Christmas Ale - Shepherd Neame (7% ABV)

Ho ho ho! May as well get in to the Christmas spirit with this special edition brew from Shepherd Neame that is brewed with marrow from reindeer antlers, and uses melted snow from Lapland. Unfortunately, only one of those previous facts is true (probably), so it might just taste all other Shepherd Neame brews but with more heat...

Pours a nice bronzed amber colour, which is topped off momentarily by an off-white head; quickly dissipates to nothing though which is disappointing.

Lots of booze on the nose! Smells like Brandy or Whisky. Other than that, there is a decent mix of spicy syrup sweetness and fruit cake.

Well, it certainly tastes Christmassy! Sweet & spicy malt coats the palate which is all intertwined with boozed soaked fruits (raisins foremost) with mild woody notes underneath. More malt on the finish with an unpleasant cloying sweetness sticky to the back of the throat. Hops? Hardly any, but there is a tinge of resin bitterness on the linger. Distinct taste of Brandy/Whisky throughout

Full bodied with dull carbonation and no astringency. Instead, there is an unpleasant sticky, oily coating to the palate throughout which actually required coughing to clear from my throat! Let down by the almost non-existent hop profile which makes it feel unbalanced

Hits the nail on the head with its idea of what Christmas should taste like. Rich, boozy, warming, fruity and over indulgent. However, it's precisely this which proves its undoing. Do I want a beer that makes me feels like I've just eaten a whole Brandy soaked Christmas pudding? No, because that would make me feel a bit sick and I'm not a big fan of Brandy.

Give it a go (as its a seasonal) but don't drink one and expect to feel refreshed.