Gordon X-Mas Ale

Brewed by John Martin (Scottish & Newcastle)
Style: English Strong Ale
Genval, Belgium

Serve in English pint, Trappist glass

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Bottle. (Alc. 8.8%) Cloudy light brown (copper) color with a large good lacing ligth brown head. Aroma is heavy malty, mild coffe, milk chocolate, ( a bit like a very sweet irishcoofe with almost no whisky). Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet, light alcoholic. Body is medium to full, texture is creamy.

A red beer with a beutiful beige head. The aroma is sweet with notes of cowberries. The flavor is lovely sweet with notes of malt and roasted bread.

UPDATED: OCT 23, 2005 (Bottle 33 cl) Black as tar, brownish head. Extremely full-bodied and potent. Notes of roasted malt, brown sugar and licorice. But not as dry and ashy, as some Scotch Ales. A very chewy and delicious brew. 020998 and 180103

33 cL bottle. Pours almost black with white short lasting head. Smell of dark roasted notes. Taste is dominated by roasted malts, elements of chocolate/coffee and liquorice. Has sweet notes and bitterness beneath the roasted taste. Very nice beer.

Bottled (8.8%). Dark amber colour with small beigeish head. Aroma of alcohol caramel and some malts. Also some plummy hints. Flavour is plummy sweet with some sour hints. Plummy aftertaste. Hides alcohol well, palate is a bit sticky, but still pleasant.

Bottled. Clear nut brown, average head. Malt aroma with a touch of raisin. Salty and malty, dense and lightly fruity. A fairly simple ale with a long, very salty finish.

Bottled. Clear red brown coloured with a medium sized beige head. Sweet aroma with lots of spices and dried fruits and notes of honey. Very sweet flavour with notes of dried fruits, yeast, alcohol and spices. Dry yeasty finish.

Bottle, 8.8%. BB 2003, 4 years ago. Slightly earthy aroma. Dark brown colour. The flavour is also quite earthy, with some sweet malt and a hint of pepper. Finishes with a little rough bitterness. Too old for me.

UPDATED: DEC 6, 2006 2006-12-27, Draught at Den Tatoverede Enke, Vintage 2003, 7-4-8-4-16=39
Beautiful dark amber color; thick head. The aroma shows some age and some alcohol. What the aroma lost, the taste gained, in complexity: malt, caramel, Madeira wine, candy, Caribbean rum...

2003-01-21, Bottle, 2-4-8-4-15=33
Dark color, beautiful head. Unpleasant aroma: cartonbox, wet paper... Strong maty body, sweet, well balanced only at the end, with a sharp caramel character (and some hop).
Not complex, but robust, sweet Christmas beer.

[Bottle 2004] Dark brown with nice off white head. Sweet malty aroma with overripe fruits. Malty flavor with spices, brown sugar and toffee. Good balance.