Christmas Ale, George Gale & Company

Note: This was actually composed before Christmas, perhaps before the drink board was up? For whatever reason...never got around to posting.

I was at my new favorite neighborhood liquor store recently, and the holiday brews are out in full force. There was a shelf of “Bad Elf” beers, unfortunately missing the Seriously Bad Elf, and with an additional bottle on the end that didn’t quite match.

I picked up this stray bottle with a drunk-looking Santa holding half a goblet of beer. This was not a wild or ribald or crazy-happy drunk Santa; rather it was a world-weary Santa, an eyes-glazed-over-drunk Santa who looked as though his yearly ride had just come to its long exhausting finish, and after about eight more of these beers, he was going to settle down for his long winter’s nap, and wake up in, oh, say, July.

I was further intrigued by the odd wine bottle shape, the odd volume (9.3 fl oz), the fact that it came with a cork rather than a cap, and the odd coincidence of the brewery sharing a name with the only other LTHer I knew to reside in my new hometown.

After settling in, kids in bed, and uncorking the bottle, I was met with the smell of port wine, a good raisiny ruby port, with the faintest whiff of toffee and vanilla. I’m excited. Oh boy, this is going to be good.

I take a deep draught and...

…corked.

Dammit. I went back to the liquor store three times, and I couldn't get a good bottle. I finally gave up and went with the Very Bad Elf, which was plenty good, but nothing like the promise of that first bottle.

I don't know if the porty nose was a result of it going bad, or if it as intentional. And I'd love to know if, when this brew is good, it's any good.