Day 8 of the 5th Annual Advent-ure Calendar

Day 8: Rhinegeist Dad Hoppy Holiday Ale

Ever since this beer hit the market a few years ago, it’s been a staple in our calendar. We love a beer with a good can and a fun description. From the brewery: “This Hoppy Red Ale sports a robust malt bill as ample and snug as a well worn flannel. Throwing on a pair of oversized sneakers that break all known fashion laws, Dad mows acres of dank, piney hops, uphill both ways in the snow. Keep it up—I’ll turn this can around.”

Reflections

Beard & Broad
Beard: Rhinegeist seems to make an endless supply of different beers, but this one’s been a seasonal constant. I enjoy me a good hoppy holiday ale, and this one’s…fine. It’s tough to make a good red ale. There’s a fine balance between the robust malts and crisp hops. Nothing about this really stands out to me. There’s no part of it that’s particularly bad, but it’s also not one that I’ll seek out each year. There’s better hoppy holiday ales out there, but I wouldn’t be upset if this is all someone had on hand.

Broad: Ah one of my favorite cans and favorite beer names. It’s hoppy and malty at the same time. I wish it was a bit hoppier than malty, but it’s not bad. Its super easy to drink but lacking a bit in flavor. I normally don’t gravitate towards red ales but this is one of the better ones I’ve had. I would not pick this as one of my top holiday ales but I would also drink it if offered to me.

Adam & Alex
Adam: Dad is, in a word, fine. It’s not great. It’s not bad. It’s a little hoppy but not memorably so. Its somewhat malty but, again, not in a good or bad way. It’s balanced, which i tend to enjoy, but not in a special way. It’s a red ale which makes it different than most holiday beers but that’s really all that sets it apart. I would happily drink it if someone handed it to me and I would happily not pick it if it were in draft line up.

Alex: I feel like I normally don’t like red ales, but I enjoyed Dad this time around. I know we have had this in the lineup for a few years and I can’t remember if I liked it or not in prior years. It is a little hoppy and was very easy to drink, but I wasn’t able to pick out certain flavors. I feel like this is one I wouldn’t actively seek out, but I wouldn’t turn it down.

Scott & Christa
Scott: I love Dad! This beer has a sentimental meaning to me but is also just a really good tasting beer.  It’s not super holiday-tasting like the last few beers, but it’s become a tradition for us to keep this beer in our fridge every winter.

Christa: Ah, Dad. Such a great can. Such a great beer. It’s a malty red ale with subtle holiday notes like pine and a bit of citrus and a caramel finish. Much like a dad, it will never let you down.

Tony & Megan
Tony:  We’re not driving all the way out here so you can get one of those stupid ties with the Santa Clause on it, are we Dad? Time for the annual Dad beer. I know we’ve had this one before but honestly couldn’t remember if I liked it or not. I do like it this year. Its a dark amber color with some nice maltiness and a little bit of piney-ness. You get some hoppiness as well which adds to the depth of flavor. Overall I enjoyed this one.

Megan:  Rhinegeist’s Dad is always a welcome stop on this festive journey. It’s got just the right amount of hops, malts and spices. The can compares the robust malt bill to a snug and well worn flannel and I don’t disagree. It’s very drinkable and fun!

Brad & Heather
Brad: Dad is a nice retreat away from the heavily spiced holiday beers I’ve been consuming. That said, it is also somewhat boring. I love the can and name. The color is nice and initial smells are solid, however, there just really isn’t anything in the beer that would make me itching to buy more. I did enjoy the mellow flavors but nothing stood out as an ingredient during consumption. As a Dad, I feel I am obligated to finish with a dad-joke. It’s a great joke, about construction, but I’m still working on it.

Heather: I wanted to like this one because the name and can made me laugh, but, alas, I don’t. Not my jam. At first it tasted pretty good but I’m not a fan of the aftertaste. It’s a subjective reasoning—I’m just not very into the malty, hoppy beers. I’m sure others who like that sort of thing would drink this in their dad pants and windbreakers and tell dad jokes that get even worse with each round.