Brewery: Robinson’s
Location: Stockport, England
ABV: 6.0%
Version: Bottled
Source: Sainsbury’s

Returning from a quick mid-week shop in sub-zero temperatures last night, I felt the need (not unjustifiably, I think) for a drop of a winter warmer to restore some feeling to my fingers. So I reached for the bottle of Ginger Tom that had been lurking in the beer cupboard since I picked it up in August (mildly ironically) as part of the Sainsbury’s summer real ale promotion.

Ginger Tom is a blend of the Robinson’s staple Old Tom, (which I sampled and enjoyed a couple of months ago) and Fentiman’s Ginger Beer. Weighing in at 2.5% less than its big-bruiser of a brother, Ginger Tom isn’t quite such a daunting prospect and still has enough body and character aplenty, resulting in a very satisfying brew.

Pouring an eye-catching chestnut brown with a thin, bubbly head, Ginger Tom has the sort of insistent, spicy aroma you’d expect, backed up by a rich, sweet, malty flavour. The ginger is there, but it’s more of a background-note rather than the main theme. Unlike, say, fellow Greater Mancunian brewery Marble‘s Ginger Beer, which really does deliver a payload of hot and heavy spiciness to the tonsils, Ginger Tom has a far more subtle effect.

All in all, a very tasty drop and just what the internal thermostat ordered. I noticed that there was a Chocolate Tom variant in the Wetherspoon’s Real Ale Festival this year, but alas, our paths didn’t cross. One to keep an eye out for…

• The Reluctant Scooper does it full justice (with bonus football commentary)