Day 6 of the 3rd Annual Advent-ure Calendar
Day 6: Avery Brewing Co. Old Jubilation Ale
We didn’t remember seeing this around in years past, but we’re huge fans of Avery so we snagged this right when we saw it. The scene on this can is something right out of a holiday Hummel village. It definitely makes us want to open it on Christmas morning. From their website: “Our winter strong ale has a gorgeous mahogany hue, a hint of hazelnuts, and a finish reminiscent of mocha and toffee. No spices, just a perfect blend of five specialty malts.”
REFLECTIONS
Beard & Broad
Beard: I really wanted to like this because I’m such a fan of this brewery but I just wasn’t into it. I think it’s because the beer was a bit oxidized, it had a metallic characteristic to it that was rather off putting. Aside from that it had a real nice balance between the hop and malt profiles. Going to seek out a can that I know is fresh to gather a better opinion.
Broad: This tastes like a strong and I normally don’t like strong ales because they tend to be boozey and syrupy. This one is pretty good but I’d still only like to drink one of these. I taste some toffee and hazelnuts but also a lot of malts and we all know how I feel about super malty things . The good thing about it is that it’s warm and reminds me of winter.
Adam & Alex
Adam: I was nervous when the description said no spices just a balance of 5 Malts because when malts go wrong beers are bad. But this is very good. I get the hazelnut and mocha and In fact I’d like to pair this with a cold brew and a stout please. (Points at mouth like uncle Lewis) THIS BEER IS A BLESSSSSSING.
Alex: This is similar to the last beer, but tastes much better in my opinion. It lacks the syrupy taste/texture that the Alaskan one had, which is a win in my book. I can taste the mocha more than anything else, and it tastes like Christmas even though there are no signature holiday spices.
Scott & Christa
Scott: Likely not named after the lamest X-Men, Old Jubilation Ale is a really pleasant winter ale that I’m happy to recommend to anyone (except for Jubilee fans, worst superhero ever). It’s smooth and slightly nutty but not overly flavorful. It’s a very solid brew that I feel will rank somewhere in the middle of the pack.
Christa: Now this is a Christmas beer! It’s similar to Cleveland’s very own (and all time best) Great Lake’s Christmas Ale. It has a pleasant nutty aroma I love the taste of this beer, I can’t believe there aren’t any spices, just a blend of malts. I am getting mocha and hazelnut with each sip but don’t worry, this beer doesn’t taste too sweet or too syrupy. It’s definitely a beer I’ll be trying again!
Tony & Megan
Tony: The can says its brewed with rocky mountain water which is pretty damn cool (pun INtended 😉). But seriously I do like this one. Its not heavy on the holiday spices, in fact there aren’t any it says, yet it still has a holiday beer flavor in my opinion. You get a nutty, coffee, chocolate and slightly hoppy flavor thats nice and robust but still smooth and almost creamy. This is a solid winter ale in my opinion.
Megan: Creamy aromas of hazelnut and mocha balance the taste of hops and malty goodness. As the description indicates, it’s not spicy and it’s not overly sweet either. I could easily drink this while baking (or eating) cookies and catching up with family.