Schlafly Christmas Ale
A warming winter ale that blends the spices of the season with sweet caramel malt. Orange peel, juniper berries, ginger root, cardamom and cloves are added to spiciness.
3.4
268 reviews
St. Louis, United States
Community reviews
Bottle - average size foamy head, nice Amber color, definite winter spice aroma and flavor (cinnamon like/clove), good malt backbone, good overall
Pours a clear golden brown on tap with dissipating off-white head that leaves moderate lace. Aroma of Christmas spice and nuts. Taste follows: ginger, all spice, clove. Thinner, but booze well hidden, soft carbonation, decent Christmas beer.
Poured out of a 12 oz bottle in a Sam Adams glass.
Aroma is very sweet with notes of cinnamon and ginger.
Appearance is a dark reddish brown.
Taste hits with a malty sweetness right off the bat. A very nice mix of spices quickly puts the malts in the backseat of this beer’s experience. Cinnamon, ginger, and allspice come through as the dominant taste in this brew. Others have mentioned gingerbread, and something similar to gingerbread does catch an end note for this beer, but it is not the prominent flavor.
Palate: Would appeal to a wide variety of craft beer drinkers I believe. Not a strong hop presence, but that isn’t a key part of this style. The balance of malt and spices is well put together in this beer without the need for a strong blast from any hop varieties. Hop heads should find satisfaction elsewhere.
Overall; this beer is a solid Christmas Ale that I would drink again given the chance.
On tap. Well balanced. Dark Amber color. Slightly Cloudy. Slightly malty with average carbonation.
Very nice flavor in this Christmas ale. Nice brown copper in color and a festive taste with very mild spice. Very easy going
4 oz pour on draft at Spacebar. Clear amber with beige head. Aromas of cinnamon, caramel, spices, light biscuit. Tastes of malt, caramel, spices, brown sugar. Medium body with a dry finish.
It’s malty, solid, not bad. It has a good, sweet character. Some spice. Not too heavy but good alcohol that’s masked very well. A good winter ale that I would consider sessionable around the holidays.
12 ounce bottle. Pours a deep rich copper color. Small creamy khaki head. Aroma is chock full of Yuletide spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cardamom. Sweet caramel malt with nice complex spice and alcohol warmth. Floral hops are subdued but welcomed. Notes of butterscotch and holiday spice rack. I rather liked this one.
Bottle:
Pours slightly reddish-brown with a small tan head.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel scent....very spicy.
Sweet caramel malt, spicy orange-peel, clove taste.
Just on the verge of being overblown with the spicing.....the cinnamon is almost gritty...Finishes with a slight grain alcohol note and strong holiday spices...Pretty good, but not one I’d pick repeatedly.
Bottle. Excellent holiday seasonal. Murky amber - brown pour with a smallish white head. Lots of nutmeg, fig, cardamom, clove, hint of citrus. Yummy.
Banana, ginger, and clove nose. Clear rust, thin yellow head. Clove, fig, cardamom. Medium body, well carbonated. Nice, and holds up well.
Bottle at home. Pours a brown amber with a thin tan head. Aroma is spices with cardamom and cloves very prominent. Also cinnamon. I hate Christmas beers and this was no exception. The spices just overwhelm this. Nasty. And I generally love Schlafly, but this is just yucky.
From tap. Pours clear golden deep amber with a small off white head. Aroma is spiced. Nutmeg and cinnamon like. Vague butterish. Toasted malty. Caramelish. Sweet finish. Not my thing.
Bright aroma of berries, ginger, cloves and everything else in the description. Like a Christmas cookie. Pours a brilliant brown color with an off white medium sized head of foam. Tastes like the Christmas cookie spice from the aroma, hops, sweet malt and orange peel. Palate is terrible; I don’t know why it has to be so watery. This is interesting but I don’t know if I will be seeking it out again.
Looks and smells like a Christmas fruitcake. Pours dark with a nice head and decent lacing. Creamy mouth feel, slight alcohol on finish. Pretty good job of hiding 8% ABV. Nice drink around holidays
Bottle. Pours copper brown with a small beige head. Aroma was sweet with caramel, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and light toffee. Flavor was malty sweet with caramel, cloves, cinnamon, toffee, orange peel and some light fruit. A decent xmas brew.
ginger, clove, amber, clear, white foam, medium sweetness, lightly bitter, spicy, medium body, average carbonation, finishes with a light hop bite that doesn’t quite overpower the malt.
