Brewery: Badger (Hall & Woodhouse)
Location: Dorset, England
ABV: 4.6%
Version: 500ml bottle

Hallowe’en is coming and the goose is getting….blah, blah, blah. I know I should have saved drinking this one until Friday but then I couldn’t have reviewed it in time for you to go out and get some for yourselves, if the notion took you.

Released in a limited batch specifically for this time of year the label states this ale comes with “hints of roast pumpkin, cloves and peat”. I’m not exactly a fan of pumpkin itself, tried it once and was thoroughly underwhelmed, but Badger usually get good results with their odd experiments so thought I’d give it a try anyway.

The ale pours a golden amber colour with loads of bubbles running through it initally. The aroma is very much of winter vegetables (did I detect carrot in there somewhere?) with a hint of malt. Didn’t pick up much in the way of peat though, or cloves. The taste is very much at the sweet and fruity end of the scale, with a touch of bitterness coming through in those bubbles. I found the carbonation a bit too much to be honest and had to leave the glass to sit for a short while to give the fizz some time to calm down. Overall however, the recipe works better than it should but it’s a bit too sweet for an all-nighter. Would I get it again? Probably not, but it was worth sampling.

Brewery: Badger Ales (Hall and Woodhouse)
Location: Blandford St Mary, Dorset, England
ABV: 4.5%
Version: 500ml bottle
Source: Wine Rack

On the way down to the in-laws’ in Bridgnorth a few weeks ago, we stopped off at a branch of Wine Rack just outside Wolverhampton, just on the off-chance that I could pick up a couple of local brews. As well as one or two interesting-looking beers of West Midlands origin (that are still lurking in the beer cupboard) I also spotted this intriguing little number.

River Cottage (it’s endorsed by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and some of the proceeds from each sale are donated to charity) Stinger’s unique selling point is that it’s “brewed with organically grown, hand-picked Dorset nettles”, which was enough to intrigue me and convince me to grab a bottle, although the cynical side of me suspected that there was going to be more gimmick than genuine character to it, I have to confess.

The beer poured a very light, golden colour and shows plenty of effervescence. It was hoppy and not unpleasantly sharp-tasting; quite fresh and with a definite after-taste of something to it, which could very well be nettles. It also provided an appropriate prickling sensation on my tongue – although I suppose this could be due to the carbonation – and by the end of the bottle, I was sure I could feel a very faint numbness of the mouth-parts…

So: a pleasant enough beer that makes your mouth go vaguely numb and tingly (Gimmick? Character? Jury’s still out.) Not sure that’s enough to make me desperate to try this one again, but at least I’m not sorry I gave it a go.

Brewery: Badger (Hall & Woodhouse)
Location: Dorset, England
ABV: 5.7%
Version: 500ml bottle
Source: Sainsbury’s

Hall and Woodhouse are no stranger to experimenting when it comes to their beer range, with some interesting ingredients used to add variety to the more usual beer flavour. Of course there are plenty of other breweries doing this too, with varied success, but in my view the Badger people seem to consistently get their recipes right.

Poacher’s Choice is a rich dark ale, with a lovely summer fruits aroma of blackcurrants, plums and liquorice; perfectably understandable as it’s been enhanced with damsons and liquorice. Unlike some beers where the smell tends to fade half way down the bottle, this one sticks around until the end, present every time you lift the glass for another drink.

Tasting reveals a perfectably balanced mix of hops and more summer fruitiness, those damsons and liqourice adding an interesting element, perfectly blended to give a well-balanced smooth and slightly spicy flavour, with a lovely, lingering aftertaste. It’s perhaps just ever so slightly on the sweet side for a session ale but it’s perfect for enjoying after dinner on a cool autumn evening. Can you tell I like this one?