Fuller's Old Winter Ale

• Name: Fuller's Old Winter Ale, 5.3%, England
  
• Appearance: Redish brown. Just a little bit of head.
  
• Aroma: Malt and burnt caramel.
  
• Taste: Malt and some caramel. Slightly bitter. Warming.
  
• Bought: Sainsbury's, 500 ml, £1.69
  
• Overall score: 3/6
  
• Info: 29/11-2007

Thwaites Double Century Celebration Ale

• Name: Thwaites Double Century Celebration Ale, 5.2%, England
  
• Appearance: Dark brown/amber. Not much head, and shortlived. More head when warmer.
  
• Aroma: Malt and hops. Toffee.
  
• Taste: Malt and sweet. Slightly bitter aftertaste. Nothing special.
  
• Bought: Sainsbury's, 500 ml, £1.59
  
• Overall score: 3/6
  
• Info: 27/11-2007

Mill Street Belgian Wit

Fourth bottle bought for me by GR from LCBO in Toronto, Canada.

• Name: Mill Street Belgian Wit, 5%, Canada
  
• Appearance: Cloudy light yellow. Tiny amount of fizzy head.
  
• Aroma: Lemon and wheat. Herbs?
  
• Taste: Wheat and lemon. A bit watery. Slightly sour.
  
• Bought: Gift, 341 ml, CA$ 2.00
• Overall score: 2/6
  
• Info: 25/11-2007

Freeminer Gold Miner

Second bottle bought in Co-op, Stow-on-the-Wold on our Cotswold trip back in August.

• Name: Freeminer Gold Miner, 5.0%, England
  
• Appearance: Orangy golden. Nice amount of creamy off-white head.
  
• Aroma: Fruit and hops. Some caramel. Honey, flowers.
  
• Taste: Quite hoppy. Some fruit and malt. Bitter aftertaste.
  
• Bought: Co-op, 500 ml, £1.79
• Overall score: 3/6
  
• Info: 23/11-2007, 172/300

Christmas Beers Review (ArtOfTaste.no)

Not to be outdone, Art of Taste has also reviewed Christmas Beers, and they have included (and even preferred) a few foreign beers.

Their top 10 (of 26) Christmas Beers with less than 4.8% ABV:

1. Dahls Juleøl 4.5% (85%)
2. Aass Julehvete 4.7% (84%)
3. Grans Julebrygg 4.7% (80%)
4. Dalane Tradisjon Juleøl 4.7% (80%)
5. Hansa Julebrygg 4.7% (78%)
6. Aass Gourmet Jule Ale 4.7% (71%)
7. Aass Lundetangen Juleøl 4.7% (71%)
8. Dahls Julebrygg 4.5% (68%)
9. Nøgne Ø Julesnadder 4.5% (68%)
10. Ringnes Tuborg Juleøl 4.5% (68%)

Their top 12 (of 27) Christmas Beers with 4.8% ABV or more:

1. Chouffe N'Ice 10% (96%)
2. Schloss Eggenberg Samichlaus Bier 14% (96%)
3. Du Bocq Corsendonk Christmas Ale 8.5% (93%)
4. Du Bocq Regal Christmas 7.5% (93%)
5. Wychwood Bah Humbug! Christmas Ale 6% (92%)
6. Huyghe Delirium Noël 10% (89%)
7. Dahls Juleøl 6.3% (88%)
8. Haandbryggeriet Nissefar 7% (88%)
9. Ringnes Julebokk 9.9% (88%)
10. Haandbryggeriet Nissemor 6% (86%)
11. Meteor Bière de Noël 5.8% (86%)
12. Nøgne Ø God Jul 8.5% (86%)

And the wooden spoons go to:

• Mack Juleøl 6.5% (59%)
• Santa Clausthaler 0.0% (59%)
  

Christmas Beers Review (Dagbladet.no)

Second one out to review the 2007 Christmas Beers was Dagbladet.no.

