Day 3 of the 2nd Annual Advent-ure Calendar

Day 3: Deschutes Brewery Jubelale

This is another repeat from last year but no one is mad about it. Deschutes creates excellent brews, top notch in fact. They are probably in our top favorite breweries. With that being said, they tend to make beers that are on the hoppier side. Most people don’t associate Christmas beers with hoppiness but it can definitely work if done right. From their website: “Warm spiciness and tradition grace this bold winter ale. The deep garnet color pairs perfectly with holiday celebrations.

REFLECTIONS

Beard & Broad
Beard: A little on the maltier side, I love this beer for the holidays. Notes of caramel and toffee play nicely with the subtle spices. This exactly how I like my holidays beers: subtle, warming and alcohol(l)y (jolly).

Broad: I’m a little wine drunk right now. My senses are still out of whack due to my sickness. With that being said, this beer still tastes delicious. It reminds me of Holly Jolly and I feel like I can drink this all night long.

Adam & Alex
Adam: I get the toffee notes the bottle suggests at first sniff. I like this more than yesterday’s but it doesn’t really stand apart from other holiday spiced beers. I like the toffee and the subtle cocoa and I also like that they mention dried fruits in the description because I do get that a little. Unfortunately it finishes like a lot of holiday beers- molasses, cinnamon and ginger.

Alex: I can taste the toffee, which is a little different than normal. I can also taste spices, maybe cinnamon? I like this one more than yesterday’s beer, so it’s currently in second place for me.

Scott & CT
Scott: This beer has the classic Christmas beer spices, but none of the sweetness of a Holly Jolly. Bold flavor, a little bitter at first, but I’d get drunk off this.

CT: I really enjoyed this beer. It wasn’t very sweet, more robust and rich than the others we’ve sampled. I loved the bitter bite which surprised me because I am all for the sweeter ales. It’s perfect for a holiday spread and would pair well with a smoky cheese! Yum!

Louie & Jenny
Louie:This has a nice smell of chocolate and dried fruit when poured. It’s a bit hoppier than I like from a Christmas brew, but it leaves a warm feeling on a cold wintry day.

Jenny: I got full rich notes of a smoky caramel and a dark spiced aftertaste that lingered a bit longer than I’d like. It was good, maybe a little more hoppy for my liking. Overall, a good beer.