A few weeks ago my family and I started doing that sad, once a year chore of taking down the Christmas tree and putting away all the decorations as we re-transform our home back into normalcy. Mrs. Porch knows this is a depressing day for me because with Christmas now officially over, the only thing we have to look forward to until spring besides Miami Redhawk Hockey (and baseball season) is cold, cold and more cold. (Oh yeah, snow and ice too. Can’t forget those.) So, to soften my depression she found a new beer for me to try and Prayed that I would like it: Stegmaier Holiday Warmer from the folks at the Lion Brewery in Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania.
What a nice looking beer. A dark and cloudy amber color with a nice frothy off white head that hung around until the last drink with decent lacing. The aroma was a mix between roasted nuts and caramel. Nice mix of hops in this warmer, I was expecting a thicker, sweeter taste for a winter beer but this one had a real nice mix of hops and spices to compliment the sweetness of the malts and that made for a more crisp, clean finish. It starts out like a typical winter time brew, thick and sweet. (I know this next sentence is going to sound nerdy but….) But as it travels across the palate, the spices start to come out and the dry hoppy finish leaves you wanting another drink. (told ya). It carries with it a healthy 8.2% ABV, so I could only drink a couple, (well, maybe three or so) what with carrying 22 years worth of Christmas decorations to the basement, and moving the furniture back in place, if I drank any more, our house might still look like Christmas Eve. (or a tornado scene)
Overall I was pleasantly surprised. A good flavor with all the characteristics of a holiday brew. I wish I would have found it before the holidays, it would have had a pretty good chance of being my official Christmas Eve beer. It held true to it’s syle of a Winter Ale, but nothing really special stands out. A good job by the brewers at Lion. One more thing to note, the inside of the caps have a puzzle printed on them. When all the decorations were put away, Mrs. Porch and our two daughters sat around the dining room table and tried to figure them out. Then they all made fun of me for head bobbing and falling asleep at the table. A fun night for all, and the house looks normal again.
P-O-R-C-H Rating: R+
Posted by Mr. Porch