Hello, and welcome back to the Eternal Hoptimists,
Well, the boss asked us Minions/Elves/Grinches (delete as appropriate) to seek out some Christmas themed beer. Bah Humbug.
That said whilst shopping in Home Bargains for dog treats, I spotted a suitably festive beer from the range brewed specially for them by Glen Crannoch Brewery. With a jolly Santa enjoying a pint on the label and the promise of a spiced red ale, this demanded investigation. The use of traditional English beer hops is pleasing to see, so I’m expecting a tradition style beer with a twist.
- Name : Christmas Spice Red Ale
- Brewery: Glen Cannich Brewery, Beauly, Scotland
- Hops : Golding and Fuggle
- Grain : Malted barley and wheat
- Aroma : A sweetness, with a cinnamon spice hint of citrus
- Appearance : Mahogany red, quite hazy with a cream hued head
- Body : Medium body, well carbonated but with little head retention
- Taste : An immediate hit of spice, but without any sweetness. Quite dry and bitter but lacking in any citrus from oranges
- Dietary restrictions : Allergens highlighted
It’s nice to see different styles amongst all the shelves covered in NEIPAs and West Coasts. We certainly don’t see many red ales, perhaps they are perceived as too dull in these modern times, but this old fuddy duddy enjoys a good one.
A bold try but the balance not quite right for me. The cinnamon came through well, but a beer that would normally be towards the sweet caramel side of the scales became dry and bitter instead, and orange citrus was lost to my palate. A shame because I feel there is a decent beer in there with a little bit of tweaking. Still, it is not unpleasant and reasonable value for money. One to try for the season but I wouldn’t want a second.
Peter’s overall rating: 3.2/ 5.0
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