Cask thanks to Lorna. It pours deep red-amber with a small white head. The nose is earthy, toast, spice, brown bread, Christmas cake and gingerbread. The taste is wood, varnish, toffee, spice, herbal, Christmas cake, dried fruit with a dry finish. Medium body and fine carbonation. Smooth and pretty drinkable. A solid Christmas ale.

Cask at Craft Clerko, thanks to Lorna and her ticking badge winning ways for some other site, 05/12/13. Brown with a thin white head. Nose is dark toffee, bready malts, light spice, clove, cardoman seed. Taste comprises light spice, dark fruit mash, toffee, clove, brown sugar, cake mix. Medium bodied, moderate carbonation, dry spiced closure. Ok.

On cask at Coach and Horses, Dronfield - Was looking forward to this, but slightly underwhelmed. The look is very nice, probably helped by a good bit of cellaring, russet body with a lacing white head. Nose is a mince pie in a glass, the usual winter spices and citrus, but other than the alcohol warmth there is very little character. I had another to make sure I wasn’t mistaken... I wasn’t. Okay, but that’s all.

5th December 2013
Craft Clerkenwell. Cask. Thanks to Lorna. Clear amber beer. No head. Palate is smooth and a little dry. Mellow dried fruits. Light perfumey spice. Very mild herb. A light fruity sweetness runs throughout. Light finish. Quite Gruit like. Interesting.