As Mrs N and I spent Christmas Day with flu (that’s the illness, not some visiting relative) we had our Christmas dinner today at my mother-in-law’s. Very nice: chicken, and all the trimmings, and with it one of my Christmas gift bottles of beer, Rudolph the Red Nosed White Horse, from the White Horse Breweryin Oxfordshire. What a great beer. It’s a classic winter warmer, but not too heavy, not too sweet. Chestnut red in colour, the 4.8% ABV ale is smooth and well balanced, with a hint of honeycomb from the malt and lots of tasty but not overwhelming hop balance, with nuttiness and some seasonal candied peel offering some deep citrus fruit freshness. The finish is quite long and well rounded. I’m tempted to see if I can get any more of this winter warmer, from Morrison’s where it appears to be exclusively available.