Southwold Christmas Ale
Marks & Spencer Stores in Paddington, Greater London, England 🏴
Brewed at/by: AdnamsBitter - Ordinary / Best Bitter Winter
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Score
6.39
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A rich dark winter ale brewed with English Malts and hops for lots of fruity festive flavour. The rich fruitiness of this beer goes beautifully with cold meats or strong English cheeses like a traditional Cheddar.
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7.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
50cl bottle from M&S, Camberley. A bright, dark copper colour with a thin off-white head; rich malty aroma - fortunately lacking the expected Christmas spice; full bodied with a smooth earthy malt taste and some purple fruit. A really enjoyable winter ale.
Tried
from Bottle
on 03 Jan 2016
at 09:38
7/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Clear, dark copper colour. Thin, dense, pale tan head. Nose is all fruity malts. Some granary bread. Cherry truffle. Hint of banana. Taste is fruity, light bitter. Smooth palate. Touch of dryness. Finishes fruity bitter. Some fudgy sweetness right on the close.
Tried
on 30 Dec 2015
at 16:12
6.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Bottle at home in London - picked up at some damn M&S, obviously. Pours clear chestnut with a creamy, mellow tan head. The nose holds toasted biscuits, brown bread, light toffee. Light-medium sweet flavour with a very pleasant, rounded breadiness, more smooth toffee, biscuits, a hint of plum and brown sugar. Light bodied with fine to average carbonation. Nicely balanced to finish, with more sweet bread, toffee, caramel, understated semi-dark, ripening fruits. Minimal bitterness overall. This beer is in some ways more like a mild. Anyway, I really enjoyed it, even though it is fairly simplistic.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Dec 2015
at 17:32
6.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle from M&S Victoria Station. It pours clear deep ruby with a decent beige head. The nose is bitter-sweet, raisin, fruit cake, plum, date, spice, Dandelion & Burdock and some toasted sugars. The taste is bitter-earthy, toasted brown sugars, rocky road, Dandelion & Burdock, plum, prune, touch of alcohol and some decent festive spice (nutmeg & cinnamon) with a dry finish. Medium body and fine carbonation. Nice balance and pretty drinkable. Decent.
Tried
from Bottle
on 04 Dec 2015
at 04:33
4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 4
Flavor 3
Texture 4
Overall 4
Bottle from Marks and Spencer, Enniskillen [061115]
Caramel brown, clear, frothy bubbly oatmeal head, some lacing, head dissipates
Aroma of caramel, some rust, toasted malts, slight ashtray
Taste of caramel, ashy, toasted malts, dry twigs, no fruit, some burnt notes
Palate - Soft carb, medium light body. Finish is dry, caramel, ashy finish, rust bitter, dry rust.
Overall - Think I’ve has something similar from Adnams to this and I didn’t like it. Nothing Christmassy about this. Soon as I got the idea of rust and ashtrays - well that was it. Clashed with my palate.
Caramel brown, clear, frothy bubbly oatmeal head, some lacing, head dissipates
Aroma of caramel, some rust, toasted malts, slight ashtray
Taste of caramel, ashy, toasted malts, dry twigs, no fruit, some burnt notes
Palate - Soft carb, medium light body. Finish is dry, caramel, ashy finish, rust bitter, dry rust.
Overall - Think I’ve has something similar from Adnams to this and I didn’t like it. Nothing Christmassy about this. Soon as I got the idea of rust and ashtrays - well that was it. Clashed with my palate.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Nov 2015
at 17:12
6.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Bottle split with Bropey on the way to his tenneth kay. Nose is light spice, malt loaf, biscuit, toffee, brown bread. Taste comprises toffee, biscuit malt, light cinnamon, toffee, raisens. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, semi drying close with a bitter edge. Decent bitter.
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Nov 2015
at 10:23
6.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle shared. Pours clear brown with a small tan head. Aroma of overripe dark fruits, spices, caramel, nutty notes and toffee. Flavour is moderate sweet and light moderate bitter. Light medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Tried
from Bottle
on 12 Nov 2015
at 11:56
6.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 6
50cl bottle from M&S courtesy of and shared with Kermis. Thin off white head. Clear amber pour. Herbal aftertaste.
Tried
from Bottle
on 12 Nov 2015
at 11:56
6/10
Tried
on 10 Oct 2015
at 15:42
6.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Bottle from M&S St Pancras drunk on the train home. Clear dark brown lasting beige head. Very malty aroma funnily enough not as thick in the mouth the aroma would lead you to think. A little bit of spice on the finish. OK malty best bitter. Hops are definitely on the English side.
Tried
from Bottle
on 01 Oct 2015
at 10:43