Christmas Ale

I am not normally into tacky seasonal beers and this beer is really no exception, but I was a sucker and bought M&S Christmas Ale (6.2% abv) none the less. Brewed by the Cropton Brewery in Yorkshire for Marks & Spencer, this is like Christmas in a glass. It's a strong, warming ale that is supposedly Christmasy as it has added Christmas spices like nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves and a citrus tang. Surely if these flavours where supposed to be in beer we would have them all year round and not just in novelty Christmas beers.

The beer was extremely flat and uninspiring and basically, not my cup of tea.... I ended up giving half of the bottle to my young brother in-law!