Christmas has come and gone & with it a whole range of seasonal beers. Every year I eagerly await the new batch of Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale; but this year I wanted to break from my traditional Christmas with a wider range of seasonal ales.
One such drink I stumbled upon was De Ranke's Père Noël, a strong pale-ale from a Belgian brewer.
The opaque orange colour of this ale omits a warming red glow, it's quiet a welcoming site to behold. The visibly thickness of the beer does not amount to an overly hoppy taste, indeed the moderate bitterness of the hops quickly makes-way for layers of sweetness and spice. A fabulously warming combination which comes as somewhat of a surprise considering there is not much of a nose on this one.
The pleasant flavour remains throughout, which makes Père Noël a fine choice for savouring over-time, perhaps with some seasonal food. The spiced sweetness makes for a fine complement to many a Christmas snack, but I for one, recommend Père Noël with mince-pies.
De Ranke Père Noël - The Verdict:
7/10 - This strong pale-ale would be a welcome site in your Christmas stocking. It is one to be savoured and makes a fine accompaniment to some Christmas desserts. It is a niche beer which has its target, but this also means it may seem out of place in an environment outside of Christmas.
Not that I care, of course, I say "Deck the halls with boughs of hoppy'" (I'm sorry).
Price: €3.29 - Deveneys of Dundrum.
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