Top Brews for Christmas!
It’s almost here, sleigh bells are ringing and Santa is coming to town! By all means, you need to leave a mince pie and beer beside the fire, but gone are the days when you used to leave him a tin of bland lager. You need to leave him a brew with plenty of flavour and plenty of character, like one of these!..
Purity Brewing Co. - Maravilla Sour 6.5% abv
From a batch of only 1200 luxury champagne corked bottles, we knew that this beer would be something REALLY special! Brewed on a working farm in the heart of the beautiful Warwickshire countryside, Purity have chosen locally sourced Maravilla raspberries, the best Belgian tripel yeast and cultured lactobacillus from a local cheese producer for their first venture into the world of Sour.
Appearance: Hazy ruby-red, with an off-white head that reduces very quickly to nothing and is accompanied by plenty of bubbles.Aroma: A subtle hint of raspberry and other fresh red berries, complimented by a touch of vanilla, almost creating a raspberry ripple effect, finished off with a dash of green apple.Flavour: The raspberry is followed through into the flavour, creating a sweet fruitiness, and is counterbalanced by a slightly tart, sour, bitter finish.
Belhaven Brewery - Twisted Mango IPA 5.1 % ABV
This is the latest fruit IPA from Belhaven and to be fair, it hasn’t even been out for a month yet, so it was pretty exciting for us when it landed on our doorstep!
Appearance: Golden amber in colour, with a thick, white frothy head and plenty of bubbles that slowly rise to the surface. The head retains, leaving a healthy bit of lacing on the side of the glass. Aroma: WOW - very tropical, with plenty of sweet mango and a splash of grapefruit - quite floral too.Flavour: A mellow tropical sweetness which is met by a bitter blast of hoppiness in the finish.
Little Valley Vanilla Porter - 4.5% abv
All brewed 100% organic with water from the Pennines.
Appearance: Deep, dark black, with a slight reddish glow and a thick, brown head that reduces quickly but stops short of completely disappearing.Aroma: Rich coffee and roasted malts. A dash of chocolate and a subtle hint of sweet vanilla and orange peel.Flavour: Powdered dark chocolate with a bitter blast of coffee, balanced out by a very delicate hint of vanilla sweetness in the finish.
Stroud Brewery - Ding Dong Mulled Porter 4.2% abv
From the epic brewery in Thrupp who only brew organic beers, we couldn’t wait to crack this baby open!
Appearance: Deep, dark ruby, with a thick, fluffy, beige head and plenty of lacing left on the side of the glass.Aroma: Almost resembling a Black Forest gateau, with a fantastic mix of chocolate, berries, dark fruit and a slightly smoked underlay.Flavour: Fruity and slightly tart, with a hint of cherry, warming plum, liquorice and mulled spice. Complimented by a warming bitter finish.
Fownes Brewing Co. - LEVIATHAN 7.0% abv
The story on the side of the bottle reads: “The fishwives of the coast tell tales of a great beast that stalks the deep oceans, of seasoned Dwarfen sailors who never returned home, lost beneath the shadow of the Leviathan.”
Appearance: Jet black, with a very thin brown head that quickly disperses, apart from a slight reminiscence on the surface.Aroma: Cherry, spiced berry fruit, coriander and a hint of molasses, polished off with a touch of ginger.Flavour: Quite malty, with a dash of spice, liquorice and an almost sherry-like, warm, bitter finish.
Available to buy at the Wineseller (Compton), Bottle Shed (Acocks Green), Stirchley Wines (Stirchley), Connolly’s (Birmingham), Simply Local (Burntwood), Tipplers (Bewdley) & The Crafty Bottle (Lincoln).For more info, check out their Website, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
Gordon - Xmas 8.8% abv
“The original Christmas ale, Gordon Xmas started the tradition of Christmas brews. To accompany Christmas dinners and New Year evenings…”
Appearance: Dark ruby red, with a slightly off-white thick head that stays with you.Aroma: A sweet cherry Bakewell fruitiness, with a touch of marzipan, fig and berries.Flavour: Quite tart, with a slightly sour cherry fruitiness and a dash of burnt treacle that combines together perfectly.The perfect brew to enjoy while in front of the fire on Christmas Eve!
Saugatuck Brewing Company - Neapolitan Milk Stout 6.0% abv
We were really excited about this one, we’ve heard so many great things about it!
Appearance: Jet black, with a brownish, thick fluffy head.Aroma: Very sweet, smells exactly like Neapolitan… cocoa, with a hint of strawberry, coffee and vanilla.Flavour: The strawberry and chocolate really come through, with a slightly boozy finish that creates a cracking combination and well-balanced brew.Seriously, this is like drinking liquid Neapolitan ice cream, it’s sooo good!
Brew York - Tonkoko Milk Stout 4.3% abv
This brew is infused with hand-toasted coconut, Madagascan vanilla, cacao nibs and tonka beans! Winning Silver for Small Pack (Cans/Bottles) in the North East SIBA awards, having taken Gold in its individual category.
Appearance: Deep brownish/ black, with a thick, brown, frothy head that reduces quickly and a fair bit of carbonation.Aroma: Rich cinnamon, spice and vanilla, complimented by a fantastic combination of coconut and coffee.Flavour: Sweet coconut, that is counterbalanced to perfection by a bitter coffee finish.This is truly incredible, almost like a coconut iced latte or a liquid Bounty chocolate bar!
Bellfield Brewery - Lawless Village IPA 4.5% abv
Appearance: Crystal clear, light copper, with a white fluffy head that is thick and reduces, leaving plenty of lacing.Aroma: Pine, with citrusy undertones and a dash of toffee and orange peel.Flavour: Crisp and hoppy, with a sweet tangerine tang, followed by a bitter finish.Very refreshing and the perfect starter for Christmas.
Two Towers Brewery - Sleighed Chillie Porter 5.0% abv
Appearance: Deep, dark black, with a brownish tinge and a minimal head that leaves a slight bit of lacing on the surface.Aroma: A bold hit of aniseed, delicately balanced with a hint of spice.Flavour: An epic malty mix of chocolate and coffee that is finished off with a fiery chilli burn.Very Christmas-y and the perfect winter warmer to enjoy before hitting the slopes.
Lacons Brewery - St Nick's 4.2% abv
Appearance: Hazy dark copper, with a slightly off-white head that reduces quickly.Aroma: A warming, fruity mix of cinnamon, spice and orange peel, complimented by a hint of chocolate in the background.Flavour: The orange is followed through into the flavour as is the spice, creating a citrusy brew that is met by a touch of red berry fruit and slight malty finish.Tell you what guys, Santa’s definitely coming down the chimney for this one!Available on cask in selected bars and pubs during December.
