Marin Brewing Co: Hoppy Holidaze

Happy Holidays everyone!

Sorry for that. It's not even remotely close to the holiday season. In fact it almost hit 100° in my neck of the woods this week. Despite the hot weather, a spiced beer sounded tasty so I picked one up at the liquor store.

I went with Marin Brewing Company's Hoppy Holidaze: a powerful ale spiced with nutmeg, mace, orange peel, cinnamon, and vanilla. There is a lot going on in this beer and spices hit the palate hard on every sip. Sloshing through all the flavors it becomes quite clear that the nutmeg dominates. A slight orange flavor is present but I couldn't detect any cinnamon or vanilla. After the beer warms and the bubbles fade, some hops emerge along with a hint of booze. Believe it or not, the alcohol really compliments this beer as it is hard to distinguish the booze flavors from the nutmeg and mace tastes. I'm glad the nutmeg works well with the alcohol, as this ale tops out at 7% abv. Without the strong spices, it could be more difficult to drink.

Overall all the flavors fit together quite nice. While 'Hoppy Holidaze' is a clear play on words for a beer to match the strong flavors of a holiday feast, it's not the hoppiest beer in the world. If I worked for Marin Brew Co's marketing department I might have gone with "Naughty or Spice" and focus on the intense spices instead of emphasizing the hops. Either way when the holiday season comes you should give this brew a try. Or don't wait and try it now. It worked for me. Cheers.

Moylan's: White Christmas Spiced Lager

I reviewed a Christmas themed brew in November, so I see no reason why I can't continue with the holiday spirit into January. Moylan's Brewery taps into the season's festivities by evoking images of 'white Christmases'. This marketing strategy is kinda humorous because of my twenty four December 25ths in Marin County, I've never seen any snow.

Moving past the label, Moylan's tries to match the hearty foods of the winter holidays by releasing a spiced lager. Normally breweries create winter warmers or spiced ales to combat the cold months and rich foods of winter. I was excited to try something different.

This lager is not as spicy as you would expect. There definitely is an orange flavor at the start. And after the beer warmed up a little, malty tastes and peppery flavors begin to emerge. Finally there is an apple juice flavor. That all sounds like a lot, but most of these sensations were quite subdued. If served separate from the bottle, you might be able to convince a drinker that this beer was a traditional lager. That all being said, it's not a bad lager. The malt flavors are light and sweet. Despite the fact the spices were subtle, it's a pretty good beer. I don't know if I'd pair this lager with a Christmas ham on a cold December night, but I'd definitely drink it again. Cheers