Badger Golden Champion Ale

In the latest of my series of opinions about beers for the summer I am turning to a bottled ale. This beer is produced by the Badger Brewery, owned by Hall and Woodhouse. It was originally produced for Tesco, as part of their 1998 Beer Challenge to find a perfect summer beer, and it was declared the winner - it was classed as the ideal summer brew! It has since been a firm favourite amongst the supermarkets where it is sold (and from those who buy it direct from the Badger Brewery). What is this creation? Golden Champion Ale of course! I won't repeat the brewery information I gave in my previous opinion about their Tanglefoot Ale (a very subtle hint to read ...  Read the complete review

Beer is one of life's essentials. Well it is to me anyway; along with shepherd's pie, tea and spring and summertime in the countryside. Have you noticed how wondrous the blossom has been this year? My part of Kent has been positively enriched by some beautiful cherries amongst others of late which looks like it could be marvellous summer. Think long summer evenings sitting outside enjoying good company and just watching the sun slide below the horizon, the scents of the twighlight wafting around you, those final golden rays given extra magificence reflected in the moist sparkle of your lover's eyes...Sorry, I went a bit there, this is a beer op, I do ...  Read the complete review

I've decided to take a new approch to my beer reviews. While most of them are done in recent reflection, to bottled or pulled, I've never reviewed a beer as I've drank it. I'm going to challenge myself from now on to buy a beer bottle a day (to keep the....liver away?) that is reviewable, may it be ale, lager or cider. I will then review it from the bottle itself to the final dregs. Hopefully this will give a clear, and more intensive review that is ultimately more helpful. THE BREWER AND THE BEER: Badger, owned by Hall and Woodhouse, have popped up before in my reviews in the name of 'Tanglefoot.' As a brewer they have quite a rich history and a ...  Read the complete review

I spend a lot of time outside of the UK and one of the few things I take away with me as a treat, space and customs permitting, is this beer. I know serious beer drinkers who reckon it's the best beer they've ever tasted and yes, on a hot summer day, one or two of these (the first one can disappear very quickly) served very cold is paradise (though the same could be said for any cold and fizzy liquid if you're thirsty I suppose). If you like beer and are interested in quality and character, or even better, if you spend your time drinking chemical garbage that comes out of large factories (like a lot of stuff that's well known), you must try and ...  Read the complete review