Dan starts off his vacation with Starr Hill Christmas Ale via a lovely Christmas care package from friend Hamilton and Michelle.

Starr Hill Brewery Christmas Ale

STYLE: Winter AleINGREDIENTS: Orange peel and spicesABV: 7.1%IBU: N/AAVAILABILITY: 12oz Cans, Draft (Limited/Seasonal)Stats above taken from the brewery’s can, website, and Untappd.

Appearance

Dark amber in color with a small, off-white head.

Aroma

Allspice and cinnamon hit first with a mellow orange following up.

Taste

The fruit and spice flip order on the palate, with the orange leading off before allowing the malt to mix, and then full on cinnamon and allspice hit the middle of the tongue in the mid-palate and through the finish.

Mouthfeel

Medium body with a light carbonation and a slightly syrupy mouthfeel.

Overall

This is a straight-up winter/Christmas ale…it can sneak up on you likely if you have too many. Pairing-wise, I am feeling pretty hard on poultry, be it Cornish hen to turkey to even goose. I think if you cooked tagine with this, it would rock as well.

Thanks again to Hamilton and Michelle for this and the other brews and treats in their lovely Christmas care package!

Cheers and remember:

Life’s a tap…drink up ’til it’s dry.

All music on this show came to us from the now defunct Music Alley.Intro: “Meet Me At The Bar” by The Beer Drinking FoolsOuttro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers