Gritty McDuff’s Christmas Ale
Gritty McDuff’s Brewery in beautiful, independant, Porland, ME Christmas Ale pours a deep copper color. The pour is rich and hearty and the head was at first thick, but dissipated within 30 seconds. The beer is brewed with 4 different kinds of hops: Cluster, Styrian Goldings,
Saaz, Yakima Goldings, none of which I found to be particularly strong. There is a deep, malty flavor that leans a rich espresso or dark chocolate finish. The hops come through near your throat and back teeth, but only after swallowing the beer and proceeding to blog for a minute or so.
One thing I have learned about seasonal beers, particularly with the winters or Christmases, is that the winter moniker is a marketing ploy to get more beer sold. Winter Ale is not really a genre (Harpoon and Great Lakes, please feel free to disagree… you have a case), it’s a tactic designed to get people to try beers they would not normally be interested in. For instance: Gritty McDuff’s Christmas Ale is an extra special bitter (ESB). Like spices? This is not the brew for you. Like coffee? Yes! This is your winter beer. The color is gorgeous, particularly when you examine the red under the fluorescent light. The malt flavor is toasty and the hops come later. This is a well crafted beer, but I was disappointed that they didn’t add a touch of holiday spice.
