Kern River Holiday Ale 2007

Brewed by Kern River Brewing
Style: American Strong Ale
Kernville, California USA

Dark amber colour. Plummy dark fruitiness but some some apricot in the nose alongside brown sugar and toffee. Mellow, soft malts and strong dark fruit notes. Well-balanced. I didn’t pick up any rye but I almost never do.

(22oz bottle, thanks kmweaver) Small off-white head with clear dark brown body. Aroma is medium sweet, herbal, some tea. Taste is medium sweet, herbal, some caramel, light apricot, earthy. Light-medium body.

22oz bottle acquired in trade with odeed (thanks!). Poured a deeper and slightly hazy amberish / brownish color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of citrus, caramel, tea, rye bread, and toasted grains. Tastes of caramel, citrus (oranges), rye bread, and a trace of spices.

Bottle… GIABMISGFAB … Burnt amber ale with an orange tint and a small, creamy, white head. Decent retention. Earthy, malty fragrances of toffee and wood. Full-bodied with medium carbonation. Sweet toffee infused with holiday spice. Finishes sweet and strong with a touch of vanilla. Bottle courtesy of mcbackus!

Bomber bottle from Irishboy and served in my Karmeliet big ole snifter: Brown with reddish highlight topped y a big foamy off-white head which left good lace upon the glassware. The aroma has notes of rye bread, caramel, walnut, pine nuts, fig, light molasses syrup, root beer soda, and a hint of peat moss. The taste is shockingly more bitter and displays raw toasted grains than expected. A bit of leafy piney qualities over a layer of heavy caramelized malt towards the spiced finish. Very rounded palate IMO. The mouth feel is sprite and biting with a chewy dry finish. There is enough depth here to challenge the harden ratebeerian, now only if the palate was a tad heavier this would really rock..

Bottle (22oz). Shared by blankboy with me, garthicus and GregClow. Clear ruby pour with an average creamy off-white head. Very dry aroma, reminded me of somewhat mouldy leaves - peppery, with a hing of funky yeast, while underlying it all nice sweet malt. The taste does seem a little thin, even stretched (possibly an tad old?) - seemed a bit like sweetened cold tea with funky yeast - still nice. No lack of carbonation, this is one had vigorous, astringency on the tongue, leaving a spicy dry aftertaste. Very good, my notes say "almost like a roasty, mild orval clone"

Tasted at the February Northern California Beer Tasting. This American Strong Ale pours a medium brown color from a 22oz bottle. Small to medium sized white foamy head. The aroma is brown sugar, malt and spices. A medium bodied ASA. The malts are caramel and sweet, lots of brown sugar and molasses. The hops are floral and earthy. Nice holiday beer. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and round. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

(22oz bottle) 2007 batch. Courtesy of IrishBoy of California. Pours a lasting, beige creamy foam head with a bronze body. Huge nose of figs. Really a surprise as many "Christmas Ales" are watery duds - this is very flavourful. Very chewy, good bitter orange hop base. Leafy, malt lingers. Liking this brew! 7/4/8/3/16