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Updated Review 03/09
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Bottle still in the circular rather than the oval style from Bullock’s, Marietta, GA, USA. $1.19 for 500 mL on sale. Jubbly.
Pour remains resplendent with the head, lace and color exceptional.
Still full of malty goodness with mild spice and wave after wave of first class drinkability. As smooth as you like, what a GREAT beer.
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Original Review 01/08
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Delighted to see this turn up in GA at Green’s on Buford, Atlanta, GA, USA – means it went ON to, and then OFF of, my Wants List very quickly!
Even though I LOVE the old, oval bottles, this spherical, 500 mL, green glass, embossed version is also superb looking – always have loved the labels too, this is 10/10 for presentation, it’s almost worth buying this JUST for the bottle! Let’s see if what’s inside matches.
Dark brown pour (a few red highlights) with a huge, mocha, bubbly, dense head. Lace is excellent and the retention is first class.
Creamy mouthfeel meets the tongue and mouth followed by some residual bitterness. Quite hoppy as opposed to spicy. Some metallic bitterness in the finish that completes the picture. Drinks like a classic English bitter, with a sturdy malt backbone holding it together. Once again, it bears saying that, for me, we are not talking spice, but we are talking bitter hops. It has some old-fashioned, Black Country/Midlands Mild character. AGAIN – no spice in terms of Winter Warmer.
Alcohol is nowhere to be seen with this beer, and although it is well above the traditional view of a sessionable beer, it drinks in that category.
Drinkability is amazing, this is a very high quality beer.