Little Creatures Day of the Long Shadow

Hooray, another single batch effort from Mitsubishi err hang on Kirin oops I mean Lion Nathan ahm Little Creatures.

Another bush shack logo adorns another single batch - but this one promises to be quite different again as a spiced winter ale weighing in at a more than respectable 8.9%.


This pours a lovely scorched amber, becoming lighter in direct light, one of the few beers to elucidate words of approval from my normally reticent (when it comes to beer visuals at least) wife. Aeration seems spot on right away, it's flat with just enough oomph to power a thick and defined head, but doesn't need to be left alone to settle before you plow right in.


An aroma of initially earthy UK hops, and a burst of cinnamon and fivespice assails the nostrils pre the first bite. The taste initially shows slight bitterness and a ripe fruity yeast, which is soon overtaken by a sneaking suspicion the 8.9% alc is going to burst in and ruin everything but - rejoice - spices arrive on cue to save the day. Indeed, cinnamon and friends ensure this is pretty mellow through the midsection and onwards. It feels like you're just relaxing in that fivespice armchair waiting for the crash that never comes.

Finish is quite nutty, bit of biscuit and dry caramel, well suited to style, quick to depart save a warming but unobtrusive throat alc note.. truly a winter fireside warmer. Sweetness is restrained throughout and to me, this is key to maintaining drinkability here. Fine work.

Overall this is perhaps not quite as complex as one may have expected but smooth and comforting nevertheless. Quite the swansong, if indeed that's what it is. 


Let's hope not. 8.0

Harviestoun Mr Sno'balls

Mr Sno'balls, a wintery bitter from the thus far impressive crew at Harviestoun.

This one pours pretty sedate and flat as you can see with low aeration, but it is a nice light cola hue. The flavour profile is dominated by the pale and crystal malts with a bit of caramel character and just slight bittering hops. The roasty barley character is quite pleasant and lifts this above some others that are all just caramel and nothing else.

While they're not perhaps the most exciting beers, I don't mind beers in this vein from time to time. They can be a pretty comforting drop to nurse over some time as they take well to being flat and warm. The only real issue I have with this one is the label - 'Crisp' yeah, 'Caramel' yeah, 'Citrus' ..what? Surely there were other words that started with 'C' you could have used? 7.0

Nørrebro North Bridge Extreme

Is this a saison? Nørre bro, it's a Imperial IPA.

What is it with the horrendous jokes of late?

This beer pours brown but comes up a dark amber in the light, with a beautiful cream head. This is one of those beers that's listed at turns as a Double IPA or an Imperial IPA and in some cases it's more or less interchangeable. In this case I feel it's an IIPA right off the bat - dark fruits and malts come to the fore in the aroma and it's clear you're in for a treat.

Taste-wise this beer delivers the same imperial flavours but without too much fruit. Instead, there's a truly delicious edge of toasty coffee that comes through in its place and smooths this out beautifully. Lovely fluid mouthfeel to this beer gives it a really refined character despite its 9.5% punch. Even puts me in mind of cigars in places.

I found this really rather excellent and recommend you try it post-haste. Pay whatever is required my good man, money is no object. 9.0

Southern Tier Old Man Winter Ale

So, what is a 'winter ale'? Searching about I see it's a variety of an old ale. So, what is an 'old ale'?

Who knows. But this is a reasonably heavy, thick, hard going sort of a beer, probably well suited to its job as winter warmer. It's dark in the glass, malty, with lashings of caramel and a bit of a peppery spicy finish. Perhaps my bottle had aged slightly but I didn't get too much hops going on.

All of which is fair enough, but it's just a bit unremarkable to me. I'm prepared to admit that if sampled in a wood cottage in the snow, this would likely score higher. But for now I'm fine with other alternatives. 6.5