Day 5 of the 7th Annual Holiday Beer Advent-ure Calendar
Day 5: Gravely Brewing Partridge Pear Ginger Holiday Ale
Both this brewery and beer are new to the group, which is always fun! They opened up in August 2017 in Louisville, KY, and our friends were able to score some cans in Cincinnati. The brewery says that the base is their Holiday Road Christmas beer and they added flavors of ginger and pear to it. Pear is something that we rarely see in holiday beers so hopefully it’s a pleasant surprise!
Reflections
Ben: This is really interesting. I was afraid it would be too sweet or too spiced, but the flavors are all very balanced and come through just enough, and it finishes dry and crisp. I wouldn’t necessarily buy this cause I’ve never wanted these flavors together in a beer, but it’s very well made for what it is. It makes me want to try other beers from Gravely because it seems like they know what they’re doing.
Julia: I love this beer! It’s so interesting. It’s crisp, light and also smooth. You get the pear notes in the beginning and it finishes with the ginger taste. I was nervous that this beer would end up being surprisingly sweet but it’s not. Would I classify this as a Christmas ale? Probably not. I suppose ginger can be a holiday flavor but paired with the pear, it’s making me think of warmer weather. I would drink this again and would try other beers from this brewery
Adam: Flat | tinny | unripened pair | absence of ginger | great can design | leave this trash up in the tree
Alex: Gravely Brewing’s Partridge is another beer I don’t remember having tried before. It smells like pears and ginger. I won’t lie, I am not a fan of this one. It’s like something doesn’t balance right for me, it’s pear forward, ginger at the end, and I just don’t love it.
Scott: The Partridge from Gravely Brewing Co. is definitely unique. It smells like it’ll be sweet and sour, but taste-wise is a very mellow profile with a lot of pear flavor. I really appreciate the uniqueness of this one in our Christmas beer lot, but probably not one I would seek out every year. Kudos to the this brewery for putting out an interesting holiday ale with fruit flavors over the typical cinnamon and sugar.
Christa: I was so excited to try Gravely Brewing. It’s out of Louisville, Kentucky and not too far from where I grew up. A pear ginger beer would typically scare me, it sounds like it could be a sour, but it’s not. It’s definitely a class all it’s own. The ginger and pear together gives this beer an energetic little kick but honestly, the flavor falls a little flat for me. I was expecting more robust flavors and while I taste the sweetness of the pear, and get a little of hit of the ginger, it’s not much. But, that said, if you’re looking for a holiday beer that’s outside the box, give this one a try!
Tony: Another solid new beer! I really enjoyed this one. The pear and ginger are interesting flavor additions to a holiday ale and it totally works for me. I get the pear and then some hops and a slight bitterness. Pretty light and crisp as well. This is a refreshing light ale that still hits the holiday flavors with a fun twist of fruitiness. If you’re lookin to escape the heavier holiday beers with something lighter but still with good flavor i would definitely recommend giving this a try.
Megan: One can become overwhelmed with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg during the holidays so it’s really refreshing to see a holiday ale centered around pear and ginger which sounds like a lovely combination. It smells crisp and clean. I get the pear and it comes off as very drinkable. I feel like I could have a couple of these. The can design is simple but strong, it stands out on the shelves as a holiday beer. My favorite thing is that there is a Spotify scan code that provides a Bing Crosby playlist starting with the 12 days of Christmas, making for a fun and interactive experience.
Brad: I don’t mind it. Pear and Ginger is not my style of beer but it wasn’t bad. The can is cool and I like that they integrated it with a Spotify! This is a beer that I could easily drink in between the Belgians. I would recommend to try this one but I wouldn’t buy a 12 pack.
Heather: This is an interesting one. When I read “Pear Ginger,” my brain automatically tried to make me think it is a cider, but of course, it’s not. So it took me a few sips to be in the right mindset. It’s not too bad, tbh. Light and crisp, but quite hoppy. I like that it doesn’t make me feel super full like most holiday brews. It’s ok for a mystery cooler-grab but I don’t think I’ll buy it on purpose.