Christmas in July! Oh how I love it. It’s not quite as much fun as Christmas in December, but it’s close. Under consideration today is a special beer that I’ve saved for my Christmas in July celebration: Wild Heaven Ode to Mercy Special Winter Ale. This is a special version of their Ode to Mercy Imperial Brown Ale for the holiday season.

Wild Heaven has quickly become one of my favorite Georgia craft brewers. With their impressive brewery in Avondale Estates they churn out a great selection of mostly Belgian-style ales. Ode to mercy is not necessarily Belgian in style, but a very tasty beer all the same.  

The brewery says a lot about the beer on the label and their website:

Imperial Brown Ale aged on bourbon barrel chips

Wild Heaven Ode to Mercy Special Winter Ale has an alcohol content of 8.2% by volume with 40 IBUs. I paid $12.99 for a 750 ML bottle.

Wild Heaven Ode to Mercy Special Winter Ale pours to a bright reddish brown color with a medium head of creamy foam and a gently nutty malty nose. Taking a sip, the beer is soft malty with toasted nut notes and hints of brown sugar, chocolate, caramel and traces of woody oak and vanilla. It finishes with a refreshing faint dry sourness.

As much as I love the standard Wild Heaven Ode to Mercy, adding the complex notes from aging on oak chips kicks it up another notch. I paid a little more than I like to pay for this size bottle (the standard version of the beer is $3 cheaper), but to be honest, this beer is really worth it. I’d give it 4 ½ stars but will take off ½ star for the price.

 And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft



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