I braved the frigid 70 degree Austin weather to procure this seasonal brew. The long and arduous walk to the store took an entire five minutes. For the record: To avoid hyperbole, it was only uphill one way. Guess “they” fixed that since my Grandfather was around.

The pour into the pilsner was nice and even. This particular ale had a caramel brown tint to it, which was pleasant to the eye. I took a big whiff to discover a sweet yet earthy smell. The first taste of this holiday treat assaulted my tongue with a dash of spice. It has undertones of earth and the finish is bitter that lasts a medium length of time.

This is a decent winter ale, but has about as much Christmas as Walmart did in 2005. I rate it an 81.