the beers of FUTENMA: Batemans Rosey Nosey Holiday Ale

This beer was on clearance for $1.20 a bottle so I picked it up. Holiday beers (or just spiced beers in general) really aren't my thing, but I'll try to have an open mind. This one is from Batemans brewery in Wainfleet England, which was started in 1874 by George Bateman and has been family run ever since.

The bottle has the face of father Christmas on the label embroidered with gold and the words "Batemans gold medal winning beers" "Rosey Nosey Holiday Ale" "1 Pint, 0.9 Fl.OZ.". It's nice to have a beer measured in imperial units, the metric system is so mundane. According to the description on the back it "compliments any turkey" and is " a full bodied copper coloured (that's how it's spelled on the bottle) beer brewed with Maris Otter pale ale and crystal malts, wheat malt and English Golding hops. "The aroma is rich with sultana and raisin fruitiness. Intensely bitter hops and a rich malt provide a long finish dominated by vine fruits" (Roger Pratz) Rosey Nosey is ideal as an accompaniment to poultry dishes". Well, we'll see about all that. I popped open the top and gave it a whiff. It has a malty, yeasty nose from the bottle, but we'll see how it is after I pour it into the super traditional Orion mug.

that's the holiday spirit

The bottle may say that it's copper "coloured" (thank God we took English away from these people) but I would say it's more of a stained oak color. It doesn't have any head to speak of, there is very little activity inside the glass. It's nose from the mug is like a box of raisins. On first sip, it does taste like a mildly spiced brown ale, with raisin fruityness throughout. Mouthfeel is full bodied, but not heavy, with a little bit of acidity. There is a little bit of an alcohol bite, but not much. I have to concur with the bottle, this would go well with some baked chicken, I don't know about turkey, but chicken definitely. 

Wow, they were not kidding about the raisins, the slight spice taste went away after the first couple of sips and it was just brown ale/raisin city from then on. It's a pretty good beer, not great by itself but I imagine it really would go great with a chicken dinner (not fried chicken though). Sultana is right.