Shepherd Neame Christmas Ale 2002 - 2005

Formerly brewed at Shepherd Neame
Style: English Strong Ale
Faversham, England

Golden colour, thick white head. Tropical fruits in aroma, with some maltyness. Flavour from pineapple and mango. Not much bitterness.

Bottle Vintage 2005 6.0%
Nice packaging. I could stop there.
Rich head and a strange raw bacon like aroma. Perfumed taste, a bit of caramel and then nothing. Someone said mango, and yes, maybe. No hops/bitterness. No aftertaste. Nice packaging.

Way too thin for a christmas ale. Golden colour, medium head. Faint sweet aroma, flavor....nothing?...malt or is it hops?? Thin.

Amber beer with a disappearing head. Caramel aroma. Sweet flavour with a hint of bitterness in the finish. --- It says vintage ale on the label despite the clear bottle sending a different signal. Listen to then bottle, not the label. The 2005 vintage one year later is just slightly oxidated and not better in any way.

Bottled (2005). Amber colured with white head that doesn’t last. A very fruity and bit funny nose. Lots af malt and a little candy sugar in taste. First sweet but turns a lttle bitter in the finish.

Bottled (2004). Copper coloured, white small head. Tropical fruit (mango etc) in aroma. Sweet fruitish flavour with a bit bitter finish. A bit like sweetened Spitfire with some fruits added. 7384 13

Re-rated December 3rd, 2005:
Bottled. Red copperish colour, foamy small white head. Caramel, malts and hops in aroma including some tropical fruits. Sweet hoppy fruity flavour with some caramellish malty hints. Finish is bitterish fruity. 5374 12

(Bottle 50 cl) Vintage 2002: very pretty, dark amber with a small light brownish head. Looking great in the clear glass bottle. Very pronounced maltiness without ever getting sweet - the Goldings level things out. Some underlying notes of almonds - I believe - but otherwise a very dry and pleasing Christmas beer. 6/4/7/4/12=3,3 301103

(Bottle 50 cl) Vintage 2003: very similar to the 2004 version only somewhat rounder, softer and more matured - with less carbonization. Pretty understandable as it is indeed a whole year older when tasted. 8/4/8/4/16=4 181104

(Bottle 50 cl) Vintage 2004: Dark amber, filtered, not much head - very pretty indeed. A fantastic caramel flavour, but never sweet or cloying in any way. Pretty strong for an English Ale, but the alcohol is almost completely hidden. Very, very delicious. Perhaps not as rounded as the 2003, but I guess it will develop the same way with age. 8/4/8/4/16=4 181104

Bottle. 2004 Coppery golden colour with an off-white head. Sweetish aroma with malts. Flavour is sweet with a complex fruitiness. Label lists some different fruits, but I can’t really single them out. Nice palate. Could use a little more ’bite’, though.