 dmtroyer (409), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Jan 14, 2009 Draft at CBW. I was happy to have tried this. Poured a lovely, bubbly dark amber. Aroma was thin, some roasted and sweet malt with a hint of spice and caramel. Body followed very closely with some mint thrown in for good measure. A bit soft on the palate but hid the alcohol well.
miketd (679), Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Dec 26, 2008 Draft at Church brew. Pours dark brown, small head. Aroma is ginger, caramel, grain and grass. Flavor is spices up front with a touch of hops at the end. Somewhat weak body. Decent.
MrBunn (1520), Western, Pennsylvania, USA
Dec 14, 2008 On tap in the Church. Body is a cloudy and tawny brown with a thin tan head. Big aromas of dark fruit and brown sugar foreshadow the flavor that is to come... fig and raisin, brown sugar and spice all come together to make this pretty nice stuff. ABV is 8 % this year, and it was present and pleasant. This is pretty dark compared to the other bieres de garde that I have tried. It is very full flavored and a little bit sticky sweet. I probably should have taken a growler home.
zebracakes (1214), Washington DC, USA
Dec 13, 2008 Tasted at the CBW 12.12.08. I finally got to try some. Last year I missed the last of this beer by hours. Thus batch is 8% alcohol, opaque ruby caramel, off white head. Aroma is dried fruits, and some malty sweetness, hints of caramel. Flavor is tangy, but not tart, fruity, malty, doughy. Not super complex, but nicely blended.
cheapdark (2011), Monacatootha, Pennsylvania, USA
Nov 30, 2008 Church Brew Biers de Noel: S5L3F1T4O6: Brownish, but this dark atmosphere at the CBW makes it difficult to see. Has a somewhat fruity note in the smell, perhaps with some metallic olfactory in there. Woooooh, first taste is a rather alky impression but it seems to numb up the old taste buds and the alky-ness goes away until the next slug. Is a little hot IMHO and att 8%, I guess it is difficult to hide the hotness. Very little, if any carbonation. Stronger on the taste buds than I expected. A little too much for this lager lover. Medicinal at the times and relatively mouth coating. Finish is quite lingering alky. Strongest tasting Beire de garde I ever had.
Beerman6686 (1264), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Jan 14, 2008 Appearance is a dark brown murky color. Aroma mainly of spices and a hint of alcohol. Fruity and spicy flavor, but the alcohol comes through a bit too much. Also a bit thin.
Derek881 (486), Frederick, Maryland, USA
Dec 16, 2007 Sampled on tap at the brewery, served in a snifter glass. Appeared a dark, cloudy brown color with a foamy off-white head with good retention. Nice aroma of raisins, maybe some prunes, and a light hop background. Crisp fruity-bitter taste, with some sweetness. A dry but somewhat creamy beer, with a nice alcohol finish. Great seasonal selection, and the best of the beers I sampled on my visit.
weeare138 (933), Collegeville, Pennsylvania, USA
Jan 7, 2007 Thanks to hopdog for breaking open this growler...
Appears a transparent, copper toned amber with a medium white head that quickly fades out into a small film. Scattered streaks of lacing is left around the glass.
Smell is of brown sugar, raisins, caramel, figs, yeast, breadiness, prunes, and a mild hopping.
Taste is of figs, raisins, brown sugar, and sugary, yeasty bread.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, sugary, along with light syrup, and yeasty bread.
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