Gritty’s Christmas Ale
By
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...I discovered Gritty McDuff’s a few years ago, not long after arriving in Boston. Portland, ME is a fair drive from Boston, but it’s a pretty port city filled with New England charm (that’s code for “chockablock with tourists”) and well worth the trip — especially if you stop in for a pint or three at Gritty’s Brew Pub.
Gritty McDuff’s holiday seasonal is called Christmas Ale. I bought a couple of Christmas Ale six packs back in December, and I kept a bottle on hand for the BeerADay.net challenge.
I was too impatient to wait for Christmas in July, so the Christmas Ale came out of the refrigerator tonight and spread some holiday cheer. My wife was off shopping, and I took the opportunity to fall back on my bachelor skills — which means I made a run for Chinese takeout.
As expected, the Christmas Ale held its own against steamed dumplings and Kung Po Chicken. It’s a nicely balanced Extra Special Bitter, dark red (almost brown) and fragrant. It has a round, mellow, toasted malt aroma — almost a roasted caramel. Despite the “bitter” name, the hops aren’t overpowering. They balance the beer very nicely, lingering just a bit at the end.
With Gritty McDuff’s Christmas Ale readily available, I finally know why so many people in New England like to have Chinese food on Christmas.
No related posts.
