The Lost Abbey Gift of the Magi

It’s been referred to as a “Holiday Saison”, and that may be the perfect way of looking at The Lost Abbey’s Gift of the Magi.

The 2012 vintage is vibrant and bright with a high degree of spicing that created a dry, cracker-like aftertaste. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves here. A beautiful copper body pours out of the corked and caged bottle. The dried fruits and ginger burn worked within a champagne-like sparkle of carbonation. Once the beer settled down, the alcohol came out a bit to warm the flavor as well as the temperature.

There is a striking amount of complexity in this beer, especially on a fresh pour. There’s breadfruit like mealiness shaking hands with fig and eastern-tinged dark spice.

If viewed as a winter ale, this is a nice alternative for Belgian fans not wanting to slog through a stout to keep warm in the cold months. The yeast brings back memories of summer beers while the spices remind you that there are still a few weeks to go before enjoying lighter fare.