Fuller's Old Winter Ale 500ml, 5.3% - England

I thought I'd continue with Christmas reviews while the holidays last and the time is appropriate.

Darker mahogany appearance with a small head which sinks rapidly.

Sweet malty smell with bits of caramel, a tad bready.

Delightful taste! Malty, sweet, some caramel, nuts and orange peels. Brown sugar, English hops and that magic bitterness in the after taste.

Our Special Ale 2009 Anchor Brewery 355ml, 5.5% - USA

I've tried quite a few beers from the Anchor brewery and with no doubt I had to try their winter ale.

Poured black color with a golden brown head. Some lacing is showing after the beer settles.

Wow, this smells like forest! Pines, sloe, flowers.. Amazing and unusual smell.

Soft, hoppy taste, some spices, a little bit of caramel with the after taste. I even get some chocolate and nuts after half a glass.

This really feels like you are out in a forest, camping or just taking a wall.

Another good surprise from the Anchor Brewery!

Shepherd Neame Christmas Ale 2009 500ml, 7% - England

It's about time I've reviewed a few Christmas Ales, since the holidays are just around the corner.

Shepherd brewery makes one run each year and this is what I thought about this "winter warmer":

Poured reddish, with a small vanilla head. Typical Ale color. With some lacing around the glass, very nice!

Malty smell, some spices, very light smell.

Well balanced taste between malt and hops. Hops are almost unnoticeable, but they do appear with the after taste. I even sense some dark bread here. Very soft, gentle and creamy after taste. High ABV doesn't reflect on the taste at all, which surprised me in a good way.

St. Peter's Winter Ale 500ml, 6.5% - England

I'm not a big fan of St. Peter's ales. The price is high and the bottle looks fancy, so you usually get high expectations, but rarely get surprised.

Poured very fast with no head. Very dark, Jägermeister black color.

Sour, anise and licorice smell with a bit of sweet toffee.

Strong, roasted malt and smokey taste, with a hitch of coffee and a bitter and spicy after taste.

Not too bad for a Christmas ale, I think it has all characteristics and forms that a Holiday ale should have. Perhaps the price is the only thing that puts people off from buying it this year.

Btw, I just realized that the photo is a bit oblique, sorry about that.