Cottage Delight North Pole
It's Christmas! No, it's not, but I was intrigued by a pack of Christmas themed beers that I hadn't seen before, and this is the first of them.
Details
- Smooth ruby ale, 4.5% ABV
- 500ml bottle
From the bottle:
A malty ale with a good balance of liquorice and hops.
Expectations
I don't know what to expect, as I'm sure I haven't tried this one before. The short description on the bottle doesn't give me much to go on and the glass the bottle is made from is very dark so I have no idea what the beer inside looks like.
Experience
It's a really dark brown, with a decent head on it. It's actually so dark I have to hold it up to the light to see the little bubbles rising through the beer.
The smell is good, with a strong, sweet and malty aroma. The taste is pretty strong too, malty again with some serious bitterness and it hangs around in my mouth after swallowing. The liquorice from the description is throwing me a bit, but there is a slight feeling at the back of my mouth that does kind-of match up with that. It's a stretch though.
I wouldn't quite put it in the "I want more" category, it's more like a beer to enjoy now and then. The strong taste made it one to drink slowly and savour.
Verdict
4/5 : A nice strong-tasting beer, one for a relaxed sup.
