Ridgeway Brewing Reindeer's Revolt

World Market had a variety pack of winter brews from Ridgeway Brewing in Oxfordshire, England, but since I had already tried some of them, I decided to seek out the new ones elsewhere. I found "Reindeer's Revolt" at a local beer shop in Orlando. At $5 a 1/2 liter it was pretty pricey, but no more than it would have cost in the variety pack. This is an English Strong Ale, and has an abv of 6%. It poured a medium copper color with a fine cream colored head. It's a good looking beer. It smells mildly fruity and malty, and tastes of toffee, fruit and alcohol. It's a nice ale, but I'm not sure it was worth 5 bucks. The label was hard to resist.

Chimay Bleue Belgian Strong Ale

Chimay is probably the most well-known and most popular of all the Belgian breweries that have a presence in the US. Chimay Bleue (Blue) is a Belgian Strong Ale, and has an alcohol level of 9.0%. This ale poured a deep brown, with lots of yeast in the bottle. This is a bottle-conditioned ale, like a lot of Belgian beers. It had a small white head that dissipated pretty rapidly. It's well-carbonated too. The flavor is a little sweet, with a strong wine-like character. It has some alcohol in the finish. I think Belgian beers are an acquired taste, but they're some of the most interesting beers in the world.

Shipyard Brewing's Prelude Ale

This ale is a leftover from the holidays, and is in the style of a strong ale, or a Winter Warmer. It's a malty spicy brew with a higher level of alcohol. It poured a deep mahogany color with a small cream colored head. I enjoyed the rich malt flavor with hints of chocolate mixed in with the spices. I've had thie beer before when it had a different label, but this label's snowy scene gives a better clue to its style. I enjoyed this one a lot, even if it is nearly summer.