Shut up about Barclay Perkins - How old are Christmas beers?

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I've been prompted by Boak and Bailey's post about Christmas beers. Not being all that old.

You know me by now. I've ridiculous piles of information. If you'd been around mine you'd realise just how literal the piles are. I was sure I had older examples of beers specifically labelled "Christmas".

Being labels, it makes more sense to do this visually:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gz1FeoD8MA...istmas_Ale.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L_rO1Tjkuq...istmas_Ale.JPG

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X1NlJ2JBdD...stmas_Beer.JPG

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dK4yqnEwj1...Xmas_Regal.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oEwXdeevqo...e_Xmas_Ale.JPG

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vVqZwbXkH3..._Christmas.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PodrW0UjVj...istmas_Ale.JPG

My guess is that they are all from the 1950's.

These I have from the Whitbread Gravity Book:

1956 Well's & Winch Christmas Ale 4.97%
1950 Younger, Geo. Gordon Xmas Ale (bottled in Antwerp) 7.58%



These from brewing records:

1902 Fuller, Smith & Turner XK for Xmas 5.83%

This is a Lovibond record from 1864:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cPcXyr8jLe..._Christmas.jpg

The beer, coincidentally, will feature in our special Christmas Eve Let's Brew.






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