Quick Overview

A deep reddish-brown Christmas ale with an array of warming aromas. Hints of berries and treacle are met with a variety of flavours, namely winter spices and toffee. A fantastic wintery drink that will warm your heart and stomach as you prepare for the excitement and stress of Christmas.

Paws for Santa’s Claws

Here at Beer Reviews, we love a good pun. The mere sight of one makes us break down into a hysteria that transcends our years and turns us into an overexcited, though civilised, slobbering mess. It’s why we’re so popular with the ladies. Beartown have had the decency to provide us not only with an enjoyable pun, but with an even more enjoyable winter ale.

There is nothing like the excitement of seeing the festive ales roll into pubs. Beartown’s Santa’s Claws was my first of 2012’s Christmas period and I could not have made a better choice. This ale is a traditionally deep red, almost brown in colour and is armed with an exciting assortment of warming aromas to tickle your temptation.  A tang of berries, fruits and treacle greet your nose as you bring the pint to your lips, providing a warm introduction to this wintery brew.

The flavour is instantly sweet as a variety of festive spices nostalgically get you into the Christmas spirit. It’s a smooth drink which progresses with a highly pleasant taste of toffee clinging to your tongue, making it irresistibly moreish, before it leaves you with a slightly bitter and malty finish. A perfect accompaniment to a cold winters night, sitting by the fire and desperately searching for Christmas presents online and paying over the odds for next day delivery because you just love the stress of leaving everything to the last minute.

It wouldn’t be Christmas without it.