One night earlier this week Shane, Nick and myself were having a conversation regarding writing some articles for the website. During the talk, Shane noticed someone submitted a suggestion of Tröegs The Mad Elf years ago and we had never written one. For some reason, I still had one in my fridge and decided to finally add this one to our reviews.
So here we are, Christmas in May… or something. I always make it a point to buy a few bottles of Tröegs The Mad Elf around the holidays, and this one happened to slip to the back of my fridge only to be discovered with some searching. I will be reviewing the beer as is, several months old, and not as it is fresh.
From the 12 ounce bottle the Mad Elf pours out a deep amber/brown color with a rapidly disappearing white head. Given the 11% ABV this is not that surprising. Most of the dark fruit aromas have stuck around, like cherry and figs up front. Elements of honey and dark malts come through on the nose as well. The high ABV remains well hidden.
The cherry, fig, and honey hit first on the palate, providing a good bit of sweetness but not too much. Clove and yeast come through next bringing with them the slightest hint of alcohol. The Mad Elf finishes on the sweeter end, but without a sticky mouth feel. The beer is carbonated just enough to fight through the sweetness while the mouth feel remains on the thicker side of medium-bodied. Yet again, no way to tell this beer is 11% ABV.
The Mad Elf has stood the test of time to become a “classic” holiday beer. Non-beer nerds even seek it out and rave about it (sometimes for “getting me mad f***ed up bro!”). In the years since its original release many other holiday beers have come out from other breweries, but Mad Elf will always have a place in my fridge around the holidays…and into May.
Rating
out of 100
