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Advent Ale

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A deep chestnut seasonal ale with a fruity nose, sweet liquorice and roasted malt, finishing on a rich dark chocolate aftertaste. Advent Ale is 4.4% and aimed squarely at the run-up to Christmas, a darker, warmer companion to the brewery's year-round amber and golden ales. Hogs Back has brewed at Manor Farm in Tongham, Surrey, since 1992.

ABV
4.4%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
deep amber20
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
roastedchocolatefruity
roasted
chocolate
fruity
malty
dark fruit
clean
Aroma
The nose opens with prominent roasted malt and dark chocolate notes, immediately establishing the beer's wintry character.
not found:hoppy,caramel,sour,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Advent Ale

◎ Appearance

Deep chestnut brown with excellent clarity and a modest, persistent head that clings to the glass in fine lacing. The beer presents a warm, inviting hue characteristic of well-kilned darker malts, with gentle carbonation evident in the form of fine bubbles rising steadily through the liquid.

deep chestnutclearpersistent headfine lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with prominent roasted malt and dark chocolate notes, immediately establishing the beer's wintry character. Beneath these richer layers lies a subtle fruity undertone reminiscent of dried fruit, with a gentle licorice sweetness that adds complexity without dominating the overall impression.

roasted maltdark chocolatedried fruitlicorice sweetness

◐ Taste

The palate is full and malty on entry, with roasted grain and cocoa flavors building smoothly across the mid-palate. The moderate bitterness (24 IBU) remains restrained and well-integrated, allowing the rich chocolate and sweet malt character to remain prominent while maintaining balance and drinkability.

roasted graincocoasmooth malt bodyrestrained bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is long and warming, dominated by dark chocolate and subtle roasted notes that linger pleasantly without becoming harsh. A light dryness emerges in the aftertaste, providing just enough grip to prevent the beer from becoming cloying despite its inherent sweetness.

dark chocolatewarminglingering
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
78
Appearance
80
Finish
76
Serve at 10–13°C

Serve at 10–13°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 Advent Ale

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About Winter Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Winter Ale?

Winter 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 Winter Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same roasted, chocolate, sweet character as Advent Ale will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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