(8.50% ABV). So this was one worth waiting for.... I had previously reviewed the fine brown ale made by this legendary Belgian brewer, but hadn't had the opportunity to quaff a glass of the seasonal Christmas Ale until just this past week. It was served on draft at Tap 42, and poured into a goblet.
Corsendonk Christmas Ale was a dark, thick-ish brown, with a heavy viscocity -- virtually the color of prune juice. On draft the beer offered only a thin white head that was almost fully gone by the time my server brought the beer to my table; it would be interesting to contrast this with the same beer poured out of a bottle....
The beer smelled both malty and citrusy, and there was some coriander evident on the nose. I also caught just the faintest bit of a pepperish spice -- similar to what happened with their brown ale, though, I couldn't identify it exactly. Overall, though, the beer's smell was fairly muted -- and very mild.
The taste was not as big and bold as some other seasonal offerings -- Delirium Noel or the St. Bernardus Christmas Ale, for example -- but it was perfectly balanced. The beer was richly sweet and malty, but also fairly carbonated -- I'd call it crisp, in fact.
This is definitely one of my favorite ales of the season: highly recommended. A+
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