Christmas Ale
St. Peter's Brewery Co Ltd
- From:
- St. Peter's Brewery Co Ltd
- England, United Kingdom
- Style:
- Winter Warmer
Ranked #100 - ABV:
- 7%
- Score:
- 86
Ranked #27,101 - Avg:
- 3.77 | pDev: 10.34%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 9
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Dec 18, 2025
- Added:
- Dec 24, 2013
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 3
SCORE
86
Very Good
86
Very Good
A copper coloured, smooth, fruity, and full-bodied ale. Aromas of toffee and caramel leading to rich and smooth flavours of Christmas fruits and spices – the perfect companion for Christmas savouries, sweets, and snacks. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Spike from England
4.26/5 rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.26/5 rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
500ml brown glass heritage bottle.
L: Clear, dark chestnut colour with a thin head that reduces quickly to a smear and leaves an arc of lacing.
S: Rum & raisin ice cream.
T: Sultanas, currants & raisins with cinnamon & nutmeg and a boozy, wood-aged finish. Rich and sweet and heady.
F: Full-bodied, super smooth, plenty of mouth-coating slick.
O: Excellent winter warmer. Boozy, dark, fruity and sweet without becoming sickly or overpowering. Good stuff.
Dec 18, 2025L: Clear, dark chestnut colour with a thin head that reduces quickly to a smear and leaves an arc of lacing.
S: Rum & raisin ice cream.
T: Sultanas, currants & raisins with cinnamon & nutmeg and a boozy, wood-aged finish. Rich and sweet and heady.
F: Full-bodied, super smooth, plenty of mouth-coating slick.
O: Excellent winter warmer. Boozy, dark, fruity and sweet without becoming sickly or overpowering. Good stuff.
Reviewed by monkist from Hungary
4.29/5 rDev +13.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev +13.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
It really needs to be consumed at a relatively warm temperature, that is when all the aromas start to play. There is definitely something special to it, the taste, it has something sweet to it but it is not that simple. Lots of English hops there, it is definitely a very English beer but it is a very refined and decent one. Was a perfect companion of Christmas Eve in 2023. Ho ho ho!
Dec 24, 2023
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway
3.67/5 rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.67/5 rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
500 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet (1 year old). ABV is 7%. Clear and beautiful deep reddish brown colour. Moderate off-white head. Moderate but nice aroma of dark fruits, fruit cake, Christmas spices and earthy hops. Smooth mouthfeel. The flavour has a moderate malty sweetness, with distinct notes of Christmas spices, also notes of dark fruits and caramel, distinct earthy hops in the finish. Not bad.
Jan 11, 2022
Reviewed by josanguapo from Spain
3.5/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
11 Enero 2017. From elcervecero. In Ikea's pint glass. Playing Blackwell Epiphany. Caramel with some spices. Refreshing and goes up to the gead quickly. I prefer their winter ale. Avg 3.63.
2 Enero 2020. Etiqueta de 2020. De Labirratorium. En copa de pinta inglesa de Ikea. Jugando con Rodrigo a Fall Guys y Fortnite. Inicio acaramelado agradable con sensación ligera.en boca que da paso a un amargor intenso y una aspereza que cancela el dulzor inicial y le resta bastantes enteros. Avg 3.5
Jan 11, 20172 Enero 2020. Etiqueta de 2020. De Labirratorium. En copa de pinta inglesa de Ikea. Jugando con Rodrigo a Fall Guys y Fortnite. Inicio acaramelado agradable con sensación ligera.en boca que da paso a un amargor intenso y una aspereza que cancela el dulzor inicial y le resta bastantes enteros. Avg 3.5
Reviewed by Dentist666 from Russian Federation
3.99/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.99/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours clear copper/amber beer with 1-finger beige head, moderate to low retention.
Smell - burnt sugar, pudding, spices, nuts.
Taste - caramel, baked apples, orange, spices, wood, floral hops.
Medium body, soft carbonation.
Jan 08, 2017Smell - burnt sugar, pudding, spices, nuts.
Taste - caramel, baked apples, orange, spices, wood, floral hops.
Medium body, soft carbonation.
Reviewed by janubio from Spain
3.66/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
3.66/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
500 ml. syrup-like bottle. Pours an amber colour, with a thin head that fades soon, leaving a thin lace. Smell of whisky or barrel aged beer, dried fruits, prunes. Medium body, sticky palate and average carbonation. Taste of oak aged brew, toffee, figs, dried fruits. Maybe some pepper too.
