Day 11 of the 7th Annual Holiday Beer Advent-ure Calendar
Day 11: West Side Brewing Holiday Ale
West Side is actually making its second appearance on the calendar, the first one being in 2019. We don’t remember the beer at all from the first go around, so let’s see how this southern Ohio swill stands up to the rest of the pack. The description on West Side’s website states “…a deep amber ale thanks to the use of three crystal malts, this festive brew has layered malt sweetness, a touch of fruitiness from Galaxy hops, and cheery holiday aroma thanks to cinnamon, ginger, and sweet orange peel. Instead of fruitcake, give your loved ones a growler of our Holiday Ale this year.”
Reflections
Ben: Ehhhh, I’m not really a fan of this. I don’t get a whole lot of cinnamon or ginger, I do get the slight citrus bite from the orange peel though. It’s just a little unbalanced, and pretty bland, and definitely does not stand out against other spiced beers.
Julia: Nope, don’t like this one bit. It smells metallic-y and tastes metallic-y too. It tastes super old and a tad flat. I will say it tastes like a very old Christmas ale so at least it has those flavors. I get notes of classic Christmas ale spices. I wish it was crisper and maybe had some citrus flavors or something else. I would try again but I’d be a little skeptical
Adam: Balanced but boring | bit o cinnamon | fairly drinkable | a Cincinnati (see: lesser) version of Great Lakes
Alex: West Side Brewing’s Holiday Ale is your pretty standard holiday beer. I don’t really have any complaints about it, but nothing wows me about it either. I can taste mostly cinnamon. It’s an easy to drink beer, and I would drink it if offered, but won’t actively be looking for it.
Scott: The West Side Brewing Holiday Ale is the most crushable holiday ale, that still tastes like a Christmas beer, that I’ve ever had. It’s super light, but malty, and no harsh or bitter taste to me. The only negative is I could use a touch more sweetness, but I guess a sugar-rimmed glass would solve that problem easily. Great stuff from Cincinnati.
Christa: Hooray!! A Cincy beer. I’ve loved everything I’ve gotten to try from West Side Brewing, and this beer is no exception. It’s incredibly light, probably the lightest we’ve tried up until now and I appreciate this change. It’s not overly sweet, in fact I’d like a touch more citrus and sugar. All in all, a great beer to add to the list. Not that you asked but I also recommend their juicy IPA and Belgian Tripel if you’re out shopping!
Tony: I don’t recognize this brewery but it’s another one from Ohio which is always fun to try. The beer is ok. It has a very interesting, vibrant amber color and thick foam. This one has more fruitiness to it than other holiday beers, specifically orange peel which seems to be an ingredient growing in popularity with more of the holiday beers. I think I might just be a little over the orange peel right now but other than that it’s fine. It doesn’t stand out, the can design is just ok and the flavor is just ok also. Theres more interesting things to try from the calendar.
Megan: When I smell this I get malts and spices but I also get a sense of fruitiness as the can calls out. It seems like it has a slight hoppiness but it’s not overpowering. Because of that blend and the hops, I’m not sure if this would resonate so much with me but I could see others enjoying this at a holiday party. I also like that this is an Ohio beer!
Brad: It’s fine. I actually don’t quite taste anything at all but yet it still leaves a strange after taste. I kept drinking it waiting for something to break through and I couldn’t. I honestly can’t say I don’t like this beer because nothing is causing me to cringe. Maybe I’ll have another just in case.
Heather: Uninspired can design, but that’s just me being a judgy B. But then the taste kinda reinforces that first impression — super boring without a lot of flavor. Bummer. I always *want* to like Ohio beers, but there are so many good ones and this just doesn’t stack up. I’m actually shocked it’s a 6.4% brew because I honestly can’t taste much booze at all. I’ll probably forget this one exists.