Theakston - Nowt Peculier

This is Theakston's AF take on the famous dark ruby ale Old Peculier from North Yorkshire. It utilises the same ingredients (pale, crystal and roasted barley with Fuggles, Challenger and Progress hops) but the alcohol is then filtered out. The creamy head it creates sustains well in the glass. The nose has a richness to it and with the character of maybe wholemeal bread or even woodiness. Tastewise it is certainly very malty. There are notes of plum, dark cherry and raisin too. The carbonation is very light, making for a smooth, rather slight mouthfeel. The finish is quite sweet. Overall then it is a very traditional dark ale, and in fact there is nothing peculier at all about it.

3 / 5

Nogne - Julefri

Julefri is Norwegian for "Christmas vacation" and this dark ale is clearly meant to be a good accompaniment to all those pies and puddings consumed at that time of year. The ingredients include ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and coriander, as well as malted barley and malted wheat. And indeed the aroma is akin to that accompanying a Christmas pudding coming out of the kitchen. The taste is of all the flavours one would expect - dried fruits, black treacle, toffee and spices (particularly ginger). There is a low level of carbonation whilst the mouthfeel is soft if a little on the thin side. The finish is lightly sweet, but not excessively so. Overall, it does exactly what it says on the 33 cl bottle - a great beer to quaff with all that festive food.

4 / 5

Harviestoun - Wheesht

From Alva in Scotland comes Harviestoun's first foray into the world of 0.0% ABV - a dark ale. The beer is a dark reddish brown with a thick creamy head atop. The aroma is rich and malty. There's four types of hops in the brew but there's not much of any hoppiness on the nose or palate. There is a pleasant mouthfeel and the taste is one of plums, dates and caramel. There is a touch of roast coffee bean in there too, and some sweetness. The finish is dry. 

4/5