Mar 06, 2014
Reviewed by jazzyjeff13 from England
3.44/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.44/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A 500ml bottle with a BB of April 2015. Purchased recently from a supermarket. Described on the label as a full-bodied Christmas ale.
Poured into a tulip pint glass. A rich reddish-brown hue with light carbonation. Yields a decent head of frothy off-white foam that lasts for a minute or two before disappearing. Aroma of sweet, fruity malt with hints of prunes, dried fruit, caramel, mild brown sugar, fruitcake, grain, ale yeast and subtle stewed leaves. A touch of warming booze in the background. Perhaps a bit too sweet.
Tastes of fruity malt with a yeasty character and a mild finish. Notes of prunes, raisins, dried fruit, caramel, brown sugar, fruitcake, cooked grain, ale yeast, earthiness and stewed leaves. A hint of alcohol in the background. Rather sweet, with mild bitterness and a lingering yeasty character upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is smooth and tingly, with pleasant carbonation and decent body for the style. Faintly astringent, followed by an aftertaste of fruity malt, earthy yeast and stewed leaves.
A reasonable stab at a Christmas ale, though it tastes somewhat under-attenuated and wishy-washy. Looks OK, with an aroma and flavour of sweet, fruity malt and dry, earthy yeast notes. The body is alright. It's just not quite there - a bit too sweet, too yeasty and not thick enough to be perfect. Festive yet slightly flawed. Worth sampling but no need to go out of your way.
Jan 09, 2014Poured into a tulip pint glass. A rich reddish-brown hue with light carbonation. Yields a decent head of frothy off-white foam that lasts for a minute or two before disappearing. Aroma of sweet, fruity malt with hints of prunes, dried fruit, caramel, mild brown sugar, fruitcake, grain, ale yeast and subtle stewed leaves. A touch of warming booze in the background. Perhaps a bit too sweet.
Tastes of fruity malt with a yeasty character and a mild finish. Notes of prunes, raisins, dried fruit, caramel, brown sugar, fruitcake, cooked grain, ale yeast, earthiness and stewed leaves. A hint of alcohol in the background. Rather sweet, with mild bitterness and a lingering yeasty character upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is smooth and tingly, with pleasant carbonation and decent body for the style. Faintly astringent, followed by an aftertaste of fruity malt, earthy yeast and stewed leaves.
A reasonable stab at a Christmas ale, though it tastes somewhat under-attenuated and wishy-washy. Looks OK, with an aroma and flavour of sweet, fruity malt and dry, earthy yeast notes. The body is alright. It's just not quite there - a bit too sweet, too yeasty and not thick enough to be perfect. Festive yet slightly flawed. Worth sampling but no need to go out of your way.
Reviewed by Jetulio from Spain
3.46/5 rDev -8.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.46/5 rDev -8.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
500 ml. bottle poured into a Pint glass
Appearance... Mahogany beer with foamy head colour white of less that 2 fingers aprox
Aroma... whiskey aroma, alcohol with malty notes and wet wood. herbal too
Taste... Some sugar burnt notes and then hop , touch of bitterness is overwhelmed by sweety presence.
Mouthfeel... Full body and soft carbonation
Overall... a recomendable seasonal malty ale.
Dec 28, 2013Appearance... Mahogany beer with foamy head colour white of less that 2 fingers aprox
Aroma... whiskey aroma, alcohol with malty notes and wet wood. herbal too
Taste... Some sugar burnt notes and then hop , touch of bitterness is overwhelmed by sweety presence.
Mouthfeel... Full body and soft carbonation
Overall... a recomendable seasonal malty ale.
Reviewed by EmperorBevis from England
3.35/5 rDev -11.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.35/5 rDev -11.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Like cola nearly black with brown hues and no head whatsoever.
Not a big aroma hint of nutmeg and a bit of cinnamon with some metallic elements
had to get my nose right in there to pick anything up.
Burnt sugar is the main taste some all spice and slight notes of rum
Quite a heavy mouthfeel the strength is more there than the taste
I may be going crazy but the fizz seems to change with every mouthful.
Exceedingly average.
Dec 24, 2013Not a big aroma hint of nutmeg and a bit of cinnamon with some metallic elements
had to get my nose right in there to pick anything up.
Burnt sugar is the main taste some all spice and slight notes of rum
Quite a heavy mouthfeel the strength is more there than the taste
I may be going crazy but the fizz seems to change with every mouthful.
Exceedingly average.
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