The following 12 (of 17) with ABV of 4.8% or more received a 5/6 or 6/6 rating:

1. Ringnes Julebokk 9.9% (6/6)
2. Nøgne Ø God Jul 8.5% (6/6)
3. Berentsens Juleavec 7.5% (6/6)
4. Lervig Vellagret Julebrygg 6.5% (6/6)
5. CB Juleøl 6.5% (6/6)
6. Nissefar 7.0% (6/6)
7. Hansa Ekstra Vellagret Julebrygg 6.5% (5/6)
8. Dahls Juleøl 6.3% (5/6)
9. Hansa Juleøl 6.5% (5/6)
10. Aass Juleøl 6.5% (5/6)
11. Borg Juleøl 6.6% (5/6)
12. Julefnugg 6.5% (5/6)
    

Only 4 (of 30) with ABV of 4.7% or less received a 5/6 or 6/6 rating:

1. Nøgne Ø Julesnadder 4.5% (5/6)
2. Grans Julebrygg 4.7% (5/6)
3. Hansa Ekstra Vellagret Julebrygg 4.7% (5/6)
4. Ringnes Julebrygg 4.5% (5/6)
   

And worst overall:

• Carlsberg Christmas Brew 4.6% (1/6)
  

Christmas Beers Review (Aperitif.no)

Norwegian Aperitif.no is first one out to review this year's Christmas Beers available in Norway.

Their top 12 (of 29) Christmas Beers with less than 4.8% ABV (which you can buy in shops):

1. Nøgne Ø Julesnadder 4.7% (89%)
2. Dalane Tradisjon Juleøl 4.7% (88%)
3. Hansa Borg Juleøl 4.7% (87%)
4. Aass Gourmet Jule Ale 4.5% (86%)
5. Hansa Ekstra Vellagret Julebrygg 4.7% (86%)
6. Ringnes Dahls Juleøl 4.5% (86%)
7. Grans Juleøl 4.5% (86%)
8. Aass Jule Hvete 4.7% (86%)
9. Aass Lundetangen Juleøl 4.5% (85%)
10. Ringnes Tuborg Juleøl 4.5% (85%)
11. Hansa Fredrikstad Juleøl 4.7% (85%)
12. Berentsens Rogalands Juleøl 4.7% (85%)

Their top 11 (of 24) Christmas Beers with 4.8% ABV or more (which you due to Norway's extreme alcohol laws have to buy from the state-run Vinmonopolet shop):

1. Ringnes Julebokk 2007 9.9% (94%)
2. Nøgne Ø God Jul 2007 7.5% (90%)
3. Berentsens Jule-Avec 2007 7.5% (90%)
4. Hansa Borg Juleøl 2007 6.5% (90%)
5. Nøgne Ø Underlig Jul 2007 7.0% (90%)
6. Haandbryggeriet Nissefar 2007 7.0% (88%)
7. Hansa Fredrikstad Juleøl 2007 6.3% (88%)
8. Berentsens Julefnugg 2007 6.5% (88%)
9. Huyghe Delirium Christmas 10.0% (87%)
10. CB Juleøl 2007 6.5% (87%)
11. Mack Juleøl 2007 6.5% (87%)

Mill Street Stock Ale

Third bottle bought for me by GR in Toronto, Canada.

• Name: Mill Street Stock Ale, 5%, Canada
  
• Appearance: Pale golden. Little bit of fizzy head.
  
• Aroma: First corn, then hops and a bit of malt.
  
• Taste: Bit of malt and hops, quite sweet. Watery.
  
• Bought: Gift, 341 ml, CA$ 2.00
• Overall score: 2/6
  
• Info: 21/11-2007

Mill Street Coffee Porter

Second bottle bought for me by GR in Toronto, Canada. Good to try some nice beers again after two weeks in Dubai and India...

• Name: Mill Street Coffee Porter, 5.5%, Canada
  
• Appearance: Very dark brown, thick. Little bit of tan head.
  
• Aroma: Coffee, slightly burnt. Malt.
  
• Taste: Coffee and malt. Some chocolate? Quite nice.
  
• Bought: Gift, 341 ml, CA$ 2.00
• Overall score: 4/6
  
• Info: 19/11-2007