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.

Cooper's Brewery would be a name familiar to everybody who enjoys a micro-brew or two. These Australian brewers have made their beers common-place in off-licences and bars located half-way around the world. There must be good reason for this.
A look online suggests high-quality produce is propelling this brewer towards the main-stream, while the drunken handful of times I've come across Cooper's in the past have all been positive.
So naturally I was anticipating this more sobering encounter.

Matching expectations?

The first sip was good, very good, the mild floral scent was matched by an equally mild, yet fruity, flavour, a welcoming treat for my pallet. Oh, how I wish this lasted.

The after-taste hits you hard and holds no prisoners. It somehow manages to be a complete contradiction from the original taste; a terribly bitter assault which attacks the taste-buds which have just opened up for something altogether more sweet. In itself, the after-taste wouldn't be all that bad, if you enjoy bitter beers, but when teamed up with such a pleasant taste, it becomes like an unwanted party-guest that you just get rid of.

The texture itself is quiet light & lends itself well to the base flavour. Unfortunately this only increases the power of the bitter after-taste.

Like any beer, the longer it stayed standing, the less enjoyable it became. All flavour had virtually evaporated by the time I was two thirds through the bottle. Whether this was something to do with the way in which the ale was brewed, or because the after-taste made me sip rather than gulp this down, I'm not quite sure; but one that I am sure of, is that this became about as appetising as toilet-water as the mls disappeared. 

Verdict.

I don't think you'll need a hint to know what I thought about this one.

3/10. A supremely disappointing experience that I . While not entirely undrinkable to begin with, it slowly drifts in that direction. Flabbergasted at how it has created the reputation which it holds, particularly as I recall a few decent sips on this in the past. Perhaps, it was just bad batch or perhaps it could be something which is best enjoyed when already in a drunken haze, I don't know. But for all the hype, Cooper's Brewery Sparkling Ale is not something I'd clear out fridge space for.

Price: €2.25 - Molloy's Liquor Store.