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2018 Holiday Season Brew Review

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The retro-den and underground lounge is decorated and full of Christmas cheer! Here are the results from the seasonal review.
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N'ice Chouffe-Belgian ale
Brasserie D'Achouffe, Belgium

A perfect, festive pour with great color and character. Your nose is greeted with a crisp winter aroma. A smooth, dark holiday Belgian ale with orange peel bitterness and perfect balance of holiday spice. Enjoy this brew throughout the season, when relaxing in front of a fire, listening to your favorite vinyl records, and admiring your lighted Christmas decor.

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Santa's Little Helper - imperial stout
Port Brewing Company-San Marcos, California

This beer has a very dark brown color with thick foamy head. With it's coffee like aroma, your taste buds are treated to deep roasted dark coffee flavor, lightly bitter dark cocoa, and a very light alcohol presence, but very smooth. The perfect after dinner beverage to accompany your favorite cake, pie, or cookie treats. Excellent choice that compliments any fruitcake!

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Festbier - marzen lager
Hofbrauhaus Freising, Bavaria, Germany

Pours a nice golden color with a hint of red, and a light lacy head. This lighter brew has good full bodied malty character, slightly dry with a nice light hop finish. This is a delicious, festive brew you can enjoy whilst trimming the tree, listening to Christmas tunes, and snacking on meat and cheese
hors d'oeuvres.

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Pere Noel Belgian Ale
Brouwerij Brasserie De Ranke, Belgium

A cloudy golden-amber brown color with a thick foamy head. It's a superb looking brew coming out of a festive bottle. The taste does not disappoint either. A variety of subtle flavors blended together to create a special Christmas treat. Orange peel, nutmeg, and other spices compliment a malty-bit-o-honey mouthfeel. It's the "joy of Christmas" in a bottle. Enjoy it with friends!

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White Devil Imperial white ale
Kuhnhenn Brewing Co.-Warren, Michigan

This Belgian strong ale pours a rich gold color, cloudy with a thick foamy head. It has a light, sweet orange flavor with a crisp orange zest bitter finish. Slightly malty and light on the pallet, but beware, it's a sipper! A great brew for your Winter enjoyment!


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3 Scrooges Winter Ale - aged in bourbon barrels
Griffin Claw Brewing Co.-Birmingham, Michigan

Fills the glass with a cloudy reddish brown and fills the air with the aroma of Christmas cheer! With it's tan, lacy head, you will be treated with malty caramel beginnings, followed by slightly sweet holiday spices of cloves and orange peel. It finished with pleasant light notes of woodsy bourbon. A smooth and easy brew for our enjoyment!


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Old Jubilation Ale
Avery Brewing Co.-Colorado

A dark ale with a thin head. A pleasant aroma with a mouthful of flavor. A festive brew with hints of chocolate, toffee, and raisins. Malty and smooth. A great beer for the season!


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Special Holiday Ale
Nogne O Brewery-Grimstad, Norway

Dark brown and cloudy with a light head. Excellent aroma of molasses and figs. Very Malty with a variety of flavors like; fig, chocolate, rasins, plum, and nuts. A very smooth blend with a sweet finish. The perfect choice for your Christmas day brew!


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Santa's Little Helper-Belgian Ale with spices
Mikkeller Brewery-Copenhagen, Denmark

A wonderful aroma full of Christmas scents. This dark, cloudy ale has a bold, thick flavor of hops, orange peel, and other spices with a malty finish. Well balanced with a bit of alcohol presence. A great choice for any of santa's little helpers.


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Shiner Holiday Cheer-Bavarian style dark wheat
Spoetzl Brewery-Shiner, Texas

Pours a dark reddish brown with a light lacy head. Has a fruity aroma. This brew of cheer has a peachy flavor with a hint of pecans. Malty and well balanced. This will bring a great finish to any meal. Strong on peach flavor but blends well. A great holiday choice while wrapping those gifts and listening to seasonal favorites!


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Little Saint Nick - cranberry gose
Roak Brewing Co.-Royal Oak, Michigan

This is a lighter, sweet and sour brew, more like a cross between wine cooler and beer. Has a wheat beer aroma with a bit of tart fruit. Light red with a fuzzy pink head, has a most festive look. A tart cranberry fruit flavor pinches the taste buds. While "not my bag", it would make a great dessert brew. Give one a try if in the mood for something different and less filling.


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Bad Elf Winter's Ale
Ridgeway Brewing-Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

This Bad Elf isn't really so bad. Mischievous maybe, but not bad. With it's light gold color, bubbly, lacy head, and slightly bitter aroma, this has a typical English ale flavor, with a special bitters flavor. Leaves you with a bit of grapefruit rind bitterness. Not so heavy and filling, enjoy this brew with friends over a nice cheese and sausage platter.


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Blitzen Festivous Ale
North Peak Brewing Co.-Traverse City & Dexter, Michigan

This annual favorite has been aged 1 year. It has a pleasant, slightly sweet aroma. The flavor is a mellow blend of seasonal spices with an orange peel bitterness. Has a malty character with a slightly sweet finish. Some of the flavor hints are that of bakers chocolate, raisins, and toffee. A great way to start the holiday season!


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