A further three Spoons Christmas festival ales yesterday;

Lymestone Stone Cold 4.7%, a copper coloured malty premium bitter with biscuit and toffee flavours, in the Red Lion.

JW Lees Christmas Plum Pudding 4.8%, a mahogany coloured malty premium bitter with fruit flavours, in the Red Lion.

Greene King Fireside 4.5%, deep copper in colour, a best bitter with malt and citrus flavours, in the Gatehouse.

15 of 25 sampled.

Other ales enjoyed this week;

Partners Christmas Cracker 4.2%, a winter ale with hints of caramel, in the Red Lion.

Kelham Island Fairytale of New York 4.2%, a christmas dark ale, malty with chocolate and orange flavours, in the Red Lion.

Hardys & Hansons Rocking Rudolph 4.2%, a dark copper premium bitter and christmas regular, malty with currants and toffee apple flavours, in the Millhouse, Houghton Green, Warrington.

Chantry Bow Jingles 4.4%, a ruby coloured Christmas ale with malt and fruit flavours, in the Flying Scotsman.

Marble Chocolate Marble 5.5%, a stout packed full of flavours including chocolate, coffee, biscuit and fruit, in the Queens.

Great Yorkshire Yorkshire Blackout 5.0%, a porter with chocolate and vanilla flavours, in the Queens.

Two more Spoons Christmas festival ales spotted in Sheffield on Tuesday;

Burton Bridge Santi-Freeze 4.5%, a golden coloured best bitter, dry and bitter with a hint of orange, in the Rawson Spring, Hillsborough.

Wickwar A Christmas Tall Tale 4.5%, a red ale with caramel and spice flavours, in the Bankers Draft.

17 of 25 sampled.

Four delicious ales sampled in Sheffield yesterday, 2 new, 2 old favourites;

Tiny Rebel Stay Puft 5.2%, new, a marshmallow porter in the Fat Cat.
Neepsend Port Stout 5.5%, new, laced with tawny port in the Wellington.
Titanic Cappuccino 4.5%, a coffee stout in the Red Deer.
Thornbridge McConnels 5.0%, a vanilla stout in the Sheffield Tap.

Enjoyed Waen Brewery Snowball 7.0% in the 9 Gallon, Warrington yesterday. The Welsh brewery wasn't one I was familiar with, but this seasonal ale, a stout with chocolate, vanilla and coconut flavours was delicious.

The Tut n Shive had an excellent seasonal brew available yesterday in the shape of Welbeck Abbey Cocoa Noel. A chocolate stout at 5.5%, brewed with roasted cocoa nibs.

Ale highlights of a couple of days in Oxford;

Tring Tea Kettle Stout 4.7% in St Aldate's Tavern
Thornbridge Wild Holly (a winter warmer) 4.8% in the Chequers
H&H Olde Trip (an old favourite) 4.3% in the Turf Tavern
George Gale HSB (premium bitter) 4.8% in the Bear Inn
Shotover Porter 5.0% in the White Rabbit
Knops Musselburgh Broke (a malty Scottish ale) 4.5% in the Eagle & Child
Loose Cannon Dark Horse (a seasonal winter ale) 4.3% in the Lamb & Flag
Bath Gem (another old favourite) 4.1% in Beerd

Had an excellent pint of Elland Black Gold last night in the Gatehouse. A caramel stout at 4.8% - recommended.

Three decent 'finds' in Warrington at the weekend;

Lytham Brewery Lytham Royal 4.4%, a ruby ale, in 9 Gallon.
Cottage Duchess 4.2%, a best bitter, in the Lower Angel.
Coach House Postlethwaites 4.6%, an amber bitter, in the Looking Glass.

A couple of very nice pints in Doncaster yesterday;

Geeves Oaty McOatface 4.5%, an oatmeal stout, in the Corner Pin.
Whitby Black Death 5.0%, a stout originally brewed for the Goth festival, in the Leopard.

Enjoyed in Doncaster over the weekend;

Belhaven 80 Shilling 4.2%, a rich ale with fruit and toffee flavours, in the Leopard.
Wiper and True Milk Shake 5.7%, a milk stout flavoured with chocolate and vanilla, in the Queens.
Cairngorm Wildcat 5.1%, a strong ale, malty with fruits, in the Red Lion.
Caledonian Edinburgh Castle 4.1%, a ruby ale with malt, caramel and fruit overtones, in the Gatehouse.
Rudgate Brew No1 3.6%, a vanilla mild also boasting coffee and caramel flavours, in Cask Corner.

Nice to see Bradfield's Farmers Belgian Blue in the Tut n Shive last night.

Enjoyed the following in Warrington on Saturday evening;

Stockport Stock Porter 4.8%, in 9 Gallon.
Cotleigh Buzzard 4.8%, a dark ruby ale, in the Lower Angel.
Titanic Plum Porter 4.9 %, also in the Lower Angel.

Saltaire Winter Ale 4.9%, very enjoyable in the Queens, Doncaster.

Enjoyed over the weekend;

Saltaire No5 Stout 4.2% in the Queens.
Flack Manor Black Jack (porter) 4.6% in the Gatehouse.
Wadworth Dirty Rucker 3.9%, a ruby ale, in the Angel & Royal.