I said yesterday that Berkshire Brewing might make the list again this year, and this morning I figured, Why wait? After all, we used to begin the 12 Beers of Christmas each year with the same beer, Anchor’s Our Special Ale, the catch being that Anchor changed the recipe every year, so it was truly a different beer. The same is true of the Holidale.
(For those who have innocently wandered onto this 12 Beers of Christmas post for the first time, head immediately to the 12 Beers of Christmas 2023 Reprise where all is explained. In a word, this and eleven more holiday or winter warmer beer reviews are coming up on a more or less daily basis.)
Unfortunately, BBC’s beers aren’t available nationwide. But then Anchor’s aren’t available anywhere at the moment, so BBC wins that round. They’re pretty ubiquitous here in New England, especially the dependable flagship Steel Rail Ale, once you step over the Massachusetts state line.
This makes the fourth appearance of the Holidale: last year, and in 2018 and 2019.
There’s ample history about the brewery in those posts, but briefly, the brewery celebrated its 30th anniversary in September. It was founded by Gary Bogoff and Chris Lalli in 1994. Bogoff is still at the helm, although he’s passed on the head brewer’s honors to his son, Noah, who is clearly doing a splendid job.
I also noted in an earlier post that Gary and I teamed up on my son-in-law, Glenn Brunetti, when he was trying to figure out his beer offerings back in 2013, when Wildwood Barbeque was getting ready to open in Hadley, Massachusetts. The three of us had met at the brewery in South Deerfield and it took some doing, but we convinced Glenn to serve no crap beer.
“But I’ll have to have Bud on tap, won’t I?” Glenn asked.
“No, no you won’t,” said Gary. And Wildwood never has.
It’s had Steel Rail, though. According to Glenn, “It’s been on tap since one, so 11 years and eight months straight. Best-seller right along.”
Berkshire has its stable roster of beers but also churns out scads of seasonals and one-offs each year, some 35 to 40 in all, including the Holidale, each one of which I’ve had have been superlative. This year is no exception, a 9% ABV Imperial Dark Wheat Beer, BBC’s version of a traditional German-style Weizenbock.
Think Andechs Weizenbock and you’d be on the money, though that German seasonal comes in at 7% ABV. The Holidale is using the Andechs Weizen yeast, making this a top-fermented ale as opposed to a lager, where bocks are usually classified. It’s fashioned from dark and pale wheat malts, making for an attractive clear, ruby-hued beer with a light tan head.
It’s all to style, with an enticing, somewhat fruity nose, a sweetish entry giving way to a spicy, clove-accented bite. I coerced my wife into trying some and she thought the initial impression had a touch of honey, maybe a hint of molasses, but then giving way to the spice. After the beer warms up a bit it becomes a mouth-coating wonder, sweet but not cloyingly so, with a mild suggestion of raisins or prunes.
It’s a sturdy and festive start, a solid winter warmer. I picked up a four-pack and may have to save one for Glenn, who will join the tasting panel in a couple of nights. He’s not keen on hoppy beers, but a fan of malty ones. Hmm, stocking stuffer?
Name: Holidale 2024
Brewer: Berkshire Brewing Company, South Deerfield, Massachusetts
Style: Weizenbock
ABV: 9%
Availability: Seasonally, mainly in MA.
For More Information: berkshire-brewing.com
[December 22, 2024]
