We continue our round-up of recommended beers...
Pickled Partridge (4.5% ABV, 500ml)
There's an excellent aroma from this golden-hued limited-edition winter beer. Some spices on the finish and fairly hefty maltiness, it won’t be for everyone but benefits from a light dessert match.
Buy at: Sainsbury's and Tesco until the end of January
Match with: Spiced scones
The Co-operative Gold Miner Ale (5% ABV. 500ml)
Bottle conditioned ale made using British grown malting barley and British ‘First Gold’ hops. A beer with a well-balanced bitterness, intense, refreshing hop flavours and a comforting soft maltiness – an excellent example, highly recommended.
Buy at: The Co-op
Match with: A fireside, good cheer and lamb shanks
London Pale Ale, Meantime (4.3% ABV, 500ml)
A cloudy amber to brown pale ale, there are welcoming hops and citrus fruits on the nose with a delightful liveliness and complexity of flavours. An excellent step up from more complex lagers.
Buy at: Selected Waitrose
Match with: Citrus-based dishes, like a chicken liver and orange pate
Cornish India Pale Ale (5% ABV, 500ml)
From St Austell Brewery and brewed for Marks & Spencer, this is a strong, hoppy full-flavoured but balanced ale. Excellent lively fruits on the nose, it's a great example of this style of ale.
Buy at: Marks & Spencer
Match with: Try with poultry dishes like bacon-wrapped chicken
BeeWyched (5% ABV. 500ml)
Infused with honey, this is a classic cloudy golden ale with plenty going on. The honey offsets any bitterness and gives good caramel notes.
Buy at: Morrisons, ASDA, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Booths
Match with: Chicken with honey and mustard glaze
Innis & Gunn (6.6% ABV. 330ml)
Brewed in whisky casks and well-known for it’s unique flavour, with strong vanilla flavours and some peatiness there is also some sweetness balancing the flavour profile. Well worth a try.
Buy at: All major supermarkets
Match with: A cheese course or pudding like walnut and whisky cake
Blandford Fly (5.2% ABV, 500ml)
The ‘bite’ of the fly is the addition of ginger to this otherwise golden ale. A good sparkler, with early sweetness and a delightful ginger and spices zing on the finish.
Buy at: Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose
Match with: Try with zippy Asian dishes like honey-ginger chicken
Poacher’s Choice (5.7% ABV, 500ml)
Another ale that has benefited from the addition of fruits and spices, this is a ruby ale with added liquorice and damson that gives it a massive dose of fruitiness on the palate. An excellent festive ale.
Buy at: Tesco and Sainsbury’s
Match with: The fruits will cut through duck and game particularly wel, Try with roast duck pies
Christmas Ale (6.2% ABV. 500ml)
From Cropton Brewery in Yorkshire for Marks & Spencer, this is like Christmas in a glass. A warming strong ale with added Christmas spices of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves and a citrus tang, it suits all-comers.
Buy at: Marks & Spencer
Match with: Nuts and dried fruits, Christmas pudding or mince pies
London Porter, Meantime (6.5% ABV. 750ml)
A fantastic example of the porter style, this has dark malts and distinct coffee and chocolate aromas. There’s a lot of character here but without the heaviness you’d expect. A great winter brew.
Buy at: Selected Sainsbury’s and Waitrose
Match with: Oysters, a chocolate dessert or beef stew
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