Cropton Rudolph's Revenge

As I continue working through the last of my Christmas beers I find myself paying unusually close attention to the labels. They often contain a few gems buried in fine print among the usual alcohol warnings and returnable deposit info. This one has a humorous story about how Rudolph got drunk while taking a break in Cropton, England following his long journey, which caused Santa much annoyance when the presents were delivered to the wrong addresses or not delivered at all.

The beer is a medium-dark amber color and poured with a nice head. It's a bottle-conditioned beer so I was careful not to disturb the sediment or pour it into the glass. The beer is moderately carbonated. It's described as a "dark bitter, using finest Cascade and Styrian Goldings hops and English malt providing a unique hoppy beer with a fruity aftertaste." The malt was readily apparent but the hop character was lacking though it was true to the bitter style. With two excellent hops included I just expected more hop taste to show through. The finish was subtle blackcurrant and cherry with a hint of apple and perhaps citrus in the background. The head was still present by the bottom of the glass and formed a nice Scottish lace in my Barley's imperial pint glass. Recommended.

Wychwood "Bah, Humbug!"

One of the beers I picked up at Peabody's yesterday was a Bah, Humbug Christmas Ale from England's Wychwood Brewery, the same folks who brew the well-known Hobgoblin dark ale. ("What's the matter Lagerboy, afraid you might TASTE something?") With snow coming down hard and the roads becoming slippery we decided to stay in tonight. After building a fire I went to ye olde beer fridge and pulled out the Humbug thinking that a cold, windy, snowy night would provide a perfect backdrop.

The beer poured nicely into an imperial pint glass, displaying a rich reddish-brown color with modest head. The initial sip produced a watery mouthfeel with abundant maltiness. There wasn't overpowering spice taste but a noticeable trace of cinnamon was present. I also detected a bit of pepper at the finish. The beer comes in at only 6.2% ABV but there's a noticeable alcoholic presence. There wasn't any detectable hoppiness. The beer was very mildly carbonated. The head was long-lasting and was still present when I finished the brew.

Overall, a drinkable beer but a bit weak for the Strong Ale style. With all the other seasonals available I doubt I'll buy it again soon.