Blitzen
Black Sheep Brewery PLC

L-Deep chestnut brown, clear, pours with 3mm pale yan head. (ps 10mins later, holds very well).
S- Somewhat toasty roasted grain.
T- Yep, it is distinctly toasty and then goes into a notably hoppy finish. The hopping is entirely old-school trad-style I should point, no modern lychee or mandarin notes getting in the way and spoiling things. Other reviews below register citrus notes, FWIW I don't.
F- Quite pungently flavoured with zingy hops that bring balance.
O- It's got a decent presence considering it's modest 4.0%. It's seems a very well put together beer; I could happily session this. Looking at the lable I'm really surprised to see that it lists both orange peel and muscovado sugar in the ingredients. Maybe they're too subtle vs my usual winter congestion/blunted palate...

 

 

 

 

Chestnut colour with some redness. Nose suggests mostly malty: dried fruit, dark sugar and a bit of lemon. The flavour is mostly molasses with a brief hint of orange peel before the seemingly standard Black Sheep dry bitter finish.

A 500ml bottle with a BB of Oct 2015. Acquired recently from Trembling Madness in York. The label describes it as a Christmas ruby ale with a hint of orange peel and muscovado sugar. Hopped with Cascade and Goldings.

A: Poured into a straight pint glass. A deep reddish-brown hue with medium carbonation. Yields a large head of creamy off-white foam that lasts for a few minutes before reducing to a patchy surface layer. Some lacing.

S: Aroma of chocolate malt with hints of mild roasted grain, fruitiness, caramel, ale yeast, subtle spice, vague stewed leaves and a twinge of orange peel. Nicely balanced with a traditional character.

T: Tastes of toasted malt with a fruity quality and a dry, bitter finish. Notes of mild roasted grain, faint burnt notes, caramel, fruitiness, ale yeast esters, stewed leaves, faint spice and a hint of orange peel. Well-attenuated, followed by a moderate, leafy bitterness upon swallowing.

M: Mouthfeel is smooth, tingly and dry, with lively carbonation and decent body. Somewhat astringent, accompanied by an aftertaste of fruity toasted malt, caramel, bitter stewed leaves and subtle spice.

O: A decent winter ale, if not quite matching the brewer's description. Looks alright, while the aroma and flavour are a satisfying mix of toasted malt, caramel, fruitiness and faint spice. Possesses a traditional bitter character that it wears well. Body is OK. Not much sign of the hops, or the sugar/orange peel, but no matter. A pleasant Xmas brew that's worth a punt if you come across it.

Appearance - Dirty brown colour with a fizzy creamy foam head support by a busy body of CO2 stream

Smell - Pretty malty and light relying very much on toffee malt and biscuit with pretty much no hop presence at all.

Taste - Pretty much a carbon copy of the nose. Toffee biscuit and toffee with some added light chocolate and not much else.

MF - Tingly and astringent to a level I have not felt often the mouth feel here is actually very good. It has a boozy element and is also medium in body. Definatley the strongest element in the brew.

Overall - Not bad but to market itself as a Christmas ale you may expect more Christmas flavour having said that what this beer does it does well and the mouth feel is very good compared to many one off Christmas beers. Worth a punt if yo come across it at less than £2 a bottle I say and in a pub you will pay more

Dark reddish amber. Thin head.
Malty aroma with coffee notes.
The aroma continues into the taste with burnt toast bitterness and chocolate. Hops are just about discernable.
The body is lighter than expected.
Just about qualifies as a Christmas ale.

I can see what they are trying to do,
but needs more of it, no real depth, no real complexity
needs more muscovada, needs more orange peel needs more abv
NEEDS MORE MORE!