Beer of the Weekend #176: Breckenridge Christmas Ale
My nightcap is Breckenridge Christmas Ale, brewed by the Breckenridge Brewery of Denver, Colorado.
With a name like Breckenridge, you’d think the brewery was located in Breckenridge, Colorado. But no. The town’s name is apparently whored, and I do not have a problem with it. In fact, I think it is very fitting. The only time I was ever in Breckenridge was in 1995 on a family trip; I thought it was a tourist trap. In high school, the rich kids would return from winter break wearing sweatshirts from exotic ski resort towns in the Rockies (to show off where they had been), and some of them wore Breckenridge gear. Whenever I saw one I always thought of my visit as a kid and ground my teeth.
Serving type: One 12-ounce bottle. No freshness date on the bottle.
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is a very sexy and enticing caramel brown with copper tones. Two fingers of off-white head developed and dissipated slowly, leaving a nice Brussels lacing along the inside of the glass and a thick foamy cap.
Smell: There is an immediate scent of caramel malts, which I assume is the backbone of the beer. However, it is then overpowered by a strong aroma of pale ale/grapefruit citrus and winter spices. After that come roasted caramel and chocolate malts and some dark fruits, mostly cherry.
Taste: Spicy and hoppy, but not overpowering. The grapefruit citrus comes first, reminding me of pale ale. It is very subtle and allows the malt backbone to come through: caramel, chocolate, toffee, and perhaps a little coffee. The flavor is also lightly spiced to give it a slight festive kick, but I cannot pin down the exact spices. The cherry from the smell is also present, but is only a minor player.
Drinkability: A very good beer. I like how it was not excessively hoppy or spicy, but offered just enough bitterness and kick to keep it respectable. It is an excellent alternative to the “hop bombs” released for the winter holiday season.
Fun facts about BCA:
-Style: BA classifies it as a Winter Warmer:
-Price: $1.79/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 7.4 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends dessert, poultry, and game.
-This is, I believe, the first brew from Breck that I have given a proper review. Fittingly, I have decided to use my Breck pint glass, which was the first I ever owned. I bought it one night in the fall of 200_. Breck offers a number of other tempting brews, including an oatmeal stout, so be expecting a review for that one this winter.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
With a name like Breckenridge, you’d think the brewery was located in Breckenridge, Colorado. But no. The town’s name is apparently whored, and I do not have a problem with it. In fact, I think it is very fitting. The only time I was ever in Breckenridge was in 1995 on a family trip; I thought it was a tourist trap. In high school, the rich kids would return from winter break wearing sweatshirts from exotic ski resort towns in the Rockies (to show off where they had been), and some of them wore Breckenridge gear. Whenever I saw one I always thought of my visit as a kid and ground my teeth.
Serving type: One 12-ounce bottle. No freshness date on the bottle.
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is a very sexy and enticing caramel brown with copper tones. Two fingers of off-white head developed and dissipated slowly, leaving a nice Brussels lacing along the inside of the glass and a thick foamy cap.
Smell: There is an immediate scent of caramel malts, which I assume is the backbone of the beer. However, it is then overpowered by a strong aroma of pale ale/grapefruit citrus and winter spices. After that come roasted caramel and chocolate malts and some dark fruits, mostly cherry.
Taste: Spicy and hoppy, but not overpowering. The grapefruit citrus comes first, reminding me of pale ale. It is very subtle and allows the malt backbone to come through: caramel, chocolate, toffee, and perhaps a little coffee. The flavor is also lightly spiced to give it a slight festive kick, but I cannot pin down the exact spices. The cherry from the smell is also present, but is only a minor player.
Drinkability: A very good beer. I like how it was not excessively hoppy or spicy, but offered just enough bitterness and kick to keep it respectable. It is an excellent alternative to the “hop bombs” released for the winter holiday season.
Fun facts about BCA:
-Style: BA classifies it as a Winter Warmer:
These malty sweet offerings tend to be a favorite winter seasonal. Big malt presence, both in flavor and body. The color ranges from brownish reds to nearly pitch black. Hop bitterness is generally low, leveled and balanced, but hop character can be pronounced. Alcohol warmth is not uncommon.
Many English versions contain no spices, though some brewers of spiced winter seasonal ales will slap "Winter Warmer" on the label. Those that are spiced, tend to follow the "wassail" tradition of blending robust ales with mixed spices, before hops became the chief "spice" in beer. American varieties many have a larger presences of hops both in bitterness and flavor.
-Price: $1.79/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 7.4 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends dessert, poultry, and game.
-This is, I believe, the first brew from Breck that I have given a proper review. Fittingly, I have decided to use my Breck pint glass, which was the first I ever owned. I bought it one night in the fall of 200_. Breck offers a number of other tempting brews, including an oatmeal stout, so be expecting a review for that one this winter.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
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