Gales Robins Revenge

Formerly brewed at Gales
Style: Bitter
Horndean, England

Cask conditioned - handpump - Eykyn Arms Gayton Northants. Unfortunately served with an inappropriate sparkler. A mid brown beer with a ruby hue and a creamy head which I ket pass before drinking. The aromas are berries and a little bit of pear (which I think was a result of bad keeping). The taste is quite fruity with strawberries noted. A tasty Wintery beer which would do better in a better establishment.

Cask Conditioned at The Blinking Owl, North Newington, Oxon. Chestnut coloured with white frothy head. Another sweetish malty Xmas beer, plenty of fruity flavours but a thin body doesn’t carry them too well. Short hoppy finish. 2.7
Re Rate at The Woolpack, Banbury Much better this time, flavours that carry more than the beers low ABV, richly malted and fruity. Just go’s to show, its often where you drink the beer

As the name suggests, this is is a seasonal ale produced around Christmas time. In style, it is rather a hybrid between a warming winter ale and a fruity dark bitter. The brewery was not identiified on the pump clip, but I confirmed with the brewery that it is a George Gale beer. They also tell me that the pump clip has now been modified to show the brewery name. This is a deep red/chestnut colour. The nose is fruity, although this is relatively muted. Fruit dominates the initial palate but a good balancing bitterness develops later. Long finish, again with a nice hoppy bite. Some drinkers might be expecting a full bodied winter ale, in which case the mouthfeel is a little thin. However, I don't think that is what is intended and this is a nice beer. Handpump, Two Chairmen, London SW1, December 2003.