Day 7 of the 7th Annual Holiday Beer Advent-ure Calendar

Reflections

Ben: Ooof, this is a little heavy on the whiskey for me. I’m not generally a fan of anything aged in a whiskey barrel unless it’s a stout. I just don’t think there’s enough to this beer to stand up to the booze from the barrel. It’s very much on the sweeter side, but I’m pretty sure they were going for a sweeter beer to help balance the whiskey heat. I’d drink this on a cold Friday night in, slowly, but I think there’s better boozy holiday beers out there if that’s what you’re going for. 

Julia: I know I’ve had this before and can never remember if I like it. It’s certainly boozy but not overpowering. It definitely has some whiskey characteristics but the maltiness smooths it out. Yes, this is the one time I like a really malty beer! It does remind me of Christmas because it’s dark and warm. Do I want a whole one? Probably not. The half beer is more than enough for me. 

Adam: Boozy Almond Joy | a vacation napping beer | notes of the bourbon trail | make sure you have a driver 

Alex: Breckinridge Holidale tastes very boozy to me, which makes sense as it was aged in whiskey barrels. I would say it has notes of caramel and definitely has a taste of whiskey.

Scott: The Breckinridge Holidale is becoming a staple of this annual tradition. It’s on the maltier side of beers, with strong chocolate flavor and a slight hint of whiskey. It’s a much darker, heavier beer than I normally prefer and isn’t at the top of my favorites list. It’s a good detour from the train wreck that was beer 7, but I’m ready to move on to number 8!

Christa: Upon first sip, Breckenridge Holidale tastes like many other holiday ales. It’s sweet and crisp— I even get a bit of the biscuit notes the brewer promises. But, the aftertaste is very unpleasant to me. It actually tastes like something I can’t seem to place, something I don’t like apparently and no, it’s not whiskey. This one isn’t for me. I appreciate it’s uniqueness but in this case, I miss the traditional holiday ales we’re used to. 

Tony: Straight from a non-alcoholic beer to an 11%…..I guess it’s time to ramp this thing back up! It’s definitely boozy, you get that right away in both aroma and flavor. It’s dark in color and for me the lead flavor was vanilla followed by caramel, malt and a little spice. It’s strong, it’ll warm you up, and I liked this one. On a cold night with some snow outside this one will make you feel like you’re warmin’ up at a ski lodge. I remember having this one before and liking it, it’s worth a six pack pick up.

Megan: I remember liking this one from previous years. It’s a thick dark pour and smells malty and boozy. I get the vibe it would be well rounded in flavor. This should be a solid choice for any Christmas party you’ll attend this year! 

Brad: I love whiskey and I love beer, but for some reason, I just can’t get into beer aged in whiskey barrels. I want them separate. I don’t hate this beer, I actually found myself enjoying it more as I finished the bottle. It’s strong, smells of holiday spices and has a somewhat dry finish. I’m happy I got to try it and also happy I didn’t spend money on a full six pack. This is one of those holiday beers that would stick around in the back of my fridge and not notice it until July during a fridge clean out. 

Heather:  Damn it. I wanted to like this one because I usually love Breckenridge beers. But I really don’t like it. I swear I do enjoy beer — I feel like a total Debbie Downer this calendar round but I haven’t had many that strike me as really good. The Holidale is thick, the aroma is almost overwhelming, and the taste has a tang I’m not a fan of. It’s got the afterburn reminiscent of whiskey, but without the smooth sippin’. I gotta give it a pass.