Continuing with the Christmas/Holiday beer theme, I tried the 2009 edition of Christmas Ale from Goose Island Brewing Co. in Chicago. The base style for this beer is an American brown ale. The folks at Goose Island change the recipe slightly each year to make it interesting. Starting this year Goose Island is donating a portion of the profits from this beer to charity. Nice touch for the holiday season. Here’s my notes:

2009 Christmas Ale
Goose Island Brewing Co., Chicago, Illinois
Style: American Brown Ale
Serving Style: 22 oz. Bottle

Aroma: Nutty toffee malt with bright minty and apricot/tangerine hops. Hints of raisin. Smells of English yeast. Light alcohol.

Appearance: Chestnut brown and brilliantly clear. Full, off-white and persistent creamy head.

Flavor: Caramel, toffee, and brown sugar lead off, with toasted bread, nuts, and hints of chocolate rounding out the malt. The bitterness is moderately high, but balanced. Minty/herbal hop flavors. Nice tangerine citrus fruit. Whiffs of ginger spice and of cinnamon. Long lingering finish of bread and fruit.

Mouthfeel: Very drinkable. Medium body and medium carbonation. Slight alcohol warming.

Overall Impression: Wow! I really like this beer. Light and tasty, yet warming on a cold and snowy winter’s evening. Nice interplay of malt, hops and fruit. Balanced. Minty hops are cooling like a peppermint stick. Tangerines make this a festive Christmas candy. My burps tasted of tangerine. Nice