What Is Golden Champion Beer Like

Golden Champion Beer comes from Badger Beers which is Hall & Woodhouse Brewery in Blandford, Dorset, England. It is a Golden Ale weighing in at 4.5% ABV, so a light session beer. But what is it like?

Golden Champion beer for me is not a champion, a little too floral. It pours a light straw gold with a moderate foamy white head. On the nose there is not much going on, a little malt and slight dank smell. The taste has a little biscuit malt, but is overpowered by a perfume type floral taste. Not much bitterness to speak of, just too sweet and floral. It gets a 3.8 out of 5.0.

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Golden Champion Beer Review

I have had quite a few Badger beers over the years, and they are normally pretty good. So when I picked up this Golden Ale I expected it to be pretty good.

It sits in a 500ml brown bottle with a bright yellow label with a mouse in a tracksuit holding a pole vault (not a scaffold pole).

On the front is says crisp and refreshing, which you would expect from a golden ale. It also says it has hints of Elderflower, which I didn’t actually read before pouring and tasting.

At 4.5% ABV it is a session beer, so could this be a nice summer drinking beer?

Drinking Golden Champion Beer

A casual pour reveals a moderately carbonated straw gold beer with a one to two finger head. The head does stick around for a little while, but gradually fades to a thin cover. A little lacing decorates the glass as you drink it.

On the nose it is pretty subtle, the slightest of malt notes, and Lou got a little dankness too.

The taste has a little biscuit malt on the front, but is then totally overpowered by a sweet floral taste. It’s almost like a perfume, and leaves a lingering aftertaste.

It is quite smooth in the mouth and easy drinking, but too sweet, there is no real bitterness to balance the sweetness. You can tell it is a well made beer, but it’s just too sweet for me. It gets a rate my beer score of 3.8 out of 5.0.

Lou is not to keen either, saying “It’s okay, but not a beer I would drink again, too floral and perfume like which sticks in the throat. Lou scores it 3.5 out of 5.0.

If you like a sweet floral kick to your beer, then this one will hit the spot, but for me too sweet.

Hall And Woodhouse

Hall And Woodhouse Brewery is an old brewery that is located in Blandford in Dorset, England. In fact it is 247 years old, set up by Charles Hall back in 1777.

The Woodhouse name was added when head brewer George Edward Woodhouse became a partner. The brewery is still independent and family run being in its eighth generation.

The brewery uses pure water filtered through the chalk downs of Dorset. It is drawn from two wells on the brewery site.

As well as the brewery itself, there is a tap room and restaurant located in the old brewery. Plus there are plenty of pubs across the south of England.

So Hall And Woodhouse are a large brewery that have been making beer for a very long time.

Hall And Woodhouse Beers

Most of the beers brewed at Hall & Woodhouse are under the Badger name. However there seems to be a new range in town. Outland beers look like a range of more modern craft beers.

So while they might brew some good old traditional style beers, they also now have beers like juicy pale ales, IPA’s, lagers and stouts.

So there really is a beer for any beer palate, the Outland range looks pretty fresh and inviting. Here are a few beers that have caught my eye in the Outland range, and ones I would like to try.

Ginger Pale Ale

Ginger Pale Ale is of course from the Outland range and it says the ginger takes centre stage. A little spicy ginger in a fresh fruity hazy pale ale sounds like it could work.

It is brewed using Goldings and WGV hops ( the same as Golden Champion, mmm). However it is described as refreshing with punchy flavours, yet well balanced.

At 5.0% ABV it is right on the edge of session, but will the flavours be too punchy for a second? It is a beer I would like to try.

West Coast IPA

West Coast IPA, you can’t go wrong, citrussy and hoppy. Well this one is described as ‘Truly Spectacular’ which is a bold statement.

Brewed with Amarillo, Cascade and Mosaic hops it should have big citrus flavours and a nice bitter kick to it. Another one that sits on the fence of session,weighing in at 5.0% ABV.

Sounds like a great beer and one I need to get for a review.

Milk Stout

I do like a stout, and even though they tend to be a little sweeter, I do like a milk stout. So I am looming forward to trying this one which is said to be rich, dark and smooth.

Expect flavours of Cocoa, coconut and vanilla alongside rich dark roasted malts and a little hoppy touch. I am not sure about the coconut, but still want to give this milk stout a test drive.

This one is outside the session bracket weighing in at 5.2% ABV, so a beer to sip and savour.

Final Thoughts

Hall & Woodhouse then are a well established brewer producing some old style traditional beers, as well as some modern craft style beers.

Even though I am not keen on the Golden Champion Beer, which you can tell is a decent quality beer. I have had several of the other Badger beers over the years when I lived in Dorset and have always found them decent beers.

Golden Champion was just a little too sweet for me and I am not keen on the floral Elderflower flavour. But that is just personal taste, you may love it, many do.

If you have tried it, then do share your thoughts, let me know what you think of Golden Champion.