Gales Christmas Ale

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

Gale’s Christmas Ale 2001 Vintage from the George Gale Brewery of Portsmouth, England. Gale’s is most famous in the beer world for their strong, corked bottles of old ale, that can be cellared, and improve with age. The most famous being their Prize Old Ale. Each year Gale’s comes out with a strong, rich, Christmas Ale as well. Gale’s Christmas Ale pours to a deep caramel color with no head and no carbonation. This beer is bottle conditioned, and sedimented with yeast, so be careful when you pour, or you will pour the dregs into the beer, and the color with become cloudy. Some beer drinkers actually don’t mind pouring the dregs in, so if you are in that camp, by all means give is a quick pour. The nose on this beer is very inviting, with aromas of sweet malt, caramel, and peppery waves of alcohol. The palate is rich and full on the tongue, the consistancy slick and syrupy as it glides over the tongue. This beer is packed with big sweet and caramel malt flavors, some plummy estery fruit flavor, and a nice underpinning of butter scotch and toffee. Gale’s Christmas Ale finishes with more big sweet and caramel malty flavors up front, and ends with a warming, soothing, high octane burn. This beer is 8.5% abv, so it is a very relaxing and comforting brew. Another outstanding Christmas ale, from one of England’s best breweries. As with many old ales, and winter warmers, I truly believe these beers are best by themselves, or if you must pair with food, make it desert.

Almost like a really old port; if I was served this without being told its origin, I’d think it was a Belgian abbey beer. The earthiness is practically savory. Outstanding.

On draft at Rich O’s for Gravity Head 2006. Cask pour, 2005 vintage; firkin. Sour, woody, almost fungus like aroma... like an old barn or basement (i can’t believe i just typed that!) Tastes of dark caramel. Hints of apple and dried fruits. Heavy notes of currants. Fantastic!

2003 - I was afraid of George Gale's brews since my first, the horrid Conquest. But this Christmas beer is a conquest. It reminds me of like Westy 12, if you want to get an idea of it. I would call it an English Trappist Winter brew. It seems to be rated on the low side, but this 2003 brew is tasty stuff. Lost a point for the lack of any discernable head.

2003 bottle. Beautiful light amber, with some reds, mahoganies and some gold tinges. Small amount of foamy white head. Aroma is awesome. Does not quit, even at the end. Big cherry yeast smell, sharp aromatic vinegar aroma characteristic of the brewery. Some nice woody aromas as well. Powerful. Begins with some soft fuzzy fruit flavors, lots of sweet cherries, some nice medium dry malt. Body is medium. Great fluffy texture, nice amount of carbonation. Finish is divine. Tons of oak, you can taste the wood, very true flavor. Touch of sherry, some vanilla and a nice use of subtle nutmeg make this a winner. I'll have another please. Could sip this all night out of a snifter.

Tangy, tart, fruity, earthy, quite flavorful. I agree with most everything in the previous ratings. I’d rate it higher without the musty cork aroma.

2002 bottle - Incredibly deep beautiful very red amber body with the typical big bubbled beige Gales head; Super nose, deep full with very concentrated rose aromas super dense candy like, behind it tons of layers of malt warmer toffee caramel aromas, great; Super soft very well composed mellow totally balanced deep and very complex super interesting and very very pleasant body; moving smoothly into a finish that evolves over a very long time into fruity concentrated candy aromas, malt and a very fine tartaric bite. Another amazing beer from Gales, I am yet again very very impressed!

2001, very pleasant warm feeling, very little head. Superb malty taste with hints of apple and cinnamon. Refreshing gingerbread and pumpkin undertones. Warm and spicy, definately worth a try.