Allendale Christmas Ale

Wow!  How fabulous does this look?  This has to be the perfect colour for a Christmas ale - deep ruby red with a slightly off-white glorious head.  It actually smells of Thornton's chocolate smothered toffee and I couldn't wait to dive in to have a taste.

As expected, at 7% ABV, it has a strong taste along the lines of dark chocolate.  It is slightly bitter with a lingering treacle/liquorice aftertaste and is absolutely delicious.  It's an ale that cannot be followed as it leaves such a strong taste in the mouth.  I did feel like I needed to clean my teeth (and my tongue) after it, it was so strong and full of body.

Ale be seeing you again next year, Allendale Christmas Ale!

Brewed by Allendale, Northumberland

7% ABV

Find out more at Allendale Brewery

Thwaites Yule Love It

Lovely golden. White head. Smell hops and slightly citrus. Slightly spicy taste.

A lovely deep golden/light amber coloured ale with a bright white head.  It smells hoppy with a citrus kick on pouring.  It has a nice malty and caramel taste with a bitter copper-coin aftertaste.  I expected something with a bit of spice, as it is a Christmas ale, but it just tastes like a regular bitter.

Brewed by Thwaites, Blackburn

4% ABV 

Find out more at Thwaites Beers

Champigneulles Continental Lager

Smells very hoppy and slightly sour on opening.  Pours a nice golden colour with an impressive white head, although the head is not long lasting.  It has a definite sweet taste to it and is quite crisp.  It reminds me of golden cornflakes but is a little too sweet for me.

For £1 from Asda, it's not bad but there are a lot better out there.  As ever, you get what you pay for.

Brewed by Champigneulles, France

5.5% ABV

Find out more about the Champigneulles Brewery

Zeunerts Höga Kusten

This is a lovely dark golden, almost molten light amber colour.  It smells of tropical fruit, particularly pineapples and has a slightly sweet taste.  It's not as fizzy as it looks - but like Goldilocks, is just right.  It has a perfect amount of head leaving amazing lacing as it is consumed.  It has a lovely subtle taste and reminds me of a refreshing continental lager and I couldn't put it better than the statement on the label - it is 'the bridge between ale and lager'. 

Brewed by Zeunerts, Sweden

5.3% ABV

Find out more at Zeunerts - don't forget to hit 'translate this page'

Wentworth Snowman's Revenge

I admit I didn't really expect much from this as it was only 99p but as the season of goodwill is approaching I thought it time to sample Snowman's Revenge.  It's a lovely dark amber colour but pours with only a little head.  It may have been my imagination, but I think this smells of Christmas cake, particularly mixed spice and brandy.

It has quite a weird taste that I can only describe as slightly sludgy and thin.  It has almost a dark chocolate bitter slightly spicy aftertaste.  I suppose it is like Christmas pudding, you either like it or you don't.

The head disappears quite quickly and the ale looks quite flat, although it does have a bit of fizz on the tongue.  I didn't dislike it, but unfortunately Ale not be seeing it again.

Brewed by Wentworth Brewery, Rotherham

4.1% ABV

Find out more at Wentworth Brewery

Atlantic Red

This quite literally burst out of the bottle as if I had been shaking it. There is a lot of sediment in this one and I couldn't have poured it any more carefully as it was in such a fizzy hurry to get out of the bottle.  I can forgive the spillage, however, as it is such an amazing gorgeous red colour with a thick creamy head. There is an absolutely divine smell of red berries and it has a slightly sweet fruity taste. 

I didn't pick up the blood orange or marmalade taste but it definitely tasted fruity, although I couldn't have isolated a fruit to describe it.

Oh Atlantic Red, Ale Be Seeing You Again!

Brewed by Atlantic Brewery, Cornwall

5% ABV

Find out more at Atlantic Brewery

Beavertown Gamma Ray American Pale Ale

This is such a funky can that I wasn't surprised when the ale burst out full of fizz and tropical fruit smells.  It has an abundant bright white head and the ale is a slightly cloudy golden colour.  It tastes intensely fruity with hints of grapefruit, pineapple and mango due to the Citra and Calypso hops - it sounds like I am describing a can of Lilt but it couldn't be more different.  

It's well named Gamma Ray as zingy citrus bubbles burst on my tongue and I felt like I had been (pleasantly) zapped with a beery taser gun.

Brewed by Beavertown, London

5.4% ABV

Find out more at Beavertown