I’m slowly getting into the Christmas spirit.
I have to say, it doesn’t come easily to me, but I’m trying hard and a beer like this helps.
Winter Spice is a deep chestnut brown with a light head and a smell that’s warm and roasted and full of berries and sandalwood.
There’s a digestive biscuit at the base and it acts as a rather good platform for the spices that are swimming around in here.
Glued to the beer with a sticky toffee are cloves and cinnamon, a little cardamom, mace and star anise.
At least that’s what it tastes like.
There’s also a full and rich red berry juiciness and some liquorice before the hops go crisp and crunchy, red and autumnal, all leaf litter dry and hazelnut fresh.
The finish is dry and nutty, long and bitter and has left me thinking, to misquote, “it’s beginning to feel a bit like Christmas.”