Day 9 of the 7th Annual Holiday Beer Advent-ure Calendar
Day 9: Wolf’s Ridge Brewing Home for the Holidays
Wolf’s Ridge is up there as one of our favorite Ohio breweries. Based in Columbus and established in 2013, they quickly made a name for themselves by winning several local and national medals for their beers. They recently became available up in Cleveland and we were very excited to have them readily available in our neck of the woods. They’re known for a couple staples (please try any variant of Daybreak you see) and make very solid beers year round. Home for the Holidays is brewed with cinnamon, orange peel and molasses. Sounds like your typical beer, but knowing Wolf’s Ridge, it’s probably so much more.
Reflections
Ben: Well this is a lovely treat. You can definitely pick up the cinnamon spice in the nose. It’s pretty subtle and balanced though, almost like a baked spice rather than dry spice. The finish is more spiced beer than just beer, but I think I could drink a lot of these…well, until I pass out since it’s 7.5%. This is definitely one of the better spiced beers out there and I’d love to try this against other favorites. Another winner from Wolf’s Ridge.
Julia: I am very biased because I truly get excited about every new Wolf’s Ridge beer we try. They’re one of my favorite breweries and they’re always at the top of the list to visit when we’re in Columbus. I love how it smells, it smells like it has just a hint of Christmas spices. It’s in no way overpowering like a lot of Christmas beers can be. It’s smooth, a really pretty color and the taste is mild. It’s nice to get back to a beer on the list that truly tastes like a Christmas ale. I would 100% purchase this again, like almost every other beer Wolf’s Ridge makes
Adam: Tastes OLD | like, molasses and tin can old | like a depression era holiday | this beer would make me have a blue Christmas | a song I hate
Alex: Wolf’s Ridge Brewing’s Spiced Holiday Ale tastes very sweet to me. To be fair I think we have a flat can. I looked up why it might taste so sweet and the only thing I can think of is that they used molasses? I feel like that overwhelms it for me. There is some cinnamon and nutmeg in there as well. I would like to try again with a different can or from the tap.
Scott: The Home for the Holidays took me an extra sip to really taste this one, and I’m happy to report it’s delicious. It has the darker, warm flavors without being too syrupy or sweet and a perfect amount of carbonation. This is definitely my new favorite of the year!
Christa: Wolf’s Ridge Brewing’s “Home for the Holidays” is a delight. It’s a very drinkable and enjoyable Christmas beer. It’s slightly spicy which I appreciate to offset some of the sweetness. It’s got all of the familiar, warming flavors you’d expect but with a unique twist. It does what it promises: unique but still feels like home.
Tony: Another new one on the list. Love the name and simple can design. They describe it as a “spiced holiday ale” and the spices definitely come through in the flavor. It’s also a little bitter and maybe a touch of maltiness. It has a silky foam head when you pour and a nice, rich amber color. Overall, I liked it. If you like your holiday beers to bring the spices forward than you’ll probably enjoy this one. It’s a “local” brewery out of Columbus, OH which is really cool too so I’d say it’s definitely worth a try.
Megan: I smell malts, caramel and cinnamon here. Feels like it would be a nice holiday ale but I don’t know if this one would stand out to me at the end of the month. I get the vibe it’s kind of middle of the road. I’m taking a few points off for the can design too. The name and design don’t really pop for me. I would really like to try this next year and see if it surpasses my assumptions.
Brad: I’ve been a big fan of Wolf’s Ridge beers this year. I was very excited to see this holiday ale in the mix. I feel let down. It’s got a great color and I enjoyed the first sip, but I’m getting a cherry cough syrup aftertaste and I don’t like it. Maybe it’s something I ate or drank earlier that isn’t pairing well but I’m just not a fan. Bummer! This will by no means cause me to not buy all their others beers though.
Heather: Oooo I like this one. Smooth and spicy, beautiful color. I’d drink this over dinner with a nice pot roast and potatoes. Wolf Ridge is a fan favorite in the Tunstall house, and once again, it delivers. I’ll be buying a few of these this season.