While I tend to agree with most of Davis' reviews, his comment regarding his disdain for seasonal brews sat in my stomach as heavily as a 16 ounce can of Rockman. I'm a total sucker for seasonal ales. I don't care for the "winter warmers" with cardamom and secret spice and many of the light, citrusy summer ales are more like Gatorade than a brew. But I do like the idea of pairing certain styles of beer to specific seasons, like the super malty chocolate stouts that come out in the middle of winter and the ginger-infused pale ales that refresh the palate in the brutally hot days of August. So, I was delighted when my girlfriend brought home a 22 ounce bottle of AleSmith's summer seasonal YuleSmith Holiday Ale, an Imperial IPA brewed each year to celebrate America's Independence Day.
Though the bottle emphasizes its enormous hoppiness, YuleSmith is sweeter and fruitier than most west coast IPAs. The thick, white head smells and tastes like apricot-peach jam and is followed by a strong, but not overbearing dose of hops. The sweet fruitiness is well-countered by the traditional hop bitterness. The 8.5% ABV is well hidden behind this delicate blend of flavors. YuleSmith is delicious, but not the super-hopped double IPA that I was expecting. I'd certainly drop $7 to sip a bomber of this while watching fireworks in the park next year.
Can't wait for the rainy days of winter when AleSmith's winter Speedway Stout will be released....
I totally agree with your comments about seasonals. I'm incredibly excited about the upcoming release of the pumpkin beers and oktoberfests, and I love the porters and stouts in the winter. That said, the "winter warmers" and nearly all the "summer kolsches" blow. And, this is kinda minor, but I feel like all the seasonals start too early, before the weather actually turns. They all try to be the first ones out, so you see Sam's Summer in late March when it's still freezing outside.
ReplyDeleteIt's still freezing in late March? Yikes!
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