of roasted malts, seconded by sweet hops, a well-balanced mating that follows into the flavor and mouthfeel. No overwhelming sugars and spices, but this is definitely nice. A totally reasonable winter choice!

Picked up a single 12-oz bottle at the Papago Brewing Company tavern in Phoenix, AZ. Pours a semi-clear, dark copper amber brew with a creamy and thick off-white head that has some good retention and lacing. Aroma of dark caramel malt, some flowery hops, apple skin, and some pitted dark fruits. Taste is medium bodied, light carbonation with flavors of dry caramel malt, apple skin and some dried lemon zest. Finish has a dry bitter aftertaste with a caramel malt and apple skin aftertaste.

1997 bottle enjoyed in 2007 at Ezra’s barley wine gathering. Dark chestnut slightly ruby hue. Nicely retained (especially considering age) almond foamy head. Brown sugar, viscous nose and flavor. Dry, gripping. Nutty, earthy and dark fruits. Petey and grassy. Quite good.

12 oz bottle from Logan’s Pre-GABF party. Dark in color with nice head. Some dark fruit and almost barley wine like. Not too bad.

What is this? A Christmas ale, you say? Bah! Humbug! If I could work my will, every idiot who goes about with ’Merry Christmas’ on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. He should! What’s that you say? Free beer? Ah well, that is different. Lead on. The night is waning fast, and it is precious time to me, I know. Lead on, Spirit. Tis a fair-looking ale, I’ll warrant you that. As bright as the coppers in my pocket and crowned with a head as deep as the snow that blankets London streets. Come, let me breathe it in. A sweet concoction, without doubt. I smell toffee and a lick of boot polish. May I sup? Ah... Tis a Christmas ale, no question. Sticky toffee, dried apricots and a sprinkling of pudding spice. Quite light in body but with a long, slow burn in the swallow. Perhaps there is something to Christmas after all. Well, bless my soul! I never did know anything. But now I know that I don’t know anything! Can you forgive a pig-headed old fool with no eyes to see with and no ears to hear with all these years? A merry Christmas to you all. God bless us every one! (With apologies to Charles Dickens’ "A Christmas Carol". Bottle courtesy of the esteemed Linc at Ecze’s RB Sydney bash 2007)

Light brown with thin head. Mild aroma of sweet malts and molasses. Taste is toasted malt with a light earthy feel to it. Not as sweet as the aroma made me think it would be. Finishes with a nice bitterness. Pretty darn enjoyable. I could drink this all winter.

On draught at old Chicago - Kansas City., pours a clear dark brown with a thick tan head. Medium body with a clean dark malty flavor and even dry/sweet flavor balance. A slight caramel character with a dry finish. A very slight spiciness. Overall - very easy-drinking.