Bottle, Winter ’14-’15, drunk 6/28/15
Deep ruby chestnut red pour is clear, with a small beige head that rapidly recedes to a ring.
Light cranberry tartness and dryness balances a sweet, buttercream/toffee-like maltiness that is well-integrated with light cinnamon and nutmeg hints (don’t get any ginger). Some crystal malt tea-like character and actual tea-like character from the cranberry and spice. It’s pretty christmasy/novel but not altogether unendearing. At least there’s no booze or flaw and the maltiness does balance nicely, if it itself is a bit syrupy/sweet.
The flavor is well-given over to said overly sweet maltiness (toffee, brown bread, caramel, buttercream) and displays the cranberry and cinnamon quite nicely with no astringency whatsoever. The cranberry flavor is authentic and fresh but I’ve got to wonder if this wasn’t a massive fruit/spice bomb when fresh seeing as how it’s still so dominant 5-6 months later.
It’s fine, I guess and does work for what they’re trying to do here (an English winter warmer of sorts). Still would like to try a "regular" beer from this brewery. I’ve looked for it in the town its brewed as well as 4 or 5 surrounding towns and can’t find a single bottle or draft line.