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Old Winter Ale

Fuller's Griffin Brewery
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🌍 United Kingdom · Old Ale · One of 3 Old Ales in hopIQ

Old Winter Ale is Fuller's seasonal ale for the colder months, sold in limited quantities through the brewery's own shop. It pours a deep amber and leans heavily on Crystal malt, hopped with Target, Challenger and Northdown. Malt, cookie and liquorice shape the aroma. On the palate the Crystal malt gives sweet, nutty and biscuity flavours, which floral notes from the hops keep in balance.

ABV
5.3%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
amber12
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Medium body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Off-dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Soft bitterness.
mildbitter
Texture
Balanced mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

Even from Body through Texture, the taste structure is evenly distributed.

Harmony over emphasis — the beer is built for each note to sit at the same volume.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Old Ale.
Hop character
floral
Malt character
malty
nutty
caramel
bready
toasty

FEATURED IN

#6 of 50The Best British Amber Ales→Featured inThe Best British Beers→

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Old Winter Ale

◎ Appearance

Deep amber hue with excellent clarity and a rich golden-brown tone throughout. The head is dense and well-retained, leaving persistent lacing on the glass as the beer is consumed. Carbonation is moderate, evident in the steady rise of bubbles and a firm, structured collar.

deep amberclear, dense headpersistent lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with pronounced malt sweetness, layered with cookie and biscuit notes from the Crystal malt base. Liquorice emerges as a secondary note, adding depth and a subtle spice character. Beneath these, the Target, Challenger and Northdown hops contribute restrained floral and herbal undertones that prevent the profile from becoming overly sweet.

malt-forwardcookie, biscuitliquorice, subtle spicefloral hop notes

◐ Taste

Entry is smooth and malty, with the Crystal malt delivering a clean sweetness paired with nutty and biscuity flavours that build through the mid-palate. The hops introduce a balancing floral quality and restrained bitterness that keeps the sweetness grounded without dominating. The 28 IBUs provide definition without harshness, allowing the malt character to remain the focal point.

sweet, nutty palatebiscuit maltbalanced bitternessfloral hops

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and moderately dry, with lingering malt sweetness and a gentle hop bitterness fading gradually. A subtle liquorice note persists into the aftertaste, providing length without cloying.

moderate lengthmalt sweetness lingers
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
78
Appearance
80
Finish
74
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Old Winter Ale

Serve at 8–11°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

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

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

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

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Old Winter Ale

About Old Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Old Ale?

Old 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 Old Ale

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

Other Old Ales in hopIQ

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