McEwans Champion

Brewed by John Smiths (Heineken UK)
Style: Scotch Ale
Tadcaster, England

Serve in Thistle

Bottle from a friend really did not like could only drink about a quarter of a bottle befour a gave up really not for me

didn’t really like this one. too sweet and too much alcohol for me. pours like cold tea with a weak big bubbled head. smells sweet and malty. taste thin with lots of alcohol. there is some flavour of caramel, toffee and liquorice in there.

This is the strong beer equivalent of an inexpensive factory made sticky toffee pudding - does the job, tastes ok,but you know there are much, much better ones out there...but not at the price. It’s not a subtle brew, but neither is it bad. I have found it great with or after strong food, when its flavours can be appreciated better.

Bottle from ASDA. It pours deep red-brown, with a thick foamy beige head. The nose is sweet sherry, wood, fruit cake, roasted malt, coffee and leather. The taste is wood, sherry, cherry, prune, raisin, leather, roasted malt, tang and alcohol warmth with a dry, woody finish. Full body and average carbonation. A good effort from a Macro brewery.

Das Champion gibt sich sehr dunkel mit sähmigen Schaum und feinen co2 Schnüren. Der Geruch ist malzig, rosinenartig und alkoholdurchdrungen. Beim Geschmack geht es voll zur Sache: Das Mc Ewans liegt malzig schwer, beinahe zäh im Mund. Der Oberton liegt bei einer intensiven Süße, die nach Feigen schmeckt. Der Abgang steht noch ganz im Zeichen des Malzes und natürlich der 7,3% Alkohol, die hier zum Rundum-Schlag ausholen. Mc Ewnas Champion ist ein schottisches Schwergewicht. Freunde reichhaltiger und malzlastiger Biere liegen hier genau richtig, zumal hier noch ungewöhnliche Geschmacksnuancen geboten werden.Test vom 29.11.2006, Gebinde: Glasflasche

Bottle (500ml):
Sweet smelling but with a very strong background alcohol smell that comes from the beer. There is an initial sweet toffee and caramel aroma that the drink gives off which is very sweet. As mentioned the alcohol smell sits in the background and is accompanied by a quite rich, sugary one that has hints of roasted malts.
Very dark mahogany brown colour with a tanned brownish white head that is quite foamy. Retention is good with some lacing too.
Lots of roasted malts and barely in the flavour with some good dark fruits in the mix as well, although they are not a pronounced. The middle is a caramel flavoured one that is quite nice too & this is quickly followed up by a warm & creamy bitterness that is nice without being too strong.
Medium, almost heavy beer that is quite smooth & has medium carbonation.

Definitely too much alcohol coming from both the aroma & the taste make this a difficult beer to enjoy fully.

1001 Beers to Try List:
http://abarwithnoname.wordpress.com/1001beers

Rather raison and figgy malt flavor with a coffee base and some woody flavors in the finish. Not a bad scotch ale and the alcohol is detectable as it should be.

500 ml bottle. Ilford, England.
Dark reddish brown colour with small white head. Dark hops, dry liquorice, toasted malt and mild coffee in aroma. Flavour is sweet malty with loads of coffee. Too much coffee for me to handle.