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Red Breast

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Fruity malt character with light spice, a full flavour and a warming glow, finishing on a balanced bitterness. Red Breast is a 4.5 % winter ale, chestnut red from naturally coloured malt and brewed with two English whole cone hops. William Wordsworth, born in Cockermouth, wrote of the robin as the pious bird with the scarlet breast, a line the brewery sets beside this beer.

ABV
4.5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
SRM
amber12
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
fruitymaltyspicy
fruity
malty
spicy
caramel
Aroma
The nose opens with ripe orchard fruit notes—apple and stone fruit—layered over a subtle spice character that suggests clove and pepper.
not found:hoppy,roasted,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Red Breast

◎ Appearance

Red Breast presents a chestnut-red hue derived from naturally coloured malt, displaying excellent clarity beneath a persistent white head. The colour sits comfortably between amber and deep red, with good carbonation evident in steady bubble streams. Head retention is firm, leaving distinct lacing on the glass as you drink.

chestnut redclearpersistent headgood lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with ripe orchard fruit notes—apple and stone fruit—layered over a subtle spice character that suggests clove and pepper. Beneath these brighter notes sits a solid Malz foundation with hints of caramel sweetness, while the English whole cone hops contribute a gentle, earthy undertone without aggressive herbalism.

orchard fruitspicemalty sweetnessearthy hops

◐ Taste

The palate is full and well-rounded, opening with fruity malt character that carries caramel notes through the mid-palate. A gentle spice element adds complexity without dominating, while the 28 IBU bittering hops provide structured, balanced restraint rather than punch. The body remains smooth and warming, with the bitterness emerging cleanly on the swallow.

fruity maltcaramelbalanced bitternessfull-bodiedwarming

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and moderately long, leaving a gently drying bitterness that gradually fades to a subtle spice and fruit aftertaste. The warming character persists without heat, characteristic of the session-strength winter ale format.

balanced finishlingering spicewarming glow
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
78
Taste
80
Appearance
80
Finish
75
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 Red Breast

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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 fruity, bitter, malty character as Red Breast will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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