Camerons Christmas Ale

Brewed by Camerons
Style: English Strong Ale
Hartlepool, England

Bottle from Sun Devil in Mesa, AZ. BB 31/10/2005. At least they had kept it dusted. Dark, reddish tinged, amber color with a frothy beige head. Aroma of caramel malt; slightly suggests cola. Medium body with frothy carbonation. Flavor is caramel with some very mild herb or spice. Sort of astringent finish. Some peppery hop shows up. It’s growing on me. I’d drink it again.

This is a very doughy ale. The flavor is malty with a sour dough element and yeast. There is also a touch of spice and plenty of alcohol in the taste. The aroma is like the flavor. The appearance is amber with a small head. The palate is average. The aftertaste is bitter. Merry Christmas!

This poured a rich brown color with orange highlights and a small ecru head. The aroma is malty, lightly roasted, with a slight berry tartness and scents of old wood. The mouthfeel tingles with white peppers and alcohol, a surprize considering the modest ABV. There’s a muted spiciness to the dark malt flavors, a mild bitterness of old dried wood, and the fruitiness of tart berries and cranberries. The finish is dry and has a late coming sour edge. Nice.

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500 ml bottle BBD Halloween 2005, purchased at Spirit Haus, Amherst MA February 2006 and served at cellar temperature from a Corsendonk Christmas Ale glass. Surprisingly loud pop when the cap is loosened, and a vigorous off-white diminishing head appears atop the bubbly light brown translucent body....pleasant spiced-baked fruit aroma, cherries and raisins with a bit of nutmeg, white pepper and port....flavor is nice as well, but more subdued and simple, with caramelized malts and light wine character dominating, a hint of peppery alcohol becoming rather strong at the finish (for a 6-percenter especially)....fruity and sweet-tart at the front, somewhat woody and dry at the finish....somewhat thin, boring mouthfeel.

Bottle, Best Before Oct. 10, 2005 Aroma mainly had a mild alcohol presence. Some mild spice and fruit not much. Body was a murky brown with small head. Flavor was a mild spice and alcohol mix. Smooth ale with some body warming effect. Light alcohol palate.

Pours a clear brown color with a ring of white lace. Decent aroma of hops and brown sugar. Flavor of hops and brown sugar with a bitter, burnt finish that feels a bit unplesant. The body is light with an oily texture and soft carbonation.

The Lure:
Cinnamon over sweet cranberries. Alcohol somehow makes an appearance, rather surprising for 6%abv. Chestnuts deepen the experience, this appears to be a competent winter pint.

The Festivities:
Cranberry fruitiness hugs the malty sweetness in the first half of the sip. The second half was unpredictable, as confident wooden hop resins segued into appreciable bitterness and ensuing dryness. Not as comforting as I would have liked, but well-brewed nonetheless.

Transcendence:
A sleigh ride without hot cocoa.