North By Northwest Holiday Ale

Brewed by North By Northwest Restaurant and Brewery
Style: English Strong Ale
Austin, Texas USA

Another good beer that with a bit of work would at least have me liking it perhaps far too much. Nice aroma and flavor, but a tad thin in body and fro my preferences, would benefit from a bit more malt "backbone". Other rhan that, easily quaffable as I polished off a 750 with ease.

Pour is warm golden with a thin dense off white head...smell is lightly toasty with some grain notes...taste is lightly citrus and bitter in the end but up front some sweet bready and dough notes...fizzy thin body...alcohol incredibly well hidden however...

Tap. The one I had claimed to be an English style barleywine. Had an iced-t colored body with a lasting film of bubbles. Nose-quite subdued, light malt extract. Taste-big ’ol dose of chocolate baking powder-chalky, light caranel (like soft caramel chews), almost woody but the chalkiness is all consuming and imposible to get past.

On tap in Austin while in town on business. Mostly brown with some orange and a little head. Aroma is somewhat light fruit, wheat and is fairly round and calm. It’s also spiced and with some bananna. Flavor is a bit sharp from hop bitterness. Wheat is present along with some spice. Decent fruit and a little underlying malt. Nice finish, though a little thin.

Had on tap at the brewpub in Austin. My choice of the sampler to have a full pint of. Pours a light amber color with a light tight, but persisitent white head. Aroma has some nice sugary sweet bubble gum accents with some fruity notes. Flavor has some notes reminiscent of a Belgian with that delectable cotton candy sugarness. Some yeasty notes as well. Overall, a decent after dinner treat and a good departure for a brewpub.

I agree with andrew on this one, definitely a far cry from the other beers at this place, and a little weak on the barleywine scale. Fortunately it is very drinkable.

Unlike any other beer you can get at this place. At nearly 10% abv, this beer is a departure from the hoppy, lighter beers you typically find here. Smelled rather fruity, grapes, yeast. Tasted like a weak barleywine with a pleasant bready malt finish. Not bad!