December Extremes

Troeg’s Mad Elf Ale

Sampled: Dec. 18, 2011

After a season rich with my Christmas favorites, I decided to try someone else’s. Troeg’s Mad Elf has emerged as a cult classic among many beer aficionados. Mad Elf’s alcohol content is prohibitive to regular drinking (11 percent ABV). Brewed with honey and cherries, it lies on a different spectrum from most Christmas ales. Its ruby body hints at the cherry character. The cherries assert themselves quickly, and the honey smooths out any tart characters. Other red fruits threaten to break out, but the cherries restrain them. 

The fruit is round and lush, pushing gently into the honey roundness. There’s some sharpness and a little peppery character that slip through. The pepper never gains enough steam to derail the ale. The dry finish comes with some bitterness, but none I can link to hop content. As it warms in the glass, the pepper almost equals the honey and cherries.

Those masking agents are assertive and keep the alcohol content under wraps. Almost no head or lace graces its crown. Aromatic to a delightful degree, Mad Elf easily trumps the other Elf beers creeping around the holidays. The twin bill of honey and cherries definitely works wonders. Don't plan on more than one in a sitting (especially if you want to remember the sitting) but include Mad Elf in any holiday drinking plans.

Flowers in December: Goose Island Fleur

Sampled: Dec. 11, 2011

Goose Island’s entrancing series of Belgian-style ales goes for the flowers. No head and little lace to mention, Fleur is undeniably alluring. The nose perks up with some brettanomyces and a little floweriness character. 

The cloudy orange body is stouter than I anticipated, with a heavier malt payload. Perhaps it will fade over time, but my patience for light-colored, bottle-conditioned ales is limited. The label allows for five years, and it last a solid six months. I am starting to have issues with hibiscus in beer, as it doesn’t always zip much less explore any new dimensions when added to the brew kettle. 

Unfortunately, Fleur never takes off. The hibiscus does not add much to the body, and the nose is the most compelling feature. The wild yeast definitely pushes a medicinal and herbal accent onto the finish, but it’s hard to rationalize the $8 price tag based on the unassertive character wedged between nose and finish. It gets mildly vegetative in the middle of the body.

The yeasty smudge on the bottle’s bottom shows the yeast has been at work, which the fine medicinal character indicates. Maybe I should wait a little longer next time. However, I cannot put it on the same scale as Reinhart’s Wild Flemish Ale or Ommegeddon.