The last of the three beers gifted to me by my friend Matty just before Christmas. Another brew from Somerset based Cotleigh who’s Christmas beer I tried over the festive period. This is their Permium Ale ‘Barn Owl’ at 4.5% ABV. The vast majority of their beers feature a bird of prey as the name because the brewery is a big supporter of ‘The Hawk and Owl Trust’ charity in the UK.

The beer pours a clear copper red with a small white head that dissipated very quickly. A really malty aroma to it with a touch of either toffee or caramel in there as well. A solid body to the beer with a strong bitterness throughout but with a hint of rich dark chocolate as well. Smooth drinking with that malty sweetness coming back in the finish with that slight caramel flavour.

A quick note on the bottle art: A classic, old school style bottle with a lovely drawing of a Barn Owl. Clean and straight to the point label.

Cotleigh brewery focus on your classic British style ales and while this one isn’t out of this world it is certainly does the job. I let the beer warm up a bit first, which was the right call, as it brought out those richer, bitter chocolate flavours. I personally enjoyed their Christmas beer as I thought it had a more complex flavour profile A good classic, bitter ale that I’m sure would be even better on cask in a nice village pub somewhere. Here’s to hoping that’s soon!

Score: 6.5/10

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Additional Information:

• Hops: Not Available
• Malt: Not Available
• IBU: Not Available
• ABV: 4.5%
• Gluten Free: No
• Vegan: No