Troegs Mad Elf

Mad Elf is an 11% ABV Belgian-style strong dark ale brewed by Tröegs in Pennsylvania. It is built as a winter seasonal, and the strength shows in how it drinks. The brewery's description lists cherries and honey in the recipe, with chocolate-like malt character and a spicy, fruity yeast profile, and it pours a deep ruby. The honey adds fermentable sugar, which helps a beer this strong finish less heavy than the numbers suggest. Expect tart cherry to run alongside dark malt, with the yeast adding the clove-and-pepper spice and stone-fruit esters common to Belgian strong ales. No IBU figure is listed. Beers in this style usually keep bitterness low and let malt sweetness and fruit carry the flavor. It is also an unusual pick for an Oktoberfest-tagged shelf. Oktoberfest beers are typically amber lagers around 5 to 6% ABV, while Mad Elf is a high-gravity ale meant for cold weather. Treat it as a separate occasion from a festbier. One bottle is usually enough for two people to share after a meal, and it suits a slow evening better than a round of pints. Serve it cooler than room temperature but not ice cold. About 50 to 55°F (10 to 13°C) is a good target, so pull it from the fridge 15 to 20 minutes before opening. Straight from a cold fridge, the cherry, spice and malt tend to stay muted. As it warms in the glass, the sweetness and alcohol become more noticeable and the fruit comes forward. A tulip or snifter suits it best, since the flared rim concentrates the aroma and the stem keeps your hand from warming the beer. A goblet or chalice also works. Pour into a glass about half again as large as the pour so there is room for the head and the aroma. For food, the cherry and dark-malt profile fits roasted duck or pork with a fruit glaze, and aged Gouda or a washed-rind cheese. Gingerbread, dark chocolate desserts and cherry or almond pastries also pair well, since the beer's own sweetness can stand up to theirs. Spicier or very salty dishes will compete with the sweetness. Mad Elf can also be set aside to age. Strong dark Belgian styles often smooth out and take on dried-fruit notes over time, but a single bottle is best opened to see how it drinks fresh before you commit a case to the cellar.