A few recent 'winners' ...

Eagle IPA 3.6%, an amber coloured IPA. Aroma, malt and biscuit. Taste is malt, biscuit and toffee. Enjoyed this! (Little Plough, Doncaster).

Northern Monkey Bit of a Rum Un 6.8%, a jet black stout with a thin beige head. Aroma, coffee and raisins. Taste is coffee, chocolate, rum and raisins. Stunning! (Lower Angel, Warrington).

Thornbridge Cortado 4.9%, an American style Pale Ale. Pours hazy amber. Aroma, milky coffee and butterscotch. Taste is similar plus malt, caramel and spice. Not bad at all. (Park Row Head of Steam, Leeds).

Wild Beer Co. Millionaire 4.7%, a stout, black with a beige head. Aroma, cocoa. Taste is chocolate, lactose, coffee, caramel and vanilla. Excellent! (Craft Asylum 2, Leeds).

Last night in Town, couple of pints of Stocks Old Horizontal in the Hallcross, lovely drink 5.2.% strong dark and and quite reminiscent of Old Peculier. Red Lion had Bradfield brewer's Farmers Belgian Blue beer, 4.9% in excellent nick a much appreciated winter warmer on a cold night. All in all a good night, cold but those winter beers did the trick.

Had my first festive ale of 2019 yesterday in the Scarbrough Hotel, Leeds ...

St Austell Jolly Holly 3.8%, chestnut in colour and has a malt & bread aroma. Taste, malt, bread, caramel, fruit & spice. Very nice.

Also enjoyed yesterday ...

Turning Point Brew Co Lucid Dream 5.0%, a Cookie Cream Stout. Pours dark brown with a thin tan head. Aroma, malt, biscuit & vanilla. Taste is the same plus milk chocolate and cookies. Excellent! (Foleys Taphouse).

Beatnikz Republic Cortado 4.7%, a coffee stout which pours dark brown with a beige head. Aroma, roasted coffee, almost ash-like. Taste, much the same with chocolate. Nice. (Foleys Taphouse).

Wilde Child Excessive Behaviour 4.7%, a salted caramel stout. Pours black with a beige head.
Aroma, chocolate & caramel. Taste is chocolate & caramel with a slightly nutty finish. Winner! (Victoria Hotel).

A few recent ones worthy of mention ...

Sadlers Peaky Blinder 4.4%, a dark IPA. Pours dark brown with a beige head. Aroma, roasted malt and cocoa. Taste is malt, coffee, caramel and a hint of orange. Nice. (Lower Angel, Warrington).

Seven Brothers Marshmallow Stout 4.0%, pours dark brown with a thin beige head. Aroma, milk and vanilla. Taste is malt, lactose, vanilla, chocolate and marshmallow. Excellent! (Lower Angel, Warrington).

Fullers Boardwalk 4.5%, an American Pale Ale. Pours clear golden with a sweet malt and fruity aroma. Taste is malt, caramel and orange with a little nuttiness. Very enjoyable. (Little Plough, Doncaster).

Theakston Atlantic Red 4.3%, an American Red Ale. Pours dark amber. Aroma, malt and toffee. Taste is malt, toffee, honey, fruit and spices. Nice. (Little Plough, Doncaster).

Drinks in Bolton on Saturday evening, the first visit there for quite some time. The Northern Monkey Beer Co was a very welcome find as Barristers has lost a lot of it's appeal.

Had a couple of decent ales in the brewhouse which recently celebrated 12 months since it's move to Nelson Square ...

Bingley Brewery Do You Know The Muffin Man 4.5%, a gingerbread porter which pours dark brown with a beige head. Aroma, a little malt and ginger. Taste is malt, milk chocolate and ginger. Nice.

Hophurst Brewery Pud 4.5%, a milk stout. Pours dark brown with a decent beige head. Aroma, some malt and toffee. Taste is malt, lactose and plenty of toffee. Sweet and delicious.

A very enjoyable ale in the Lower Angel, Warrington last week ...

Nethergate Growling Dog Milk Stout 6.0%, pours black with a beige head. Aroma, malt and milk chocolate. Taste is malt, chocolate, vanilla and dark fruits. Smooth, potent and very nice.

Three very nice ales in the Lower Angel, Warrington last night ...

Westgate Brewery Merrie Christmas 4.3%, pours dark bronze with a white head. Aroma, malt and a hint of orange. Taste is malt, dark fruits, a hint of orange and some spice.

Timothy Taylor Crimson Comet 4.5%, pours dark red with a white head. Aroma, toffee, orange and spice. Taste is malt, toffee, orange and cinnamon. Reportedly TT's first ever festive ale

Kelham Island Conkers 4.5%, a stout, pours black with a tan head. Aroma, hazelnut with a little coffee. Taste is hazelnut, coffee, chocolate and a hint of ginger.

The Lower Angel, Warrington had Titanic Plum Porter Grand Reserve 6.5%, available on Saturday. Not bad at all and a pleasant surprise as the lower abv version of Plum Porter had disappointed of late.

A couple of enjoyable ales from the recent Little Plough Festive Beer Festival which majored on Acorn and Elland brews ...

Acorn Guiding Star 4.5%, a dark, malty and fruity ale. Very nice.

Acorn The 17th Noel 6.4%, dark, malty, fruity, slightly spiced and a little potent. Best of the festival.

Recently enjoyed in the Lower Angel, Warrington ...

Empire Chockwork Orange Porter 4.7%, black with a beige head. Aroma, chocolate and a hint of orange. Taste is chocolate with a little more orange. I like this brewery!

Northern Monkey Film Club 6.0%, a stout which pours black with a red hue and a thin tan head. Aroma and taste, cocoa and popcorn. Nice!

Cross Bay Velvet Blizzard 4.5%, a dark brown porter which has a red hue and a thin tan head. Aroma, malt and plum. Taste is malt, chocolate and fruits. Winner!

Another couple enjoyed in the Lower Angel, Warrington ...

Mad Dog Marmalade IPA 4.5%, pours slightly hazy golden orange. Aroma, sweet malt and orange. Taste is sweet malt, oats and oranges. Has a slightly biscuity finish. Nice.

Distant Hills Loose Nut 5.5%, a stout which pours black with a beige head. Aroma, cocoa and hazelnut. Taste is malt, chocolate, hazelnut and salted caramel. Very nice!

Had a pint of coconut stout in the Gatehouse before Sunday's game.
6% abv.
Talk about sickly .
..

Northern Monkey Underdog 6.0%, a porter, pours black with a beige head. Aroma, sweet malt & chocolate. Taste is malt, chocolate, molasses. The strength is well hidden. Excellent!
(Lower Angel, Warrington - yesterday).