12oz bottle into a tulip.
Pours a very dark brown with abundant carbonation leading to a long-lasting head with plenty of lacing on the sides of the glass.
Aroma at first strikes me as soapy but farther along there is some cinnamon and clove along with honey. Maybe just a light touch of pine. All of it is a bit light, though.
The flavor closely resembles the nose with the spices equally light. Cinnamon and clove once again dominate but they just don’t really have any staying power. Gingerbread seems to be a lingering quality with a silky and spritzy mouthfeel. Thankfully the sweetness is held in check with just a brief shot of alcohol towards the finish.
Overall, a very standard Christmas ale that is pretty drinkable. For me, though, I prefer something a bit heartier that packs a bigger punch in this style.
On tap at Old Line Bistro in Beltsville Maryland. A pint glass, appearance is a dark ruby with a moderate frothy tan head. Aroma is sweet with complex smells of cinnamon, caramel, apple, and cloves. Taste is similar as aroma and goes down sour. I usually don't like these types of fruity-ish beers but this is good.
Received 6 pack as gift. Not a bad one either. Nose is a little heavy on the nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon but not overpowering. Pour is Dark Amber with a light tan head. Taste is of nutmeg, caramel and malt. Finish of winter spices and fruits. Pretty good beer.
Pours a deep, clear, copper in color with a medium beige head. The aroma has a holiday feel to it, with lots of cinnamon and spices, clove, ginger, nutmeg, and caramel. Taste is malty and still very Christmasy. It is a bit sweet. Its big on cinnamon, with gingerbread flavors standing out as well. Lesser impressions include clove, caramel, and cherry. Holiday spiciness is noticed throughout as well. The aftertaste is a short cinnamon and cherry. Medium bodied, a thicker texture, while average in carbonation. The alcohol content is really masked well here. I really enjoyed this one. This is easily one of the better Christmas beers that you will find.
Growler fill
APPEARANCE – great copper color, nice bright white head & powerful lacing.
NOSE - slight hint of spice to it. Not overpowering.
FLAVOR - lightly malty, good indiscernible spice.
NOTES - thoroughly enjoyable winter warmer style beer.
Translucent dark brown pour. Allspice, plums, and sweet malt on the nose. Nice carbonation. Spice and warming alcohol presence. A pleasant Christmas beer
Purchased at Bottles and Cans in Chicago, IL; enjoyed at home on a frigid November night prior to making some food. Appearance is a dark ruby with a moderate frothy tan head. Aroma is potent and sweet with cinnamon, caramel, apple, clove, lot going on with this. Taste goes down with a light sour, definite sweetness, overall pretty smooth. Good stuff.
From a bottle...nondescript aroma. Beer is overloaded with holiday spices and a malt backbone. Not really my thing but, for an 8%, still easy to drink.
Bottled. Dark maroon pour. Cinnamon allspice and cloves with malty fruity finish. Appropriately seasonal.
12 oz. bottled 10/28/2013. A nice ring of cream plus a thin film lingers on top of the lightly hazy, deep copper body that has just a tinge of red. Aroma is at first clove and spicy banana, then some dark dried fruit, toffee, cherry and mildly soured orange. Taste is big clove, dried apple, cherry and dates. Sourish, peppery citrus zest with some mild leafy/woody hops on the finish. Medium body is to the sweet side but the spice provides an astringency that mostly balances. Medium carbonation is mostly smooth and there’s only a nice hint of the abv showing. Very interesting brew with lots going on at times, but ultimately it’s a bit much with the spices (clove, ginger, turmeric and the like) for my tastes.
Bottle @ RBSG Grand Tasting. Vintage 2007. Pours an amber color with a small off-white head. Has a fruity malty spicy caramel aroma. Fruity malty spicy caramel flavor. Has a fruity malty spicy caramel finish.
Bottle @ RBSG 2014 Grand Tasting. Amber pour with a khaki head. Nose is heavy on the nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon. A bit of sweet yam casserole. Toasted malt and caramel, too. Flavor has somewhat of a spiciness to it, light tang, and plenty of sweetness. Reminds me of sweet potatoes with pineapple. Nutmeg, cinnamon, and a touch of vanilla. Too much sugar.
Consumed Dec. 2013. Pours a dark amber with moderate head, diminishing. Definitely spices infused through the finish. Nice to sip on a few, but just not my thing. I will say most who tasted enjoyed this beer.