Merry Beermas, pt. 1

Welcome back folks, and Happy Holidays from Younge's Beer Review. You may recall that Last week I tried the ever-so-delicious Samuel Adam's Winter Lager,  and gave it a rather glowing review. Well, since I liked it so much, I decided to try out a week's worth of the Boston Brewing Company's extensive holiday collection (You can pick up a sampler pack at your local Grocery store in most states, or liquor store if you are in CO, or another Blue Law state)

So what did I pick for the first taster of this most festive week? None other than the interestingly named Old Fezziwig Ale, a merry-looking beverage that ought to put you in the Christmas Spirit, if nothing else will.

@ 5.9% ABV, Fezziwig is a tad stronger than the average beer that I review, but that is hardly the highlight. Popping the cap treats the drinker to a nice mixture of Caramel and Cinnamon tones. Upon the first taste, a heavy bittersweet taste hits your lips, a bit like drinking a mild Ale that's had a bit of dark cocoa powder mixed in. Continuing on, I detected a medium presence of ginger root in the finish, and a low-to-medium amount of bitterness from hops. This one really hits the stomach though; I'll admit I had it after dinner, but this Ale goes down heavy. Not a bad thing, especially if you want a nice brew to warm up with on a cold evening. I'd recommend it for any holiday party, without a doubt.

Overall, Old Fezziwig gets a seasonably reasonable seal of approval, with an 8.5/10. Nothing much missing, but I like to see a beer go the extra mile for that 1.5 additional points.

Hoppy holidays,
Devo