Yuletide drinking

Hello again, and welcome back to the near-Christmas edition of Younge's Beer Review! Today we've got a jolly brew from the likes of locally-operated Alesmith Brewing Company. The limited edition Yulesmith only comes in a Bomber (22 Oz) bottle and is listed at 8.5%, promising a hefty good time. Let's see how it stacks up!

Popping the bottle, the drinker immediately notices a strong hop influence, with a predominant Douglas Fir bouquet. Seriously, it smells like a Christmas tree, although with some caramel notes to accompany. It pours an almost-brown, dark amber and foams up quite nice, maintaining an awesome amount of head retention. The first sip brings with it a bitter dominance that singes the sides of the tongue with an edgy finish. Soon, however, the other flavors of this strong ale become apparent. Caramel first appears as indicated by the nose, followed by a dark chocolate toffee. The latter becomes more pronounced as the drinker continues, and settles into a refreshing bitter finish. The subtleties Yulesmith delivers make it a difficult beer to taste at first, but the quality shines through in the end. What really impressed me about this beer was it's toned flavor progression. For every sip, you notice the sweet caramel/toffee more and more, and the bitter hops fade into the background as your taste buds adjust. Overall, a very merry beverage, and worthy of a great score.

Score: 9/10

Happy holidays, and happy drinking!