Santa’s Ale
Vale Brewery in Brill, Buckinghamshire, England 🏴
Bitter - Ordinary / Best Bitter Regular|
Score
6.40
|
|
Brewed by our jolly elves for the big man himself, Santa’s Ale is made for yuletide cheer. But don’t be thinking this is a beer as heavy and stodgy as a Christmas pudding; this ale is smooth easy drinking, perfect for quaffing down throughout the festive season.
Style: Amber Ale
Hops: First Gold, Phoenix
Malt: Pale Planet, Crystal, Munich
Style: Amber Ale
Hops: First Gold, Phoenix
Malt: Pale Planet, Crystal, Munich
Sign up to add a tick or review
7/10
Malty biscuit and slight to growing bitter.
Tried
from Crowler
on 24 Dec 2025
at 11:46
5.3/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 4.5
Flavor 5.5
Texture 5
Overall 5.5
From the cask at JDW Mossy Well. Very pale amber, almost light golden colour with a smallish white head. Taste is dominated by bitter orange flavours and mild malts. More like a bitter than an Amber ale. Thinnish mouth feel. Easy to drink and plenty of flavour.
Tried
from Cask
at
Mossy Well (JDW)
on 13 Dec 2025
at 16:42
5.4/10
—
Appearance 5
Aroma 6
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 5
Cask at the Back of Beyond (JDW), Reading. Amber with a white head. Marmalade, rich tea biscuits and then a lot of twigs in the moderately bitter finish. As with most Vale beers, I found this slightly sub-par.
Tried
from Cask
at
Back of Beyond
on 28 Nov 2025
at 18:00
7/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
[Cask at the Hope Tap (JDW), Reading.] An amber pour with a tight creamy head; malty aroma with a hint of Christmas spices; bittersweet taste with sweet malts and bitter orange rind; then a long bitter marmalade finish with lingering spices. A solid Christmas bitter.
Tried
from Cask
on 29 Nov 2022
at 15:09