Real Ale Phoenixx Winter Ale

Real Ale Phoenixx Winter Ale

Our winter seasonal Phoenixx rises from the great ale recipes of the UK, but we’ve brewed it with a distinctly American attitude. Deep amber in color, Phoenixx delivers subtle notes of toffee and caramel, characteristic of traditional English Crystal malt. Yet with this ale, it’s all about the hops. Made from a blend of hops from across the pond, highlighted by the Phoenix hop variety from Kent, this special brew’s signature is its complex and strong hop character. This winter, warm up with a pint or two of a British-inspired beer that’s been reborn a Texan. 15.5°
3.5
189 reviews
Blanco, United States

Community reviews

3.8 Bottle - Bread, caramel and some light hops. Cloudy copper with a very rich beige head. Caramel, bread and a punchy hop bitterness that fades surprisingly quickly. Nicely done.
3.8 Dark amber with off-thick white head. Aroma of caramel, and a little nuttiness. Nice hops and bitterness with a little bit of citrus in the finish. Good one.
3.7 Location: Draft at Ginger Man - Houston, 2/11/14 Aroma: Caramel and molasses, some pine, light citrus, grass, and nutty notes on the nose Appearance: Its has a clear copper pour, with a beige head, and some fairly heavy lace Flavor: The taste is balanced, light-mid sweet, decent malt flavor, and medium bitter Palate: This one has a medium body, a touch sticky, with a nice, clean feel Overall Impression: I thought this was a pretty interesting offering. It had some decent balance and plenty of flavor. Good stuff.
3.8 Clearish amber with a thin off-beige cap. The aroma is malty sweet with some light caramel and crystal nuttiness, with a light touch of grassy pine. The taste is nice and smooth, thorough maltiness with a semi-sweet earthy caramel, with a smooth grassy and pine resin bitterness throughout that really shines during the long lasting finish. But theres this herbal bite throughout that I can’t describe other than French fry seasoning. It’s light, but there. Not in any bad way. Just has that bbq salt-ish twang.
3.4 From bottle. Pours a rich amber hue with a thick off-white head. Aroma of caramel, spice and a touch of citrus. Taste of bitter, caramel, mild spice, and some malts. Almost a tea flavored finish on the palate. Pretty good for this style. nicely bittersweet.
3.5 9th February 2013 Very hazy deep amber beer, good pale cream coloured head. Palate is light and a little crisp. Mild fine carbonation. Mild minerals. A little creamy malt, slightly thin. Mild sweet orange and pine. Finishes neutral. Decent and manages to evoke English tangyness!
3.9 From 12 oz bottle stating best by 9.14.12, so I’m a little late! Poured in a Great Lakes tulip glass. Pours copper-brown color with large beige head. Aroma of malt sweetness almost like a light brandy and bourbon blend with a light touch of smoky spices. Moderate carbonation and penetrating mouthfeel. Flavors of big British hops and dark roasted malts. Very bold and flavorful, with tropical fruit concentrate, floral hops, some bitter kava kava root. Overall rich and complex, challenging but tasty for the big beer lover.
3.7 Pretty good spin on the style. In fact an improvement. Hoppy floral aroma. Nice dark golden, copper color. Decent fizzy head. Hops bitterness up front with nice malt backbone to support it. Carbonation is high but doesn’t detract. Malt has a sweetness found in most English ales. Good offering.
3.6 12 ounce bottle to snifter, pours red/brown/burnt sienna with a pillowy beige head. Nose is piney hops and sweet malt, very pungent and noticeable especially for the style. Mouthfeel is medium light with likewise carbonation, hop bitterness and gin up front giving way to the malt bill on the finish. This is a fine and different brew from a region of the U.S. that is making great beer and I didn’t even know it, Texas Toast!
3.1 clear- redish color, tan foam head, good lacing rings with every gulp, lightly bitter, thin feel, light body,
3.5 Pours deep amber with a dense off-white head. Aroma of caramel, spice and a touch of citrus. Taste is nicely bittersweet.
3.5 Central Market bottle. Really tasty and well balanced with a strong malt backbone and a strong hoppiness. Just a little kick from the alcohol. Not a big style for me but I enjoyed this bottle.
3.4 Sample at Hay Merchant in Houston. This brew pours a reddish-copper color with a medium off-white head that recedes slowly. Rings of lacing on the glass. Aroma of malt, toffee and fruit. Medium-bodied with flavors of roasted malt, sweet toffee and ripe fruit. The finish is sweet and malty up front and leaves an herbal hops aftertaste. Decent overall.
