Hoppy Hoppy Claus Holiday Ale

Brewed by Hoppy Brewing Company
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Sacramento, California USA

Name: Hoppy Claws Holiday Ale
Date: December 03, 2006
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting
Appearance: muddy dark amber, wispy beige head
Aroma: fresh floral hop aroma on a dark spiced malt base with a hint of fruit
Flavor: chocolate and roasted malt flavor obscured by a rich blend of spices, lots of bitter allspice
Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 13/20
Rating: 3.3/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: **+/4

(GABF05) Clear straw body with off-white head. Aroma is medium sweet, orange, Belgian spice, floral, very fruity. Taste is moderately sweet, orange, grapefruit, light nutmeg. Ligt-medium body, some resin in the finish. (8/3/7/4/15)

2000 version: This was my favorite beer at the 2001 GABF (admittedly, i stuck to beers i hadn’t tried before). sweet and hoppy, with alcohol warmth seeping into the flavor. rich malty aroma, even though my sense of smell wasn’t at peak levels when i found this beer. great palate, and nice bittersweet aftertaste. too bad they don’t ship this one east! (8/5/9/5/18)

(Bottle) Pours a clear copper body with a small off-white head. Aroma of nutmeg, cinnamon, caramel, florals, and fruitiness. Flavor of hops, peppery, and cinnamon with a somewhat bitter finish. Okay, but hard to finish a 22oz bottle.

22oz bottle-pours a foamy light tan head and amber/copper color. Aroma is medium malt-toffee, spice-cinnamon, nutmeg. Taste is spice, medium malt-toffee, some earthy. OK carbonation. Thanks to Stevo for sharing.

Amber, clear topped by a solid off-white head that is mostly lasting. Sweet and yeasty upfront, presenting meringue and pomegranate notes. Hard to pick up spices that are actually not all that upfront, possibly ginger and nutmeg, not quite the exotic spices I was expecting from the commercial description. They leave a slightly biting sensation as the pie-like yeastiness fades with a watery sensation. Light bodied, fair carbonation.

GABF 2004: Pours a clear darkish copper with a thin off-white head. Aroma is rich, complex and well-spiced with notes of cinnamon and nutmeg supported by crystal malts. Body has a nice subtle maltiness and some dry caramel and a spiced finish. A nice holiday beer, but nothing too exciting.

Bottle shared by puzzl. Deep amber-orange beer with a thin yellowish-beige head. Lots of cinnamon, allspice and ginger on the nose. Sweet and slightly malty on the back. It’s very pumpkin beer like with some sweet spiciness and a lingering gingery character. Kind of simple with an earthy hoppiness. As it warms, more malty sweetness comes out along with the peppery alcohol.

Rich aroma of spice and malt. Deep coppery amber color with a not longlasting head which demonstrates a small amount of lacing. It’s beginning to smell a lot like Xmas. Starts with those spicy things like nutmeg, probably allspice, and a gingery tingle. Substantial mouth feel. Creamy, yes, but not exactly smooth. Every sip is a fresh expression of spice. And it’s spice that goes well with the ale concept. Imagine anybody doing this with a lager (challenge issued to Boston Beer; Fezziwig isn’t it). The finish is reduced spice, some kind of vegetable, and that light tingle. Not sure there’s much hop in here, but whatever it is works.