Cask at the Sultan, South Wimbledon on 15th December 2023. Rated as a novelty ale. Dark brownish copper with shallow, dense, yellowy white foam and spot lacing. Spicy malts aroma with bitter perfumes. Herby, spicy blend in-mouth with notes of expensive shower gels and bodyspray. Full bodied with a smooth mouthfeel. Interesting.

9/3/2023. Bottle bought at the Wyndham Arms, Salisbury. As Hop Back Pickled Santa. Pours almost clear golden amber with a minimally bubbly head. Aroma of caramel, malt, ginger, herbs, stewed fruits. Medium sweetness, moderate bitterness and body. Oily, average to soft carbonation. Not so good, but a developing bitter finish made it a little better.

Bottle from Wyndham Arms, Salisbury. Clear amber with a white head. Aroma is sweet, malty, caramel and Christmas spices. Flavor is quite sweet. Sweet finish. 090323

Bottle from Wyndham Arms, Salisbury. Nice head with good duration. Color is amber. Aroma and taste are xmas spices, pumpkin, caramel, malt and hops.

500ml bottle. Pours clear dark amber with an ample off-white head. Aroma: malty, caramel, lots of spice - mostly nutmeg and cinnamon. Taste: light sweet & light to moderate bitter, more malt & caramel, orange & coriander - but in general the spices overpower everything. Medium body with frothy carbonation

Cask at PoW, Farnborough. Straining to pick up some malts and dark fruit. Light brown. Very thin bubbly white head. Light sweet with a herbal gingery edge to it. But low key. Medium bodied. Slick. Flat carbonation. Long finish. OK but completely underpowered.

Gravity cask at the Little R'Ale House, Wellingborough as Hop Back Winter Warmer. Tawny, clear with almost no head. Cinnamon and clove in the aroma. Sweet with a bitter balance midway through, and a long and slightly medicinal finish. More cinnamon in the aftertaste. Very good, and benefits from being in perfect condition.

Bottle from the Real Ale Store, Newark. Hazy deep Ruby brown colour with a thin white head. Aroma fruity and spicy. Maybe a bit to much spice for me. Taste heavy nutmeg and a touch is sweetness.

500 ml bottle into pint glass, bottled on 9/28/2013. Pours slightly hazy/cloudy deep orange/copper color with a 2 finger dense and rocky off white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice dense soapy lacing clings down the glass, with a good amount of streaming carbonation retaining the head. Aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, brown sugar, light caramel, toasted biscuit, plum, pear, apple, herbal, floral, and yeast earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of spices, bready malt, and light-moderate fruity yeast and earthy hop notes; with solid strength. Taste of cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, brown sugar, light caramel, toasted biscuit, plum, pear, apple, herbal, floral, and yeast earthiness. Light herbal hop/spice bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, light fruits, and herbal/yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Good robustness, complexity, and balance of spices, bready malt, and light-moderate fruity yeast and earthy hop flavors; with a nice malt/bitterness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth and moderately creamy/bready mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is a good spiced English pale ale style. All around good robustness, complexity and balance of spices, bready malt and light-moderate fruity yeast and earthy hop flavors; and very smooth and easy to drink. A nicely enjoyable offering.