RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REIN-BEER: THE FESTIVE BREW INSPIRED BY THAT FAMOUS NOSE

Joseph Holt is getting into the festive spirit – or rather, festive beer – with the release of a special yuletide brew.

Rudolph Rosy Red is a warming ale so named for its glowing ruby-red hue, reminiscent of our favourite reindeer’s shiny nose – and designed to give drinkers an equal glow.

Standing out among the roll call of brown beers celebrating this Christmas season, the secret to this brew’s seasonal colour, is an imaginative use of juicy cranberries – a first for the Manchester-based beermakers.

However as Joseph Holt head brewer Phil Parkinson points out, this is not just a gimmick – the use of cranberries is also about bringing a rounded fruitiness to the yuletide beer.

Said Phil “This is the first time we’ve used cranberries in our seasonal beer. They provide a wonderful colour, of course, but they also bring a bold rounded, fruity flavour that perfectly complements the other seasonal ingredients including lighter spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.”

Another secret ingredient to the distinctive colour is the use of crystal rye – which thanks to a chemical reaction in the beer making process produces a reddish pigment.

Manchester-based Joseph Holt was established by its eponymous founder 176 years ago. Some of its award-winning ales have been brewed to the same recipe since their creation – not least Sixex, which has been unchanged in over 100 years.

Yet equally the brewery, which first opened for business in 1849 and has been in the same family for six generations, continues to refresh its catalogue, including its annual limited-edition Christmas beer.

Added Phil: “It’s a long-standing tradition for us to create a festive brew. And this year we hope that with the innovative use of cranberries and crystal rye, Rudolph Rosy Red will bring plenty of joy to Christmas celebrations.”