Gritty McDuff's Christmas Ale

Gritty's Gritty McDuff's Christmas Ale:

Nothing gritty about this smooth, dark brew. While not heavily spiced with tastes of the season (you know, cloves, cinnamon, dried fruit), Gritty McDuff's Christmas Ale would certainly be a prime candidate for sitting down with the Big Guy himself and getting into the groove of the season. The flavor is rich yet mellow, with a solid malt foundation. It reminds me of a traditional bock-style beer only with a slightly lighter body. Which, of course, lends itself more to some interesting "sessions" since this Holiday brew goes down pretty easy. A little too easy.

Actually, I am infinitely curious what this would taste like on tap. More than most brews I'm pondering how it would go -- would the draught be thinner and lose some of the its flavor, or would it be richer and gain a touch of body? I would prefer the latter, because a smidge more body would catapult this into another level. Unfortunately (very unfortunately), I don't have any trips to Portland on the docket anytime soon. If you're up that way, don't miss this groovy, easy-drinking beer.

- Like holiday beers in it's easy to see myself round a fire enjoying a winter's night kind of way.

- Unlike other holiday beers by the absence of in-your-face holiday spices.

Representation: .95
Accessibility: .99
Style: .95
Personal Preference: .975

Total: 3.865 Flags

[Read other Christmas Beer Reviews]

Gritty's Halloween Ale

Gritty's Halloween Ale:

This may be the only Halloween Ale I've ever had. Pumpkin brews are usually geared for the haunted holiday but this is NOT a pumpkin beer at all. Gritty's Halloween Ale is an Extra Special Bitter Ale with a pretty stable malty base and nifty bitter finish. The coppery color matches the aroma: kind of earthy and metallic with a tang at the end.

Gritty's Halloween has a light to medium body and an interesting flavor. There may be just a hint of caramel in ther, or perhaps vanilla. But it's not sweet at all. kind of like a cowtail candy without the sugar. I'm not sure that makes any sense.

You know, here's an interesting tidbit: I drank about half this beer from the bottle before pouring it into a pint glass. Truth be told, I prefer it from the bottle. The air from sipping gives it just a little lift. Definitely on the short list to bring to a Halloween party. The scary label and specificity of the title make it a no-brainer. But aside from that, it's an interesting selection because of the earthy undertones and bitter "snap" at the end.

I've been to Gritty McDuff's in Portland, Maine a few times now. It is certainly a worthwhile stop in a very lively and cool town. Awesome place to visit -- recommended highly by the Cabinet.

Gritty's Halloween Ale:

Representation: .90

Accessibility: .925

Style: .85

Personal Preference: .875

Total Score: 3.55 Flags