Ridgeway Santa's Butt

Santa's Butt is a winter porter from Ridgeway in Oxfordshire, England, bottled at 6.0% ABV. That strength puts it a notch above a standard session porter, which fits the seasonal brief: enough body to stand up to cold weather without tipping into the heft of a stout or imperial. The producer describes it as dark and roasty, with chocolate and coffee-like malt character and a touch of warming spice. No IBU figure is given, but porters in this vein usually keep bitterness moderate, so the roast supplies most of the edge and hops stay in the background. In the glass, expect a very dark brown to near-black beer. Based on the style and the producer's notes, the aroma should lean toward cocoa, black coffee and toasted malt, with the spice note arriving as a gentle warmth at the back rather than a dominant flavor. Porters at this strength tend to have a medium body and a smooth, slightly dry finish where the roast lingers. The spice is described only as "a touch," so treat it as seasoning rather than a mulled-beer profile. Serve it cooler than room temperature but not fridge-cold, around 10 to 13°C (50 to 55°F). Straight from a cold fridge, the chocolate and coffee tones flatten and the beer can taste thin and sharply bitter. Give it 15 to 20 minutes out of the fridge, or pour it and let it settle in the glass. A nonic pint glass is the traditional English choice and works well. A tulip or snifter-style glass is a good alternative if you want to concentrate the roasted aroma. Pour with a moderate head and leave the last bit of sediment behind if the bottle has any. At the table, roasty, chocolatey porters pair well with braised beef, sausages and mash, and roast game, where the malt matches the browned flavors in the meat. Mature cheddar and other hard, nutty cheeses are a good match. For something sweeter, try it with dark chocolate, sticky toffee pudding or a mince pie, where the beer's roast balances the sugar. Because of its seasonal positioning, it also suits a cheeseboard or a Christmas Day cold-cuts spread better than delicate fish or salads, which it would overpower.