BING Crosby may have dreamt of a white Christmas, but I'm dreaming of a dark one. Dark, spicy, dangerously alcoholic, full bodied Xmas ale - the drink that puts Cheers! into Christmas cheer.

Everyone seems to rush around with Christmas drinks lists that include champagne, wine, port, sherry and Baileys - but stray to the beer shelves and see the ding dong merrily selection brewed by our innovative British brewers especially for this time of year.

One of the great charms of our native tipple is that there are different styles and flavours for every season. And now, of course, 'tis the season to be joyful with some very special brews redolent of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and candied fruit.

Long before wine arrived in this country we brewed ale. In Saxon England they kept a warming vessel of wassail simmering on the hearth at Christmas, prepared from heated ale, roast apples, sugar and spices.

They even produced a form of ale long before we imported hops to add the bitterness. Instead they were flavoured with herbs, and St Peter's Brewery in Suffolk has mirrored it in a historic recipe just right for Christmas.

King Cnut contains no hops at all, but is made from roast barley and flavoured with juniper berries, orange and lemon peel, spices and even nettles. The result is a strikingly aromatic ale that is almost a cross between beer and tonic wine (available locally in Safeway's.)

Some Christmas beers have such evocative names that they must have been chosen whilst imbibing - Rudolph the Red Nose Reinbeer, Rosy Nosey, King 'Censlas, Twelve Days, Santa's Revenge, Christmas Cracker...to name a few.

But Shepherd Neame always show great restraint in naming their Christmas ale calling it simply, well, Christmas Ale. Though there is nothing restrained about its high 6.7 per cent strength and vinous complexity.

Little Ballard's Brewery down in Sussex produce one of my very favourite Christmas tipples, Wassail. Get your nose into this thick, strong brew and inhale all those spices.

Not only are these beers perfect with Christmas food, but they add a rich, potent flavour to your cooking, too. Christmas cakes and puddings are naturals - soak your dried fruit in Xmas beer before adding to the mix, and it adds depth savoury dishes too.

Marinate venison in Christmas ale for a pie, drizzle it over peeled chestnuts and roast them in the oven, use it to simmer your seasonal joint of gammon, then put the stock into a hearty pea and ham soup for after that brisk walk you'll need on Boxing Day...

See the recipe section for Sue Novak's special Christmas Ale dessert.

December 19, 2001 11:30