A silver coin buried deep in the Christmas pudding, and a year of good luck for whoever bites down on it. That old English tradition lends its name to a dark, sweet and sticky Imperial Stout from Yorkshire. Pull the ring and out come dried fruit, warm spice and a lick of flaming cherry brandy.
Expert description of Vocation Brewery May Contain Sixpence Christmas Pudding Imperial Stout Beer
May Contain Sixpence is a Christmas Pudding Imperial Stout at 10.0 percent, brewed by Vocation Brewery in Cragg Vale near Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire. It comes as a Special Edition, and the can describes it as a sweet and sticky medley of rich dried fruit and warm spice, with a touch of vanilla, drizzled in flaming cherry brandy. So this is no ordinary stout with a hint of Christmas. It is a beer built around the dessert itself.
The name nods to the English custom of hiding a silver coin, a sixpence, in the Christmas pudding, with a year of luck for whoever finds it. The style suits the job: an Imperial Stout brings the dark, mature backbone and the extra strength needed to carry dried fruit and spice without losing its footing. According to the can, it is suitable for vegans.
Vocation was founded in 2015 by John Hickling in a rebuilt chicken shed, and today it is one of the largest independent craft breweries in the UK.
Tasting notes
Aroma
Rich dried fruit fills the nose first, followed by warm spice. It smells sweet and sticky, like a Christmas pudding fresh out of the steam.
Taste of the Beer
The palate is sweet and sticky, with dried fruit and warm spice up front. A note of vanilla rounds things off, and cherry brandy adds a warm, fruity edge that ties it together like a sauce poured over the dessert.
Finish
The finish is warm and sweet, with the spice and the brandy lingering for a good while after the last sip.
Specifications
Name: Vocation Brewery May Contain Sixpence Christmas Pudding Imperial Stout
Brewery: Vocation Brewery
Country/Region: England, West Yorkshire
Beer style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 10.0%
Size: 44 CL
Malt: Barley malt and wheat
Ingredients: Water, barley malt, wheat, hops and yeast
Allergens: Gluten from barley malt and wheat
Best before date: September 2027
EAN no.: 5060435604964
Serving suggestion: Serve at 10 to 12 degrees Celsius in a small tulip glass. Pour carefully, as the beer may contain sediment.
Flavour profile
Rich · Dried fruit · Spiced · Sweet · Vanilla · Cherry brandy
Did you know?
The whole can is wrapped in a recipe for Christmas pudding, printed in neat italic script across the label. Brandy, raisins and sultanas are on the ingredient list, so you can read your way to the dessert while you drink the beer.
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