Mother Earth beers always impress me, folks. Except when I get the bill-why so expensive, Mother Earth? Case in point: Mother Earth Silent Night, a bourbon barrel aged imperial stout. I first spied Silent Night last year along with a few bottle of Kinston, North Carolina based Mother Earth’s “Windowpane” series of beers in crown corked 750 ML bottles. This was at Sherlock’s in Marietta, Georgia, but at $19.99 a bottle, I passed.

This year, Silent Night was even pricier: I saw bottles going for $21.99 each at Total Wine in Alpharetta, Georgia. Mother Earth sells Silent Night directly at the brewery for $16 a bottle, while supplies last. Anyway, I passed again at that price, on principle if nothing else. Beer prices are just getting out of hand.

Mother Earth doesn’t really tell you much about the beer on the label or website. We do know, again, that this is an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels. Alcohol content is 9% by volume, and it is sold in those 750 ML bottles and on draft. By now, of course, you may be wondering why I am writing about this beer when I just told you that I passed on it.

Enter Taco Mac. Which is exactly what I did, I entered my local Canton Taco Mac at 5:30 on Thursday, December 19^th for their special 5PM tapping of a keg of Mother Earth Silent Night. I figured it would be pricey on tap as in the bottle, but what the heck. It was another credit on my Brewniversity studies (number 460 to be precise) and it was pint glass night, so I got a free Mother Earth glass to boot. I ordered it up right away, before it was gone.

Mother Earth Silent Night pours to a jet black color with a thin wispy head formation and a big boozy nose laced with licorice that wowed me right away. I got even more wow taking a sip, as the big roasty malt, espresso, chocolate, lots of licorice, raisins, toasted oak, vanilla, and plenty of boozy bourbon washed over my palate. The beer finishes warm with alcohol, perfect for cold weather.

My glass of Mother Earth Silent Night certainly showed the benefits of the barrel aging, and the bourbon shined right through. Still, there are other beers that do this equally well for a lot less money (I think of Weyerbacher Heresy most notably). Still, Mother Earth Silent Night is a better choice than say, Victory Dark Intrigue, which while pricey of not as pricey as Silent Night had little benefit at all from the barrel aging.

So anyway, what was the damage on that 11 ounce glass of Silent Night you’re wondering? So was I, because I didn’t know when I ordered it. The bill came: $9 for an 11 ounce pour. That was actually less than I expected, and when you think about it, makes the bottle price all the sillier. I often complain about paying $9 for an 11-ounce beer, but for a special Christmas beer like this, a wonderfully complex and dry sipping beer, I actually didn’t mind. And really, a 20-ounce full mug pour of this one would not have allowed me to order up the mug of Shiner Holiday Cheer I had been eyeing.

This one will be a strange one to rate. I’d give it 5 stars easily on draft, but the high price of the bottle brings that version down to 3. After all, the draft per ounce is actually cheaper at 82 cents versus 85 cents! That almost never happens. As much as I like it, this is probably a beer I might buy again on draft, but not in the bottle.

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

(G)=Growler



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