Jule Spektakel

Bottle looks actually very nice, though I thought at first glimpse (in earlier visit to our Finnish alcohol monopoly Alko here in my hometown Kajaani), that this one looked particularly "Christmassy", though there is no mention of christ of any sort :) This is Jule Spektakel with crazy looking figure shouting besides the chr...Yule tree :) Pagans, we pagans, we are funny at chr...Yule time, I know ;D

So, the bottle looks very fine, but how about the beer? It looks nice. Black with foamy head. My nose does not hate it either, though it rarely scents any aroma - it's my problem, hopefully not many others'.

Taste is really wonderful, aromatic, rich. There is roastedness all right, but there is fruitiness too. There is bitterness, but there is something very refreshing too. Tastes go tingling and changing on top of the tongue and this feels like a splendid beer. Very, very good, indeed!

Aftertaste is slightly burned, but very pleasant, very nice, very characteristic I think. There is a hint of Belgium-styled yeasts used in here, and kinda easy stouty feeling (like in easy-drinking Guinness), not very heavily, but rather very pleasantly. This reminds me of many other beers without being any of them. This is really unique with a bow to many directions: To Belgium, Ireland, England and Germany/Czech.

As I drink this magnificent beer through, I think of some fruits with sweetness in them (like plums), but sweetness is mainly a nice sidekick of this splendid aromatic bomb. Not one "christmassy dark lager" has ever come close to nailing these kinds of aromas. This is the way those pagan Yule beers should be brewed. Hooray and million thank yous to Svaneke Bryghus for this marvelous beer - that actually is starting to smell wonderful as it is warming up in my glass, yay!!!

Appearance: 4
Aroma: 6
Flavour: 10
Palate: 5
Overall: 20
= 45 points.

**** Great
(Should say Absolutely fabulous, but can't say yet, as this was only first tasting - hope I'll get another chance soon!)