Ridgeway Bad Elf Winter's Ale

Bad Elf Winter's Ale is a 6.0% ABV seasonal ale from Ridgeway, brewed in Oxfordshire, England, and it sits in the English winter warmer tradition: malt-led, fuller in body than a standard bitter, and built for cold weather. The colour runs from amber toward ruby. Beers in this style usually show toasted bread crust, caramel, dark fruit such as raisin or plum, and a touch of toffee, with hop bitterness kept in the background just enough to stop the malt from turning sweet and heavy. No IBU figure is listed for this beer, so expect a gentle English-style bitterness rather than a sharp, resinous one. The reference description calls the character smooth and warming, and at 6.0% it has enough strength to give a mild glow without the heat of a barley wine. Serve it cool rather than ice cold. Around 10 to 13°C, a little above ordinary fridge temperature, lets the malt and fruit come through. Straight from a cold fridge, the flavours tend to tighten and the beer tastes thinner. Take it out about 15 minutes before pouring. A nonic pint glass is a sound choice, and a tulip or snifter-style glass works better if you want to concentrate the aroma. Pour steadily and leave any yeast sediment in the bottle if the beer is bottle-conditioned. The malt and caramel character suits food that is roasted, savoury, or lightly sweet. Roast pork with crackling, sausages and mash, beef stew, and game pies all match its weight, and the toasty sweetness works with the browned flavours on roasted meat. A mature Cheddar or Red Leicester stands up to it well, as do baked ham and mustard. For something sweeter, try gingerbread, sticky toffee pudding, or a mince pie. The dark-fruit notes typical of the style tend to suit puddings made with dried fruit and spice. Because it is a seasonal release, it is most useful when the weather turns: with a Sunday roast, alongside a log fire, or as a change from lager at a winter gathering. Sip it slowly. Strong, malt-forward ales like this are better in a measured half or a pint than in a rapid session.