Day 23 of the 6th Annual Advent-ure Calendar
Day 23: Lock 15 Brewing Company Fragile Festivus Christmas Ale
Another new Ohio brewery for the calendar! We’ve tried some beers from these guys at beer festivals, and they make some pretty solid brews. Having just turned 10 years old, we’re excited to try more offerings from this family owned brewery. From Lock 15: “The Fragile Festivus Christmas Ale is a malty amber ale spiced with cinnamon and ginger. This ale, brewed with lots of brown sugar and honey malts, balances the spicy notes and malty body festively.”
Reflections
Ben: It’s always tough being a spiced Christmas beer this late in the calendar. I personally start to get spiced beer burnout by about week 3. If I had tried this earlier in the month, I may have been more into it. At this point in the game, it is fine. I definitely get the brown sugar, and those honey malts really come through. This wouldn’t be my first choice for the holiday, but it’s rather solid. If it was the only offering on Thanksgiving night when I start my Christmas beer drinking, I’d be perfectly fine with it.
Julia: Nope, not for me. All I get out of this beer is brown sugar and honey. No thank you. I do not want these two things to be the only things I taste in a beer. I don’t get any of the typical spice flavors found normally in Christmas Ale, I wish those flavors were more prominent. Points for an adorable can and for being an Ohio brewery.
Adam: This beer tastes like something you would get at a brewery you’d never heard of as part of your sampler. And then you’d say “this is fine” and then when you went to order your full beer after the sampler you’d say “did I try that amber ale?” And then the bartender would say “yes” and you’d say “oh, I must not have liked it very much.”
And on the nose I get some brown sugar.
Alex: Lock 15’s Fragile Festivus is just not for me. I don’t taste any of the honey, but I can taste all of the spices. It’s just a bit too much for me. I doubt I will actively seek it out again, but I’m glad we tried it. It’s another Ohio beer, with a fun reference to A Christmas Story on the can. FRA-GIL-E
Scott: Top tier can. The Lock 15 Brewing Co. Fragile Festivus is a very easy to drink Christmas Ale that has almost an almost foam-like airiness to it that would make drinking a 6 pack effortless. It has a warm flavor and enough sweetness to not be overdone, but it’s also not the best flavors I’ve had this season. I had a favorable impression of this beer and would happily have another.
Christa: Fragile Festivus is such a good beer name for 2020. 10/10 on name. On taste? Listen, it’s just… okay. The first couple of sips were great. But, as I kept going, I got less enthusiastic. It has a little bit of a metallic smell and I get some of that in the aftertaste that’s hard for me to ignore. I will say it’s not overly sweet nor does it fall prey to that artificial sweetness a lot of Christmas beers end with. I like it. I don’t love it. A fragile kind of like. We’d date for a month, maybe, and probably break up over a misunderstanding neither of us cared to correct. ✌🏼
Tony: This one is pretty interesting. Have not had this one before but I kinda like it. Amazing can art, great name. Its got an amber color. Upon first sip I can definitely taste the spices, cinnamon in particular, but then I get some of the sweetness from the brown sugar and finally the malts join the party. It all seems pretty well balanced, maybe leaning slightly toward the sweet side. It definitely gives me that “holiday beer” vibe and deserves their Christmas Ale label. This is an interesting one, I dont know if everyone will like it, but I enjoyed it and if you’re looking for a different Christmas Ale to try this would be worth it.
Megan: I was so excited to see this can. I grew up watching The movie Christmas Story so a beer can with a leg lamp was a no brainer. This beer boasts all of the classic holiday flavors like cinnamon, ginger and honey. I like the brown sugar feel to it. It just feels warm when you drink it. It’s not overly spiced either. It runs in the same lane as a lot of other spiced ales this time of year, so I worry I won’t remember it but I think they did a good job balancing the flavors and I would definitely give this as a gift or drink it again.
Brad: Glad to see Lock 15 canning and distributing! This was the only brewery Heather and I went to this year due to Covid. Great spot down in Akron and they have excellent food. Their take on the typical spiced Christmas Ale is decent. It’s a little heavy on the malt side and i taste a ton of ginger but it’s enjoyably drinkable. All the flavors they highlight on the can are noticeable. I know a certain someone may not like the honey flavor but that’s ok, we can have our differences.
Heather: Fragile Festivus is a pleasant little holiday brew. We just cheersed to being done with work for a few days, and it was a good follow-up swig to the happy exclamation. We liked Lock 15 when we visited the patio earlier this year: it has a great menu and we enjoyed their beer. I’m happy to see it on the shelves. This one tastes certifiably Christmassy. It has a slightly fruity scent and flavor, but doesn’t ruin it by being too rich. There’s plenty of spice and a smooth finish, with a cute nod to Cleveland’s own Christmas Story House on the can. I’d recommend this as a standard seasonal addition.