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Blitzen Ale

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The brewery's Christmas seasonal, back each autumn on cask and in bottle. Bright ruby in colour: a rich malt base is tempered by bitterness from Cascade and Goldings hops, and the brew is finished with orange and mixed peel and muscovado sugar. Raisins, biscuit and dark fruit on the nose; rich dark fruit with hints of chocolate and citrus on the palate, close to Christmas cake, with burnt orange and caramel behind it. A winter warmer in character, though only 4 % in strength.

ABV
4%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
amber12
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
dark fruitorangemalty
dark fruit
orange
malty
chocolate
caramel
citrusy
Aroma
Dried fruit dominates the nose—raisins and candied orange peel lead, followed by warm biscuit and molasses undertones.
not found:hoppy,roasted,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Blitzen Ale

◎ Appearance

A clear ruby hue with warm amber undertones, holding a dense off-white head that clings persistently to the glass. The carbonation is gentle and well-integrated, suggesting traditional cask conditioning even in bottled form. Lacing adheres cleanly down the side as the beer is consumed.

ruby, amber-tingeddense, persistent headbright clarity

◌ Aroma

Dried fruit dominates the nose—raisins and candied orange peel lead, followed by warm biscuit and molasses undertones. The Cascade and Goldings hops contribute a subtle citrus brightness that does not overpower the rich malt foundation. A whisper of dark chocolate and festive spice completes the aromatic profile.

raisins, candied peelbiscuit, molassescitrus from noble hopsdark chocolate notes

◐ Taste

The palate opens with rounded malt sweetness tempered by moderate bitterness from the hop charge. Mid-palate builds toward darker fruit character—plum and fig—with hints of burnt orange caramel and a gentle chocolate undertone that evokes Christmas cake. The 4% ABV keeps the body light despite the complex flavor architecture, preventing cloying sweetness.

dark fruit, plumburnt orange, caramelchocolate, spicemoderate bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is dry and warming, with lingering caramel and a whisper of citrus bite from the Cascade hops. The aftertaste extends gently, leaving a pleasant malt-forward memory without harsh astringency.

dry, warmingcaramel persistencecitrus fade
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
82
Appearance
76
Finish
74
Serve at 8–11°C

Serve at 8–11°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Blitzen Ale

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About Ruby Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Ruby Ale?

Ruby Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Ruby Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same dark fruit, bitter, orange character as Blitzen Ale will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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