3.4 Brown in color with a bit of a haze. Perhaps a one finger head that dissipates into a nice ring with a touch of sheen. Lacing is good. Has the smell of a good caramel malt, with some grainy overtones, and just a touch of sweet fruitiness. Tastes lightly bitter caramel malty, with well balanced hoppiness and a touch of bitter citrus. It’s got a good amount of carbonation for the style. Mid-bitter aftertaste with lingering maltiness. Drinks fairly well for the style, which is not my favorite. Still a pleasant offering tho.
4.3 slick golden bitter beer. nice maltiness. had once on tap and happy to see it in bottles
3.6 021112. Tap at the ging man, houston tx. Pours clear copp with a nice head. Aroma caramel, toffee. Sweet ripe fruity taste. Almost like a barley wine. Not Bad.
3.7 Draught at the Alamo Drafthouse - Village, Austin, Oct. 19. Pours a deep amber with an average size long-lasting foamy off-white head. Lots of lacing on the glass. Aroma has a good amount of fruity and spicy hops along with some fruit, caramel malt and a hint of spice. Flavour is fruity, hoppy and quite spicy and has a good bitter finish. Medium bodied. Not sure what style this is supposed to be but it’s pretty darn good.
3.4 Tried this on tap at The Flying Saucer in Addison, TX. Sweet malty aroma. Notes of caramel and toffee in the flavor profile, good beer!
3.6 Amber color out of the bottle with a small off white head. Nose with toffee, alcohol, and some citrus hops. Rich toffee and burnt caramel sweetness with a strong grapefruit rind hoppiness. This feels bigger than 6.6% ABV.
4.0 Real Ale’s Phoenixx Double ESB has a thick, creamy, cream-colored head and a hazy (which gets moreso with swishing of the bottle), copper appearance with some bubbles and a few lacing splotches. The aroma is of sharp hops and a little sourness. Taste is of piney, mentholated hops, and some brown bread (Roman Meal brand). Absolutely no alcohol is detected. The mouthfeel is light to medium, and Phoenixx Double ESB finishes mostly dry and fairly drinkable. Overall, this beer is really good and interesting, and I strongly advise giving it a try! RJT
3.5 Bottle poured a clear amber with a lasting amber head. Aroma of carmel, toffee and light earthiness. Palate was medium bodied and crisp with a dry finish. Flavors of toffee, carmel and light eartrhiness with a crisp dry moderatly bitter finish.
4.0 12oz bottle from Whip In. Poured a nice light brown, good head. Smell was a bit sweet (which I like). Had a solid English beer taste, possible slightly hoppy. A solid beer.
3.2 Very well made beer, especially for the price. Wish they had this available all year round. Very well balanced with a wonderful blend of a hops and malt. Try it for yourself!
3.3 Beautiful rich copper pour with a tan head. Light aroma, caramel or candy, and hops. Strong bitter, dry. Hoppy, caramel, earthy. Lingering bitter finish.
3.6 /8/14 re-rate; bumped from 3.4 and maybe should more. need to put this in rotation............................questionable first sip but this got better and better. hops were there but well blended. Real Ale is impressing me. will try again
3.4 12 oz. bottle. BBD 9/14/12. Pours a medium, well retained, off white head, with extensive lacing, over a clear amber (SRM 10) body...nose is spicy hops with toffee, caramel, light pine, citrus....taste is moderate toffee/caramel, leading to a moderate late bitterness...mouth feel medium, carbonation adds pleasant tingle. This is nicely balanced.The hops are done with a light hand, the result being a more English than American ESB. The ABV is a little high for the style. BJCP 7/3/14/4/7
3.7 Bottled. Pours a foamy brownish orange. Malty Aroma. Nice caramel and citrus taste. Very enjoyable
3.4 Sampled at Schlafly 2012 Repeal Fest. Pours clear copper with a big beige head. The aroma has toasty malt, British yeastiness, dry caramel, light nectar fruit and some cream. Medium husky body with moderate amount of carbonation. The flavor starts with lots of the English ESB earthiness, toasty malt and spicy / earthy hops. The hops pop out more on the finish. Nice beer, just a bit too English for my tastes.
3.5 Draft sample at Schlafly Repeal of Prohibition Festival 2012. Pours a weird greenish-brownish-copper color with a small beige head. Aroma of caramel malts, earthy hops, bitter dark chocolate, toasted brown sugar, and earth. The flavor also has some bitterness from the chocolate, earth, and hops, along with some toasty caramel and sugars that dry up at the end. Medium-bodied, with moderate carbonation. Unusual beer but I liked it.
3.4 Sampled at repeal. Didn’t quite know what to expect here having never had a double ESB. Not sure it is that. Caramel and plenty of complex malt. Hops are very much secondary. Othets at the festival liked itba Ot but I was just ok with it.