Cask handpull at Phoenix, Canterbury. Ruby beer with bubbly thin beige head. Some yeast but also dark red fruit. Winter beers are a bit sweeter I think this year. Touch of vanilla. Smooth sweet fruit finish has yeast and some puckering of the mouth. Quite pleasant with yeast/sour sweet fruit.

Cask at The Ship & Shovell, Charing Cross. Attractive bronzy colour. Dryish with some toffee and caramel. Not very rich for a winter ale. Solid but unspectacular. Shame the King & Barnes Old Ale has been elbowed aside to make way for this.

Cask Conditioned at The Prince Edward, Bayswater, London. Dark reddish amber beer with bubbly head. Smooth fruity soft beer, plenty of plum, grape in the mouth and a touch of pear drop giving a sharpness. Rounded and sweetly short on the finish. Underlying caramel flavour but still thin on the palate. Steay beer but not a winter warmer.

1. Cask Handpump at the Star Inn, Huddersfield 04/12/2004 Amber mid brown colour and fruity. Bitter crisp slightly dry full malt finish. 2. Cask Handpump at the Penny Black, Northwich (JDW) 15/12/2004 Amber colour fruity and slightly rich on the palate. Spicy flavours. Some dryness in a bitter full malt finish.

<i>JDW, Rochester.</i> Malty sweet yet still light enough to be refreshing. Chocolate notes and a hint of roasted barley in the background. Slightly red. A Celtic style ale - or a moderate strength Winter Warmer.