Day 12 of the 5th Annual Advent-ure Calendar

Day 12: Spencer Brewery Trappist Holiday Ale

Spencer Brewery is America’s first Trappist brewery and our first Trappist beer of our calendar! For those that don’t know, a Trappist beer is one made by monks in a Trappist monastery, is of secondary importance within the monastery, and must not be a profit-making venture. Whatever money is made goes toward the upkeep of the facility and whatever is left is donated to charity. Pretty awesome and very much in the spirit of Christmas! We know little about this beer but are excited to try it! From the brewery: “Mahogany in color, wholesome in body, lightly spiced, a heart-warming feast day ale from our table to yours.”

Reflections

Beard & Broad
Beard: I think this is my first Spencer beer! It is a bit oxidized (best by date on bottle is September 2019), but it’s still really nice. You can tell it’s lightly spiced, lightly being the key word, and it also has those Belgian, clove-like characteristics. I almost wish there were no spices in this cause I feel Belgian beers have enough of those flavors on their own, but I get what they were going for. Definitely a fan of this though, and I’ll for sure seek out more beers from Spencer. I mean…it’s for charity.

Broad: Oooo this beer is nice. It’s a delicious, easy to drink, smooth Belgian beer. You can tell it’s lightly spiced, I actually wish the spice flavor was more prominent. I’ve been sick for the last heavier beers so its nice to be better for this one. I don’t necessarily think it tastes like a holiday ale, but I would happily drink this every winter and actually probably every season, it’s that good.

Adam & Alex
Adam: Spencer Trappist holiday ale is absolutely delicious. It has the strong boozy-ness of a Belgium but its also spicy and super fizzy. Like a ginger champagne Belgian delight. I love this.

Alex: Let me start by saying this is the first time I have ever tried Spencer Trappist Holiday Ale.  I can also report that I find it delicious.  It has a slight spice to it and tastes like a fizzy Belgian beer.  I will definitely be drinking this one again.

Scott & Christa
Scott: The Spencer Holiday Ale is a unique one.  I don’t drink many, if any, trappist ales but this was a fun one to try.  It’s spiced and sweet but not overpowering and a nice break from the previous beers.  It tastes like it would be an expensive beer…and I don’t know if that’s true but it wouldn’t surprise me.  Great find to the couple that picked this up!

Christa: Much like yesterday’s beer, Spencer’s Holiday ale is a really drinkable beer. I loved the subtle spice that paired well with the sweetness. My only complaint is it had a syrupy taste to it like it sat out too long but even with that, I wished for more when it was over. Echoing Scott, it looks like it could be expensive and if that were true, the taste doesn’t completely justify the spend… but still over all, a good beer for the ol’ holiday rotation

Tony & Megan
Tony: “Thats a honey of a tree, Clark” And this is a pretty solid beer. I’m pretty sure this is a new addition this year and I enjoyed it. Kudos to Adam and Alex. Its a dark amber color, “mahogany” as they say on the can, and it smells a little spicey which is good. Very classy bottle and label, almost made me want to drink it with my pinky out. The taste is a little bit on the sweeter side, but its got some nice spice and caramel flavors. If you don’t like sweet than this might not be for you, but it definitely has some of the holiday beer flavors I like so I enjoyed trying this one!

Megan:  Tony and I both oooohhed as we smelled this. It’s dark in color and smells amazing. Unlike any other holiday beer we’ve had this season, it’s got this really smooth vanilla and caramel aroma. Maybe it’s the higher alcohol content at 9% or the sweetness but it almost smells more like a cocktail than a beer. When we can get suck in a rut of citrus and cinnamon, this one just sticks out as different. It’s a little sweet, so I don’t think I could have many of these, but I would very much enjoy it at a holiday dinner. Fun choice!

Brad & Heather
Brad:  I was a little concerned with the bottle design and was afraid this beer was made by winemakers. After pour, smell, and first taste, I want to be friends with the American Monks who brew this beer. It’s great! At 9% and seeing how easily it goes down, this could be trouble. It’s fruity and spiced, but not over powering on either side. It’s very smooth and lacks any bitterness in my opinion. I’ve never heard of the Massachusetts Monks from Spencer, but I’m now a fan.

Heather: I drank this one straight out of the bottle like a baller. (Or because my cup was dirty and I’m lazy.) I have never heard of this beer or brewery before, but I reaaaaaally like this one. First, the taste… smooth. A good balance of spices that aren’t overwhelming. Perfect to pair with comfort food. Next, the design. I’m a marketer, so I geek out over good branding. This bottle, brewery name, and taste all transport me to a medieval holiday feast. I want to drink this from a chalice and eat a turkey leg with my bare hands to the sound of a lute and pipe.