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Combine cold beers with retro environmental packaging (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

coalesce

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'combine' is the definition.
(synonyms)

'cold beers with retro environmental packaging' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'cold' could be 'c' (eg on taps) and 'c' is found in the answer.
'beers' could be 'ales' (I've seen this before) and 'ales' is located in the answer.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for coalesce that I've seen before include "Grow together, amalgamate" , "Fuse or cause to grow together" , "Come together in one mass" , "To bring together" , "Combine and form one whole, as political parties may" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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