Lost Abbey Gift of the Magi

Brewed by Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: Bière de Garde
San Marcos, California USA

I brought this one to the RB Pittsburgh Tasting, so I can out and say it..not a huge fan. The good look and palate will inflate the score a bit, but overall I would certainly never go out of my way to have another one of these. Pour was a dark gold, scent of orange and lemony funk. Rather restrained in the nose compared to the overly spicy taste.

Sampled from a 750 ml brown bottle this beer poured a murky tan-orange color with a trace of a white head. The aroma was spicy, tangy and tart with notes of orange and pepper. The flavor was very tart and tangy with notes of orange, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom. The finish was long, tangy, very spicy and a bit boozy. The spices really overwhelmed everything else that this beer had to offer. Disappointing.

(Bottle) Pours light hazy dark amber with a creamy, off-white head. Some red hints as well. The aroma is floral, herbal, spicy, resinous and wood-like with some sweet toast, caramel and almond paste to back it up. Light farmyard and wet earth funk. Pears, apples and mild blood grape alongside some canned fruits in the background. Ginger, coriander and goat cheese. The nose is quite malty/candi sugary with fresh minty overtones. The alcohol is maybe too present. The flavour is near medium sweet, light to medium bitter and light acidic. Tones of numbing spices like nutmeg and mild white pepper alongside bitter notes of flowers and herbs. Undertones of mild basement, mild barnyard, alcohol, bread, toast and sugar. Apricot and pear-like fruitiness is notable. The mouthfeel is the least enjoyable thing about this beer - bit creamy and round at first but too harsh and alcohol-clean on the finish. The aftertaste is minty, fruity and wood spicy with a clear note of alcohol. Medium bodied. One of the most one-dimensional Lost Abbey beers I have ever tried. Still a nice one.

Bottle of the ’08. Dark copper pour. Leathery aroma. Lots of spices in the flavor. This seems like it might improve with 2-3 more years in the bottle.

Thanks to pollo. Drank it at Coatepeque Lake with pollo and rcasta. Potent. Heavy bodied, mouthfeel of christmas flavors, spices, cinammon, and candy. Heart warming, and fulfilling.

gracias pollo en tu casa del lago con ramenen es bastante rica solo que un poco dulce. semana de agosto 2009

750ml bottle ’08 Vintage 8/5/09 (Courtesy of RSRIZZO)-Pours a clear orangish amber iwth a small loose off white head. Aroma of malt, yeast, fruity, tartness and some spices. Taste of fruit, malt, yeast, caramel, and a little spiciness. This medium bodied brew is very well balanced and quite tasty.

Pours a cloudy dark amber with a nice big bubbly white head. Aroma is quite fruity, with notes of pineapple, pear, apricot, and a bit of tartness; also some slightly darker and more robust malt qualities, but this aspect is more subtle. Sweet fruity flavor is maintained at the start of the flavor, but gradually shifts to a much more tart and bitter style closer to the finish. Much of the taste has evident alcohol, and this is the predominant trait of the palate for me. Very good biere de garde: just below the Jolly Pumpkin beer for my favorite in the style.