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Christmas Ale

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A rich, copper-colored, hearty ale with a malty sweetness and a spicy hop character; five different malts build the full flavor, and two Pacific Northwest hop varieties give a spicy bitterness and a flowery hop bouquet. It was the brewery's first seasonal, first brewed in November 1995, and the single batch sold out within ten days. Bronze at the 1998 World Beer Cup; available October to December.

ABV
7.5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter24 IBU
Herbal, floral bitterness
SRM
deep amber15
PaceSipper

AWARDS

Bronze · 1998
World Beer Cup
Strong Ale
★Bronze — World Beer Cup (Strong Ale)
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
maltyspicy hopfloral
malty
spicy hop
floral
hoppy
caramel
Aroma
The nose leads with spice and floral notes from the Pacific Northwest hops, mingling with rich Malz character built from five different grain varieties.
not found:juicy,roasted,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Christmas Ale

◎ Appearance

A copper-hued ale with a burnished amber glow and good clarity. The head forms densely and clings to the glass walls with persistent lacing. Carbonation appears moderate and well-integrated, supporting a composed presentation throughout the pour.

copper-ambercleardense headpersistent lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with spice and floral notes from the Pacific Northwest hops, mingling with rich Malz character built from five different grain varieties. Underneath lies a warm, slightly honeyed sweetness that suggests caramel depths without becoming cloying. A subtle alcoholic warmth rounds out the bouquet.

spiced hopsfloralmalty richnesshoneyed warmth

◐ Taste

Entry is full and malty, with pronounced sweetness balanced against assertive spicy-bitter hop character. The mid-palate swells with caramel notes and a solid grain foundation, while the two hop varieties deliver steady floral bitterness that builds toward the swallow. The body remains smooth and vollmundig despite the 7.5% alcohol presence.

malty-sweet entryspicy-bitter hopscaramelfull-bodied

◑ Finish

The finish is long and dry, with lingering bitterness and a subtle boozy warmth that speaks to the beer's age-worthiness. Hop spice and floral notes persist in the aftertaste, gradually fading into a pleasant, slightly warming dryness.

dry finishlingering spicewarming
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
83
Appearance
80
Finish
79
Serve at 12–16°C

Serve at 12–16°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Christmas Ale

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About Old Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Old Ale?

Old Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Old Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same malty, spicy-hop, rich character as Christmas Ale will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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