Søgaards Julebuk

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Pours a dark, barely translucent sepia with a fairly thick, if none too persistent, pale wheat head. Syrupy aroma has notes of caramel and cinnamon - a bit on the sweet side, but it has a malty hint. Robust, malty flavor delights with smoky, earthy, caramel, spicy and subtle woody hop notes, not as sweet as the aroma, no bitterness. Rather nice. Hearty texture has thickness and fizz to spare. Gotta love the label - I think I’ll save it for a holiday decoration. Hey, what better deco than a bunch of winter brew bottles? ;)

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

It pours black with a sort of dark purple appearance. The head is a light-tan accumulation of bubbles with a ring of surrounding lacing. An aroma of roasted malts, coffee bean, raisins and dates, oranges, rich chocolate, grape jelly bean, and lots of spice. The mouthfeel is smooth, thick, and rich. Flavors of roasted malts, chocolate, coffee, raisins and dates, grape jelly bean, light root-beer, oranges and citrus, and mild spiciness. A wonderful choice for Christmas!!

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Bottled (2005 5.8 % version, from Estate Wine "upstairs cellar", BBE 07/2006). Rubyish brown colour with a small beigeish brown head. ARoma is quite spicy and yeasty along with some sweet and mildly roasted malts. Flavour is very similar along with some toffee and mild herbal notes. Not that much hoppyness left, but has developed into a quite nice thing over the years. 5 8 6 7 7

Bottled (2006-, 6.3 % ABV version)@Chris O Port GBBF Tasting. Ambery ruby colour, small white head. Aroma is toffee, mild caramel malts as well as some slgiht notes of roast and breadyness. Flavour is toffee, malts, some wood and mild notes of spices nad alcohol. 7 8 6 6 6

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Apparently they have changed the recipe since 2005. This beer poured a dark mahogony color, nice malt flavor with just hint of spice. Quoting the label "Our Christmas brew is a reddish-brown, full bodied German-Style bock. Its aroma and flavor come principally from Munich and carmel malts, but our blend of Christmas spices discreetly enter into the pallette of flavours. Julebuk is created to celebrate the warmth of the holidays and to help see you through the cold of winter." It also has an ABV of 6.3%. This was an EXCELLENT beer and I truly enjoyed it. I would HIGHLY recommend.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 6

very light and crisp head that fades fast, medium red color, sweet smell and like taste with a medium body ending on a weak bitter note. A bit lightweight for a typical Danish christmas beer

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Sample on tap at the brewpub, on the day of its release for the Christmas season 2005. I think the waiter might again have screwed up the samples here ... Golden colour, much paler than the description. Hints of vomit in the aroma, not very pleasant. Tastes like a reasonably hoppy pale bock / premium lager, nothing Christmasy about it.