I have finally fully decompressed from the holidays, from the good
weather in Florida to the brutal winter welcome back in Boston of a
below zero wind chill. The drive to Florida and back to Boston almost
did me in, yet it was still worth it to relax with family and drink
whatever good beer was available in the boonies. Now its all about
playing catch-up, here is round two.



# Fürst Carl Weihnachtsbock
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profi ... 6019/40415

Snatched this one during our trip to Bavaria. Royal beer it is. A
winter bock with a healthy looking head and fine clarity in the dirty
copper colored brew. Big dry malt character in the aroma of bread
crust and dried grass with a hint of clean alcohol as well. A little
slick in the mouth feel, medium body with some crispness. Alcohol is
noticeable with a small fume to start, a little warming and spicy as
well. Maltiness sets in with a dry grain and grassy flavor with some
faint caramel in the back. Spicy hop actually intensifies the spice
from the alcohol middle to end. Moderate hop bitterness. Finishes semi-
dry with a spicy warmth.

Not your typical bock but certainly fitting for the winter season. A
shame that I only had one bottle, this would have made a good night
cap beer for the rest of the winter.

# Michelob Celebrate Cherry Lager
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/29/39005

Here they come again. I call them bullet bottles although they look
like artillery shells. Dark enough to be called tawny, the clarity is
good and the head is not bad either. Smells of Sucrets (R) with some
alcohol and caramel malt in the back. Very smooth and creamy with a
thick body. Sweetness is all in the front with refined honey and
maraschino cherries. Some alcohol warmth comes through. Hops? Clean
and sweet. Maltiness is a bit restrained but throws some vague toasted
notes out there. Finishes sweet with more light cherry flavor.

Decent, without a doubt this is a beer to have with sweets and not on
its own. The sweetness quickly gets to you so make sure this is
shared.

# Michelob Celebrate Chocolate Lager
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/29/33770

Back again for another try. Bullet #2. Glowing dark brown color with
slight reddish highlights, the head retention is great. Smells of
toasted cocoa bean powder, clean aroma. Semi-dry crisp body and mouth
feel. Dry chocolate flavor from start to finish, cocoa bean taste is
on overdrive for a moment which is not a bad thing. Alcohol drops a
thin blanket of warmth that is very clean. Little to no hop character
at all other than a very subtle bitterness. Hint of Bud-eske lager
flavor in the drying finish, a little puckering from the dryness with
alcohol and watery cocoa bean flavor.

Better than last year though the finish bothers me a little bit with
the nearly bone dry palate and the chocolate that gets lost. They'd be
better off making thing one sweet or at least semi-sweet. All in all,
not half bad.

# Santa's Private Reserve Ale
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/132/1173

A most excellent looking head, the hops are an obvious help in this
department. Clear brownish copper color shimmers warm in the light.
Nutty bready sweet malt, softly pungent hop oil infiltrates the nose
with rind, wild flowers and citrus zest. So smooth, nice crisp bite
towards the end. Body is creamy and of a solid medium size. Level
carbonation. Citric hop and a nougat flavor up front on the taste
buds. Waves of malt sweetness are white capped with a strong grasping
hop bitterness. Both the hop bitterness and malt sweetness, even the
residuals, don't want to let go. The hops are more persistent and seem
to cover more ground with layers of flavor.

As always in Rogue fashion there is no holding back on the hops,
certainly enough malt flavor to go around. This one is a must for me
each year.

# The Peoples Pint Slippery Slope
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profi ... /231/15723

Winter in not complete with out a braggot. Mmmm ... cider, barley and
honey then spiced with ginger. Some active carbonation, good lacing
for a braggot ... not really a trait that matters. Some chill haze off
of the weathered darkened straw color. Nose full of ginger to start
with a slowly cradling honey sweetness in the nose. Big on creaminess,
smoothness follows within the full body. The fresh ginger crack a whip
of dominance with the first sip but then moves forward meekly with a
leveled flavor and heat. Honey wraps around the palate with a
infectious warmth of alcohol and mild sweetness. Yeah, there is some
barley here ... a little bready in the middle. Finishes dry with a
surprisingly semi-clean finish from the ginger which makes you want to
take another sip quicker than the first.

Dangerously drinkable, especially if you like ginger. Peoples Pint
knows what winter is all about. This one gets a "Hell Yeah!"