REVIEW #10: Christmas Ale (Titanic Brewery)

Pours a chestnut brown-to-black colour forming a head which has average persistence. The lacing adorns the glass long after the head has vanished. Blackstrap molasses and resinous, woody notes constitute the aroma. In taste, sugary sweet black cherry and redcurrant flavours are offset by a rough phenolic kick and satisfying pine-hop bitterness. Very full bodied and moreish, despite the high ABV.

Titanic Brewery were founded in 1985 in Stoke-on-Trent. Their Christmas Ale is a seasonal offering probably best described as a 'winter warmer'; a variable style the very best of which, I tend to find, are dark and strong like a porter/old ale hybrid. The alcoholic warmth certainly shines through in this rendition. Unfortunately Christmas Ale is strangely absent from their (otherwise comprehensive) website and I can't find any information on the varieties of hop and malt present in the beer. Still, I'd recommend it as a good example of what a winter warmer can be. I don't think it quite lives up to its subtitle of "liquid christmas cake" though!

• MALTS: ?
• HOPS: ?
• IBU: ?
• ABV: 7.4%
• Bottle conditioned

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