Day 7 - La Gauloise Christmas
La Gauloise comes from Brasserie du Bocq, owner of many sub-brands of beer. Last year I tried 'Bocq Christmas' and enjoyed it a lot, but couldn't get hold of it this year. When Gauloise Christmas showed up, it looked awfully similar. The same, super-cheesy Santa adorns its label. After checking Bocq's website, it's got the same ABV and there's no page for this Gauloise edition - are they both the same beer!? It's a shame I've not got two to compare but I'd wager they are.
It's a ruby beer with a very good head with good staying power. It's not too fizzy but an easy drinker.
Aromatically speaking, there's light fruitiness and spices involved, all gently offered with a warming effect. The alcohol presence comes through very well, without being too much. It gives it a bit of body to the smell to round it all off. Nice.
It's one of the most flavoursome beers of the pack, offering plenty to chew over. The outstanding flavour is strawberry jam, with pectin-like sweetness giving a lovely thick saliva to mull over. Returning to smell it, all of a sudden the fruitiness originally present is given a strawberry character which is great.
What's most striking about the beer is that is an incredibly light-bodied affair for a dark beer. It's light and fluffy in your mouth and a very quaffable ale. As you continue to drink it the spices come through as anise and ginger (the latter became present in a burp!).
I've got to rate it highly for its sophistication and warmth, which is most important for this time of the year. You may have read the previous entry extolling the virtues of Abbey St Martin's Christmas effort and I think this one's very similar in character.
La Gauloise Christmas - 8.5
Christmas rating - 8
http://www.bocq.be/english/ownbrands/bocq-christmas.php
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