On Xmas Beers & Brewing Heritage : Stingo & Youngs Winter Warmer
If you live in London you’ll be able to find two classic winter or Xmas beers in cask on draught this year.
The first is Youngs Winter Warmer a 5% ruby red beer now brewed either at Bedford or Burton. It is one of the great survivors of London beers, being originally sold in pins on the bar in Youngs pubs. These days its on handpump. I wasn’t sure about the 2018 vintage but in 2019 its back on top form.
Not a London beer but available in their London pubs that sell cask ale is Sam Smith’s Stingo. Its an oak aged barley wine (Stingo is a generic name for the beer style) which they claim is between 8-9%. Sam Smiths and their pubs are problematic (or should be)for anyone on the left but, sporting a false beard, I stopped by the Chandos in Trafalgar Square for a half (don’t imagine Sams have ever heard of third of a pint measures- they haven’t). The pub is always packed but the beer was excellent fully deserving of its very high score on Rate Beer.
There are lots of Xmas special beers around these days but these two are classics going back into Britain’s brewing heritage and well worth seeking out.
Leave a Reply