Day 21 of the 4th Annual Advent-ure Calendar
Day 21: Fat Head’s Brewery Holly Jolly Christmas Ale
This is number two from Fat Head’s and a classic. Our favorite part of the calendar is seeing how the classics hold up year to year and stack up against each other. Holly Jolly is “a festive spiced holiday ale with aromas and flavors of Christmas day. Sweet malt, ginger, honey and cinnamon spice. From our Jolly Fat Man to yours, Happy Holidays.”
Reflections
Beard & Broad
Beard: Ahhh, I’ve said it many times and I’ll say it many more: Fat Head’s just doesn’t make bad beer. We’ve had a lot of spiced beer this month and there’s many examples out there of doing it wrong, Fat Head’s does it very right. All of the spice notes are there, but in subdued form. I definitely taste honey, but it’s not cloying. Cinnamon is apparent but not overpowering. It’s a great beer that happens to be spiced but it’s not a spicy beer. Plus, it has just enough bitterness to remind you which brewery it came from. Always a winner in my book.
Broad: Oh gosh, this beer is just Christmas perfection. It has everything, the spices, the warmth, the deliciousness. This is always a personal favorite each year and often the first Christmas ale I drink. The spices are well balanced and you really don’t taste too much of any one spice or the honey. It’s also not very malty and not very sweet. I can easily (and I have) spend the night drinking these on the couch watching Christmas movies. You can’t go wrong with Holly Jolly.
Adam & Alex
Adam: Dear holly jolly, you are exceptional. Honey, ginger, maltiness, and spices all come together for a perfectly balanced warming beer. This is routinely in our fridge from thanksgiving through the new year and I never tire of it. Fat heads never lets us down when we go on brewery adventures and it’s no different at home on the couch in front of a fire. A Perfect beer to pair with Love Actually and a good cry.
Alex: Fathead’s Holly Jolly is one of my all time favorite holiday beers. It’s usually one of the first ones we grab when the season starts. I can taste the cinnamon, ginger and honey. I agree with Adam that they feel perfectly balanced and is very easy to drink. This will obviously remain a member of our holiday beer canon.
Scott & Christa
Scott: Holly Mother f’n Jolly. I love this beer. I’ve always loved this beer which I think I made clear in last year’s tasting. It’s got sweetness, bite, warmth and tons of flavor. The three kings of Christmas beer were always Great Lakes, Thirsty Dog and this one and it continues to hold that ranking. There’s not much more to say than pour me another!
Christa: The holliest of jollies, the jolliest of hollies. This is my favorite Christmas beer. It’s the beer Scott made me try when I said (gasp) I didn’t think I liked Great Lakes. I’ve since changed my tune but this will always be my first love. From the subtle bite of ginger to the sweet pinch of cinnamon, this beer hits all the high notes. I feel like the batches get better every year which is exciting since I’ll be drinking it until I am a withered old lady.
Tony & Megan
Tony: Save the neck for me Clark! Really like this one. Its malty, spicey, a little hoppy, and has a slightly bitter finish. Really well balanced. Some of the last few beers on this list were described as being a little thin and lacking depth of flavor. I feel like this one brings us back on track. Nice depth of flavor with a spicey, holiday feel. Two thumbs up 👍👍🍻
Megan: The can says this is a great beer to spice up the holidays and that couldn’t be truer. I get a lot of spices and some honey. It has a hint of bitterness but I really like the balance of sweet, bitter and spicy. I really like this one!!