Day 20 of the 5th Annual Advent-ure Calendar

Day 20: Breckenridge Brewery Holidale

Breckenridge Brewery always offers really solid, tasty beers. This year we noticed a new holiday offering of theirs on the shelves. It looks like a boozy spin on their classic Christmas ale, so it has us equal parts intrigued, excited, and weary.  From the brewery: “We’ve added even more cheer to our cherished Christmas Ale. Aged in whiskey barrels, Holidale offers toasted biscuit notes complemented by soft caramel sweetness with hints of oak and whiskey that warms the spirit. A deep red in color, this strong specialty brew makes a coveted holiday gift for beer and whiskey lovers alike.”

Reflections

Beard & Broad
Beard: This is really interesting. I saw “Christmas Ale aged in whiskey barrels” and figured it was going to have to be a super spiced beer to hold up to the whiskey character, but alas, I was mistaken. Instead I was greeted by a very malty, rich beer with a graham cracker like finish. I’d love to see how one of these ages. Part of me thinks it would get oxidized to hell and taste like cardboard, but the other part thinks this may turn into an even more amazing toffee-like alcoholic dream. There is a slight alcohol burn in the finish, but nothing crazy. This deserves to be sipped from a snifter by a fire. Gonna buy more of this and put it in our creepy beer cellar.

Broad: To be honest, I was a little nervous to try this based on the description of “whiskey barrel aged.” Usually those beers tend to be too boozy for me. But this beer is so different, I really enjoy it. It’s lighter than I thought. It has an oaky taste with a hint of caramel. Don’t get me wrong, I can tell it’s a bit boozy but it’s not overwhelming. I did miss the regular Breckenridge Christmas ale in the lineup but I would enjoy one of these in my rotation.

Adam & Alex
Adam: (with a little help from Jon & Diane, his parents) It’s delicious! But it’s not a beer you would drink more than one of. It tastes like whiskey that you can drink. I don’t like shots of whiskey but I can drink this. It’s a sippin’ beer!

Alex: This smells like straight whiskey, which I do not mind. It also tastes like a light version of a whiskey, which I do not mind. I don’t think I’ve ever tried this before but I would definitely have another one, but probably only one, because holy booze.

Scott & Christa
Scott: The Breckenridge Holidale put me on a rollercoaster of emotions. First sip, I wasn’t crazy about it.  Second sip, I still didn’t know what to think. Third sip, I was all in for eternity for its cookie-tasting, malty flavor. It’s an interesting brew with a slight whiskey undertone and no bitterness. It’s so unique I’ll need to try this again!

Christa: Upon first sip, this tastes like a Christmas cookie. Sweet and delightful. And then, the subtle edge of whiskey. I love this beer. It’s different and a nice change this holiday. I’d definitely buy this again. It’s a great beer for that beer snob friend who hates everything, it’s got everything you’d need.

Tony & Megan
Tony: Megan picked up on the booziness right away when we smelled it. It’s aged in whiskey barrels so that might be a main contributor to that extra booziness. It has a dark caramely color. You get the extra booze in the taste as well with some elements of caramel, maltiness, and a touch of spice. It comes across pretty sweet as well. It’s interesting. At 10.5% you can have a good time with a couple of these but I wouldn’t say it’s among my favorites from a flavor standpoint.

Megan: Hmm I don’t know how I feel about this. I like Christmas ales and I like whiskey so why don’t I like this one? Maybe it’s just super boozy and the taste is so powerful. I think it’s honey but it’s just a little too much for me. This one didn’t really hit the mark. wahhh wahhh.

Brad & Heather
Brad: I love it. I’ve got the acquired taste of whiskey barrel beers and I love the boozy taste. If I get to ski Breck this year, I know what I’m buying après-ski! I’m not getting a ton of specific holiday flavor but that’s ok.

Heather: So flipping good. Breckenridge is a household favorite brewery, but I’ve never had this one. Love the subtle caramel-whiskey combo as a nice addition to the ale. I could literally drink this all night long, but at 10.5%, that probably isn’t the *best* idea. Eh, it’s the holidays, and you only YOLO once, amiright?
*disclaimer: Brad is 😡 because he coined the phrase “You only YOLO once.” Per Heather, please credit him when you see him out in public playing Taylor Dayne on the TouchTunes.
**disclaimer #2: Turns out this pairs SPECTACULARLY well with bacon 🥓