Harvey's - Christmas Ale

There's nothing quite like celebrating the imaginary birth of a child that will one day become a master brewer (water into wine etc.) by drinking Christmas beer in April... A date that'll be a lot closer to the actual birth of the fictional child. I dislike reviewing Christmas beers at Christmas, I find that there's much too much pressure for me to drink the beer, put my critical hat on and then fart out a review, something that many other "critics" tend to do during the festive season. I think, however, that beer is beer and that putting "Christmas" in the title just makes it a poorly named and oddly specific beer.

With that in mind, here comes Harvey's Christmas Ale, an offering from the Sussex brewers who I have nothing but respect for. People rave about them... Mostly people FROM Sussex but that just shows me that they're proud. I've never had a bad pint in a Harvey's pub and that's the way I want to keep it. It was a rave, in fact, that got me interested in the beer in the first place... Though not the kind with the glow sticks and the drugs and the awful music that, whenever I hear it, makes me reconsider life itself. It was the drunken rave, though I prefer the word "blatherings," yes, the drunken blatherings of a man at The Bottle Shop who would NOT STOP going on about it.

"Fair enough" I thought to myself, "let's put my money where his mouth is!" (Oddly this is a philosophy that hasn't gotten me particularly far in life.) Christmas Ale pours a dark mahogany with little carbonation and a head that resembles the pre-pubescent beard of an albino child, but that's ok, not everything needs to have a head that you could use as a substitute for mortar. The aroma is a sweet mix of raisins and figs, which is perfect because that's what it tastes like. It is smooth and a definite thirst quencher, which is dangerous considering that it's 7.5% It's got that lovely malt loaf taste to it that I'm starting to see more and more, especially with English ale.

Does it taste like Christmas? No, how can a beer taste like an abstract concept? Don't be silly! Does it taste like some of the things I might have at Christmas? Yes! Now you're being sensible! There's a little of the boozy fruit cake about this, a pudding beer that is easy to drink and can be quaffed, sipped or chugged by young (not too young. Naughty, naughty...) and old alike. Maybe this represents more the spirit of Christmas than anything else because I can imagine a LOT of people getting along with it very well because it's balanced, fruity, drinkable and slightly warming... What's not to like about that?

Ok... It turns out this is a good Christmas beer. Harvey's were oddly specific and, this time, correct.

Food Suggestion: A full turkey roast with all the works including home made cranberry sauce, home made bread sauce and a gravy made from the blood sweat and tears of whoever is being forced to cook a Christmas meal at the beginning of Spring.

Drink this if you like: Kill Your Darlings by Thornbridge is the closest thing to this that I can think of. I guess you could buy this if you specifically like buying Christmas beer, but that would make you an odd little duck who'll buy anything, regardless of whether it's actually good or not... This review isn't for you.