I love this brewery and I class the chaps in charge as personal friends, but I have to be honest and unbiased when reviewing beer, and this one is rather disappointing.
A Stout brewed with cranberries, this should be rich and thick and round with a sharp fruity edge, but in reality the aroma is a thin coffee and chocolate, and taking a swig everything feels rather thin too.
There’s some chocolate and some burned toast, some black coffee and a slap of fresh greenery from the hops, but everything seems a bit half-hearted.
After all, the hops here are Sorachi Ace, but even they can’t lift Black Christmas, while the cranberries don’t even bother turning up in the dry and bitter, but limp finish.
Black Christmas doesn’t stop me loving this brewery, but they can do far better than this.

Source: Cotteridge Wines