Marks & Spencer, Christmas Ale (England) (RP) This bottle-conditioned beer is brewed for M&S by the Cropton Brewery in North Yorkshire, famous for its Two Pints bitter and Monksman’s Slaughter strong ale. The Christmas Ale is a feast in its own right: spiced with cinnamon, cloves, star anise and citrus fruits, along with conventional malt and hops. It has a chestnut colour and an intensely spicy and herbal aroma, with orange peel and lemon notes balancing the spices. It’s rich and warming in the mouth, with cloves and nutmeg to the fore, and a good balance of creamy malt and tangy hops. There’s creamy malt and herbal and spicy notes in the finish with a good balance of hop resins and tart fruit. It’s a richly rewarding beer with pleasing alcoholic warmth and the ideal companion for Christmas meals or for drinking on its own. The beer is one of a substantial range introduced by M&S, with a number of bottle-conditioned ales. While they are all “own label” beers, M&S does in most cases name the breweries that produce them. Malt: moderate. Fruit: high. Hops: moderate. 6.2% ABV, 50cl, £2.19, Marks & Spencer.