Goose Island certainly wasn't the first brewery to craft a Christmas beer. However, the Chicago brewery's Christmas Ale is the first I remember drinking -- the Christmas after I turned 21, of course -- and it's what comes to mind when I think of Christmas beer.
It's a tough act to follow, though most of the beers I've had over the last 50 days have done a good job at measuring up. The styles weren't all the same -- there's been everything from witbiers to stouts -- but they've all had some (however small) winter theme to them.
This season's Christmas Ale (the recipe and ingredients vary slightly from year to year) is a stong, brown ale with a hoppy aroma with hints of caramelized sugar. It's a good looking beer too; A fizzy tan head sits atop the root-beer colored body.
The beer starts out with that traditional caramel malt taste before the hops kick in and add a slightly bitter finish. The alcohol, a relatively modest 5.6 percent, adds a nice warming sensation. Delicious as always.
Cheers, everyone. Thanks for reading. And Merry Christmas!
