Old ale

Eventually, brewers began to keep some beer behind at the brewery, age it themselves and sell it to the pubs.

Christmas beer is a type of winter warmer, similarly strong in alcohol and usually spiced.

[5] Mac's Brewery in Hertford have brewed a Christmas beer known as Bootwarmer since 1995, and an old ale called Stronghart since the 1850s.

[7] Some old ales blended older vintages with fresh beer in vats, on the solera system.

The style is now associated more with Belgian brewing, for instance Oud bruin and Rodenbach Grand Cru, although there is one surviving British example, Gales Prize Old Ale.