2beerguys beer blog

31 Beers of December – Day 4: Two Roads Holiday Ale

@craftbeered @2roadsbrewing

To celebrate the Holiday Season, we have teamed up with beer bloggers and craft beer enthusiasts around the country to host the fourth annual beer bloggers advent calendar. This is the season of sharing and we intend to share our love of beer with you.

During the 31 days of December, we will be sharing our favorite regional/winter seasonals/holiday beers with the help from our fellow beer bloggers. We hope that you tune in every day, to hear our stories and share our holiday cheer.

Blogger: Ian Cowpar
Blog Name: 2beerguys
Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @craftbeered / 2beerguys / craftbeered
Beer:  Two Roads Holiday Ale
Brewery:  Two Roads Brewing Co. Stratford, CT
Beer Details:
-Style: Biere de Noel
-ABV: 7.3%
-Hop varieties: French Strisselspalt and Aramis

Commercial Description:
Two Roads Holiday Ale is inspired by the little known Biere de Noel style, on subset of Biere de Garde, both of which originated on small farmhouse breweries in the north of France. Biere de Noel, which translates as “Christmas Beer”, tends to exhibit a more malty profile than a typical Biere de Garde.

In its native France this special type of ale is brewed by just a handful of small breweries and is only available for the few weeks leading up to Christmas.

Flavor/Color Profile:
Brilliant clarity from the pour, dark amber to medium copper hue. Off-white, frothy head. Faint carbonation in the glass, minimal lace. Aroma offers some earthy notes with clove. Flavor is slightly sweet up front with just a tinge of tart. Medium, slick body with lively carbonation on the tongue.

Why I selected the Two Roads Holiday Ale:
Historically, I’ve reviewed my favorite holiday beers. I felt compelled to go more regionally focused — and new — this time, and have had good experiences with the other beers I’ve tried from Two Roads, so this one caught my eye as one that was likely worth giving a go at. “Holiday” beers really can run the gamut of styles, and really the only restriction to the definition, for me anyway, is that it’s produced and released during the holiday season. My favorite seasonal/holiday/whatever you want to call it beer of all time is Sierra Nevada’s Celebration Ale. That beer, for example, is just as at home in May as it is in November. The beer just needs to resonate and have a story to tell, and the Two Roads Holiday Ale fits the bill.

About 2beerguys:
Founded in 2006, 2Beerguys.com has been devoted to spreading their passion of the craft beer world. Originating primarily as craft beer reviewers, they have molded their organization into premier craft beer educators and ambassadors for craft beer industry. Their passion has taken them on the wild ride of home brewing and beer education. 2beerguys believes that we all deserve good beer. Visit blog.2beerguys.com to follow all of the 31 Beers of December and much more!

Two Roads Brewing

About Two Roads Brewery:

Build a new building for our brewery? Nope. How about resurrecting a 100 year old factory in Stratford, CT? Here in the northeastern US, many of these proud, old brick factory buildings sit empty and we think that’s a shame. After all, it was in these factories that the things that made the American Dream come true were built. When we were done cleaning, scraping and painting the old brick, wood and steel that was put together to stand forever, this old shell was reborn with the latest state-of-the-art brewing equipment, fermenting equipment, packaging equipment and is producing the finest craft beers. And almost as importantly, it’s a place where beer lovers can come together in our second story tasting room or outdoor beer garden and share a story, a laugh and some great beer. Speaking of beer, the ones we craft follow this same philosophy; unique renditions of classic beer styles created by master brewer Phil Markowski, a guy known for taking the road less traveled in every brew he makes. Whether it’s an IPA, Pilsner, Saison or a limited edition seasonal, Phil’s signature version of the beer styles he creates is crafted for beer lovers who like to take a “less traveled” road, themselves.

Here’s to taking the road less traveled, in life and beer! For information call us at 203-335-2010 or email us at office@tworoadsbrewing.com