I think i
t is becoming the norm rather than the exception. I have come across the following without even trying. All are ordinary brown beers with the only seasonal thing being the pump clip.Named and shamed are: Cotleigh Red Nose Reinbeer, Hydes 3 Sheikhs, Green Mill Sleighed, Lees Christmas Cracker.
There will be more I've no doubt and of course feel free to add to the list as you come across them.
18 comments:
Managed any Robinsons Mr Scrooge or Batemans Rosey Nosey yet? Both are dark chestnut coloured and rather tasty actually.
Had a bottle of Christmas Ale from Mark and Spenser's (part of their bottle-conditioned botttled beer range).
Its was dark brown in colour, but just over 6%, spiced and quite nice. Not saying, I could have drunk it all afternoon or evening, but it was a bit different and went well with a couple of mince pies.
At least some sort of effort had been made.
As usual you so called experts do not know what your talking about. Red Nose Reindeer Has a very christmas flavor like Christmas pudding rich spicy hoppy this is brought on by the fuggles hops used and has been made for over fifteen years.
Secondly WHAT is the taste of Christmas.
I did not know there was a set flavour designated as Christmas!
So I suggest you learn to taste beer before you criticize something you are obvioulsy ignorant off
Jeff Curd (Master Brewer)
Head Brewer
Cotleiegh Brewery
Jeff - thanks for your contribution. I have to say the beer tasted nothing like Christmas Pudding. Of course that's just my opinion and if others think I've got it wrong, I am happy to publish that, but you can only speak as you find.
I may not be an expert, but I am a customer and thus entitled to say what I think. For the record, there was nothing wrong with the beer. It just wasn't what I'd personally like to see in a Christmas beer. I outline what I would like to see in a previous post, but as you point out there isn't a definitive taste of Christmas. One thing most would agree though is that it ought to be significantly different to the usual beers and in some way, recognisably seasonal.
I have to say I was surprised by the tone of Jeff's posting - seems to have a bit of a "don't like CAMRA" thing going on there. Mind you anyone who puts "master brewer" after their name is clearly a Very Important Person and has to be listened to...
According to Frank Sidebottom, it's the Pink Paraffin you went out to buy on Xmas Eve with your favourite auntie. Just sayin'...
Come to our open day on Saturday And I will be happy to beat you in to submission by making you drink large amounts of red nose and convince you it has a christmas pudding taste.
For the record The previous owner invented it and I approached it as this is just a gimmick but i honestly believe it has a rich spice christmas pudding flavour.
As to the comment about CAMRA. I believe they have done may things great about real ale although they are still in my opinion wrong about being against cask breathers.
If you cann't make the open day look me up next time you are in Somerset or Devon Jeff www.cotlieghbrewery.com
I didn't regard it as anti CAMRA. I write as me not CAMRA. Brewers can be a bit over protective of their beers however . It isn't personal, just opinion. I do urge readers to try the beer in question and see who they agree with. I won't be huffed if it isn't me.
Jeff. Thanks. Our posts have crossed. I'm afraid you are a bit too far away for a visit on Sat but thanks anyway. I will try your beer again.
Glad we aren't falling out. Enjoy your own beer at Xmas.
CAMRA "wrong about being against cask breathers". I think CAMRA is right in this, so where does that leave us? CAMRA can't be both wrong and right.
It is a long-standing CAMRA policy reaffirmed by ordinary members at this year's AGM. You can't say they are wrong to dislike beers served with a cask breather, any more than I'd say someone is 'wrong' to like lager or smoothflow.
Most people in my opinion wouldn't know the difference anyway RedNev, whether it is served with or without.
I support cask breathers and disagree with the CAMRA policy. CAMRA policy is not thought up by business people, merely people with opinions of what is right and wrong. If a licensee is trying to prolong the life of the beer and therefore make money rather than throw beer away, then happy days. I do however appreciate that if a licensee isn't putting a cask through a pump every 3-4 days then questions have to be asked of beer selection and business viability.
We used a Race ventilator recently and got 2 weeks from a cask at our club, 10 driving blocks meeting 2 wice a week. we were very happy!
I am not Jeff!!!
Race spiles are OK with CAMRA.
I've found that filtering the air that enters the serving vessel will also prolong the life.
Happy Yule to you Herr'man. One day we will cross paths in the medium known as ale.
I think part of the problem may be down to pubs only getting in what they know will sell well and if that means beer which is pretty much like what they already stock then so be it. Could it be with the financal problems etc that they aren't going to experiment too much in case their sales go down?
Personally I was bemoaning the lack of the more festive beers in the pubs I have been in, but looking at the London Drinker which I picked up recently there seems to be a lot more festive ones being brewed. So guess this means I will have to find my deerstalker hat and pipe and go hunting.....
I had "Bah Humbug" by Wychwood yesterday and found that reminiscent of mince pies. Certainly had cinnamon in it.
It suited my mood as I was in the middle of Christmas shopping.
more dull brown Xmas ales:
Mighty Oak - Ex-Mouse Ale
Everards - Sleigh Bells
Greene King - Rocking Rudolph
and Calendonian - Kiss Me Quick looked like it might be (and if not, still had a stupid embarrassing-to-order name)
regarding Cotleigh beers - they could do with more descriptive labelling since they just have random bird names. i wish brewers would put even just one word on the pumpclip ('golden', 'porter', 'ruby', etc)
Blakemere Xmas Cracker-it wasn't. And Old Bear Xmas Pudding-you'd have to be a pudding to enjoy this copper coloured xmas disaster.
Basically two dodgy beers from two dodgy breweries.
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