Santa's Reserve (5.2%) - Ascot Ales, Surrey, England

You'd be forgiven for thinking that at the time of posting this, on the day of the Spring equinox, this is a late entry for a Christmas ale. But of the many different festive brews I sampled throughout the Christmas period (and I stocked up so well that I haven't even got through them all yet) this was one of the more unique ones I tried that was given to me as a well-received gift, and as a seasonal beer not everyone's heard of I thought I'd share it with you.

A little known fact about Santa is that when he isn't busy in his workshop he loves nothing more than to indulge in a bit of homebrewing, and so he's pictured on the bottle of Santa's Reserve kicking back with one of his ales as he relaxes by the fire. The same beer is served from a cask in local pubs under the name of Winter Reserve.

It pours a dark, murky mahogany colour with an enormous and lively cappuccino coloured head that settles into a puffy, snowy cushion. You'll also notice some sediment at the bottom of the bottle, an extra pinch of yeast that produces a natural effervescence and keeps the brew alive from Santa's cask all the way to your mouth. This traditional method is a good indicator that you're drinking something of quality, that a small team of elves have put their blood, sweat and tears into.

Surrey within England

On the nose you get all the things you want from a Christmas ale: chocolatey, fruity and spicy aromas, all smelling natural and not artificial. With a touch of ginger and cinnamon in there, the spicy aromas are the most dominant.

The sweet chocolate malts come through more noticeably in the taste, but spicy, bitter hops prevail, with peppery and herbal flavours leaving a dry finish on the pallet. The full body leaves you with a nice, Christmassy warming sensation.  

While you might expect richer, chocolatier and fruitier flavours from a Christmas ale, Ascot Ales seem to have focused on bringing out the festive spices instead, producing a beer that's probably more bitter and hoppy than you might expect. Whether it's to your taste or not, though, you know you're drinking something of quality, brewed in small batches and handcrafted (with the help of a few elves).

Beer Belly's Rating:

Appearance 5/5

Aroma 3/5

Flavour 3/5

Mouthfeel 4/5

Summary 7.5/10