Holiday Ale Clone Wars

I love Holiday Ales. It's a brewers chance to spread their wings and do something new and interesting. At least, so you'd think!

For the Doc, it's all about something original. Who wants chronically reproduced clone beers that are trying to emulate an older established classic beer. What the hell am I talking about?! Clones my friends! Copycats... Chronic regurgitation's of the same ol shit! I hate it!

After tasting through some high quality Local Holiday beers at the Holiday ale fest, I decided I'd buy some other Oregon bottled products. What a huge mistake!

Terminal Gravity's Festivale, HUB's Abominable Winter ale and few others which will rename un-named, but you know who you are out there!!!

What's the point? They're all the same!

I remember tasting Rogues Santa's Revenge and Laurelwood's Vinter Varmer, thinking, I've had these beers before.... Long long ago. It's an attempt at a Sierra Nevada Celebration ale! A nice complex hoppy beer with a complex firm malt base. It's a Holiday ale Classic! Had it and enjoyed it many time. Why, why, why.... does everybody have to try and clone this beer and call it something different? "Complex hops and firm malt base." Sounds great! But do have to beat the shit out it into the ground!?

HUB has a little description on their bottle, " Made with Cascade, Centennial and Simcoe Hops and six organic malts." Really!!??? Is there malt in there? I couldn't tell! Tasted like that same ol Northwest standby to me... Lots of Citrus Hops and a malt base that's so hidden it might as well be Lipton Ice Tea. What a waste of time! Pinesol with alcohol. Now, I do like hops. They can add a nice nuance to the beer... Spicy, Earthy, etc. I even like Hoppy beers if done right.. That means they have enough malt to balance the hop blast. Sierra Nevada Celebration has a nice hopiness, but enough complex malt to balance out the barrage of hops. Based on this concept.. I'd say, "Dip your socks in Abomination Ale and hang it from your rear view mirror to keep they stench out of your car." A Celebration it is not, nor is it drinkable.

Terminal Gravity Festivale. Might as well be called Terminal Brewing techniques! Murky! I could end with that statement. Hops are just bitter and murky. Malt is fruity but murky and globby. Color is amber and murky. WTF? I see where they were going... and so do you! SN Celebration! Not even close.... It's a home brew gone bad.

Just so you think I'm not just picking on Oregon Beers. I reviewed 21st Amendments Fireside Holiday ale not to long ago. What did I describe? An Anchor Our Holiday Ale wanna-be.

Do yourself a favor. Buy a six pack of Sierra Nevada Celebration and forget the rest. Why drink a cheap copy when you can have the original? No new ground is being added! Just taking away from the quality you could be drinking.

No photos have been added! I'm not promoting any of these Clone beers..... ;-}