On the Ninth day of Beermas….
Brewed By: Slumbrew (Somerville Beer Company)
Style: Strong Ale Brewed with maple syrup, aged in oak rum barrels
ABV: 12%
Yankee Swap poured a dark amber color with gold and red highlights and a frothy white head that settled slowly.
There’s a lot going on in the aroma of this beer, the alcohol presents itself up front, slightly boozy with distinct notes of rum and oak, followed by notes of toffee and raisins.
The start of the sip has some dark fruit notes, raisins and dates, slightly sugary with a distinct kiss of maple syrup. Mid sip the maple flavors meld into a soft rum flavor with a hint of oak, the alcohol is hidden quite well in the flavor and shows up with a soft warming in your belly after the sip.
Wow, I’m a fan; the maple syrup in this beer plays perfectly with the oak rum barrels and leaves you with a slightly boozy, belly warmer of a beer that is full of flavor and perfect for sharing by the fire on a cold winter evening. If you are a good sport and bring a bottle of Yankee Swap to a Yankee swap I wouldn’t blame you one bit if you traded to get the bottle back.
12 Days of Beermas
Day 1: Harpoon Brewing Co. Winter Warmer
Day 2: Gritty McDuff’s Brewing Company, Christmas Ale
Day 3: Schneider Weisse, Aventinus Eisbock
Day 4: Rogue Ales, Santa’s Private Reserve Ale
Day 5: Shipyard Brewing Company, Mint Chocolate Stout
Day 7: De Struise Brouwers, Tjseeses
Day 8: Friars Brewhouse, Whoopie Pie Porter
Day 9: Slumbrew, Yankee Swap
Day 10: Ridgeway Brewing, Criminally Bad Elf
Day 11: Sierra Nevada, Celebration 2013
Day 12: Anchor Brewing, Our Special Ale