Bison Brewing Gingerbread Ale

Bison Brewing Gingerbread Ale, the winter seasonal ale by all-organic Bison Brewing, poured like a bottle of cola; dark brown, heavily carbonated, and a tan head.  The nose carried forward cloves, ginger, and cinnamon spices over an earthy, bran and graham cracker malt backbone.


Bison Gingerbread Ale opened with a surprisingly crisp, tart start that would have been distracting had it not immediately turned to graham crackers and shortbread.  A wave of ginger and spice rose over the baked pastry start, and a mild, sugary sweetness tied the who ale together to make something that truly tasted like old fashioned, semi-sweet gingerbread cookies.


Bison Brewing nailed the gingerbread flavor in their Gingerbread Ale.  Whether or not that's what one wants may be a different point, but the ale is still quite a feet of recipe composition.  Interestingly enough, the Bison Brewing website lists the Gingerbread Ale as a Gingerbread Spiced Porter, which seems a bit less accurate (other than color) than calling it an ale.

Bison Brewing Honey Basil Ale

And now for something completely different... Bison Brewing Honey Basil Ale, brewed by Bison Brewing Company.

Bison Brewing Honey Basil Ale was heavily carbonated and barely raised a head over it's murky chestnut body.  The nose was spicy, with dark bread smells, hints of honey sweetness, and an underlying herbal note somewhere between basil and thyme.

Bison Brewing Honey Basil Ale opened with a hop front, earthy, herbal, and backed by basil and pine.  The ale sweetened as it settled, taking on the flavor of fresh baked Italian herb bread, and ended on a sticky, sweet linger that made the herbal characteristics of the ale seem slightly out of place.

Bison Brewing Honey Basil Ale is a rare beer I would say is stronger as a pairing beer than on it's own.  It would be a fantastic pairing with Thai, Vietnamese, or even Northern Italian food; bringing both the food and the ale to life.  Drank on it's own, it's a novelty that won't hold up for more than a single glass... the herbal qualities make it somewhat more fatiguing by the end of the bottle and the ale itself is good, not great.  That said, I plan on picking up another bottle to pair with a meal, and expect nothing less than an amazing combination.