Gales Christmas Ale

Formerly brewed at Gales
Style: English Strong Ale
Horndean, England

Pours brown with a reddish hue. Smells of dark fruit, sherry, touches of swet malt. Tastes tarte and fruity with some brown sugar and some warming alcohol presence on the finish. Not as enjoyable as Millennium, but good.

2003 bottle. Pours with a small, off-white head covering an amber body with lots of particles. Some lacing from the head. Aroma of port, fruits, some spiceyness, and lots of oxidized hops. Taste is oxidized, sour, over the hill with lingering bitter rasins. Too old, but I was expecting it, eventhough I bought it from a Whole Foods on the day that I drank it.

2001 bottle. Wow, nothing in this at all. Maybe I’m reviewing this late but other than it being fruity, there’s nothing special about it. Smelled chemical when I poured it. Comes in a wine bottle cork style opening. Perhaps this is much better when it’s fresh or maybe is close to wine. Sorry, don’t like it.

2002 Vintage - This was not exactly the freshest tasting beer I have ever had. Absolutely flat, no carbonation whatsoever. Figs and plums, and an underlying spice profile like gingerbread in the maltiness, but everything is so subtle now, there is hardly anything left.

2002 edition - Corked. Poured an attractive reddish brown color. No head to speak of. Bready and raisin aroma with a subtle undertone of ‘holiday spicing’ although I can’t place exactly what, Mike stated sorghum. Lack of carbonation created a medicinal flavor by the time I finished. Purchased at Ramsey Liquor in 2006.

2002 bottle. A fun beer, thanks for sharing Matt! Clear reddish brown with a thin ring of white bubbles. Big sweet dates, raisins. A bit socky. So caramelly it is sharp. Middling body with low carbonation. A bit of raisiny bite. Some lacto? Caramel. Sharp fruit. a bit of diacetyl in the back. This is FAR better than rated I think

I have both the 2001 and 2002 in 9.3oz bottles. 2001...Considering it is 2008 I’m not surprised to find the beer lacking carbonation and tasting a little devolved. Thick, stained-glass red caramel color. Fruity and spicy, with an aroma that brings you back to the Kulminator. Enjoyable enough for the connoisseur, but definitely past it’s prime. 2002 fares about the same...perhaps a little more quaffable.

8.5% AND BOTTLE FROM 2001. plum wine all over this carrot cloudy brew. classic body that is moderate and full of flavor. modest alcohol including slight tinge on the tongue. nice warming feel to this smooth and occupying brew. all the british and french tastes of caramel and assorted christmas spice. nice roll in the glass and beautiful foamy beige head. why is this brew going away?