Hello fellow Beer-ers.

During an inebriated trip to Cost Plus World Market upon a winter’s eve (last Monday, yes I walked), I stumbled through the aisles seeking to add to the dwindling beer supplies in my fridge. Before me I saw the usual seasonal samplers, the ‘Winter Pack’ which looked promising, and then a newer, more specific ‘Holiday Pack!’ Intrigued, I looked at the contents. They all seemed to be from a tiny Brewery in the UK called ‘Shelton Brothers’, I didn’t know it, and they seemed to have goofy holiday-related titles, most of them reasonably imaginative- then one caught my eye.

Santa’s…Butt. Jesus. Lord. That’s…crazy. Why would someone buy a beer entitled ‘Santa’s Butt’, I thought? What compels someone to think, ‘Hey, that’s an awesome name for a beer!’? I stared at the others- Bad Elf, Reindeer Revolt, Warm Welcome…Santa’s Butt.

And it’s a porter! Scatalogical references aside, I don’t want to think of Kris Kringle’s frozen, hairy, sweaty, North Pole ass when I’m drinking a porter! It’s supposed to be a sweet, malty chocolatey experience, and it’s admittedly now slightly tarnished by this lewd title.

With a bit of trepidation, I poured this strange brew into a fresh pint glass. Before me was a medium-bodied Engish Porter (looked like one, anyway). I expected a small tan head, but it dissipated pretty quickly. I served it after waiting some time out of the fridge to get ‘er up to 50º or so, but even then, the aroma wasn’t great. Down the hatch it went.

It has a slight chocolate start as I expected, but it didn’t last long. English Porters are far more bitter than the American Variety, but I still expected a little more sweet than roast. I don’t fault the brew for being loyal to the style, but it just falls into the generic category. The body is light enough to drink the whole 16.9-oz. bottle in one sitting (and the 6.0% ABV is light enough), but with the bitter quality, I’d recommend enjoying Santa’s Butt with a strong cheese or even steak to help it along. Ridgeway Brewing has done a decent, honest English Porter, but only the unappetizing name separates it from the rest.

Happy Holidays to All,

Sarge out