Brewery – Taft’s Ale House
Beer – Santa’s Bribe
Style – Christmas Cookie Ale
ABV – 6.2%
IBUs – 16
Leave this brew with hints of cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla on the mantle with care, and your heart’s desire is what Old Saint Taft will bear.
Look, in my house it’s just understood that Santa likes a beer with his cookies. He’s not really “driving” as much as riding – so I think he deserves a beer to go with all the hard work he’s putting in on Christmas Eve. This beer is perfect to make that beer that you leave.
They brand this as a Christmas cookie ale, because it’s mix of cinnamon, ginger and vanilla can best be described as a ginger snap cookie. First tapped in 2016 as a draft only beer – it made a lot of sense in 2017 as they moved into their new production facility to put this out in cans to satisfy cookie as well as beer geeks all around Cincinnati during the Christmas season (and farther on into winter if I have my way with my stockpile)
The original version had a bit of honey in it as well, yet somehow the 2017 version comes out tasting a little sweeter to me, I’m guessing the ginger and cinnamon used are a little different too. Either way… this beer is pretty tasty, if you see a six pack, don’t skip it if a cookie beer sounds like something you’d like.
My Thoughts On Santa’s Bribe
This beer is seriously the perfect accompaniment to any kind of holiday festivities. A beer that works just as well slowly sipped away upon as it does put back a little quicker when you need to.
This pours a dark amber-brown color with a tan head on top.
The aromas are light cinnamon with a very light touch of cinnamon.
The taste is sweet and bready first, with a little kick of cinnamon and ginger that follows the sweetness up. This is a beer first and foremost, but still has a great cookie character that is present. Really drinkable and perfect for the Christmas season!