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McEwan's Champion
The Caledonian Brewing Company
- From:
- The Caledonian Brewing Company
- Scotland, United Kingdom
- Style:
- Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
Ranked #119 - ABV:
- 7.3%
- Score:
- 85
Ranked #21,435 - Avg:
- 3.75 | pDev: 13.87%
- Reviews:
- 54
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 13, 2024
- Added:
- Aug 24, 2003
- Wants:
- 5
- Gots:
- 22
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by cypressbob:
Reviewed by cypressbob from Northern Ireland
3.87/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.87/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
500ml bottle
Pours with a dark ruby body, slightly hazy. Fluffy tan head, decent retention, thick and almost syrupy
Smell, sweet maltly aromas, toasted malt, nutty fragrance also
Taste, dry malty body, very thick and heavy , almost stout like, sweet aftertaste with a dry hop finish on the palette
Overall not a bad brew, but a little too sweet and unbalanced, very boozy, i swirlled a mouthfeel and it left my palette with a real alcoholic flavour, like vodka, Its only 7.3 aswell, i've had stuff like storm king stout etc that hide alcohol soooo much better
Aug 14, 2004Pours with a dark ruby body, slightly hazy. Fluffy tan head, decent retention, thick and almost syrupy
Smell, sweet maltly aromas, toasted malt, nutty fragrance also
Taste, dry malty body, very thick and heavy , almost stout like, sweet aftertaste with a dry hop finish on the palette
Overall not a bad brew, but a little too sweet and unbalanced, very boozy, i swirlled a mouthfeel and it left my palette with a real alcoholic flavour, like vodka, Its only 7.3 aswell, i've had stuff like storm king stout etc that hide alcohol soooo much better
More User Ratings:
Rated by BurtonRed from England
2.29/5 rDev -38.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 2
2.29/5 rDev -38.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 2
Too bitter and tastes even stronger than its abv, rank
Feb 13, 2024Rated by StevieH from England
4.77/5 rDev +27.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.77/5 rDev +27.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
One of my favourite ales. Absolutely delicious, strong and certainly full bodied.
Dec 26, 2022Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
3.13/5 rDev -16.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.13/5 rDev -16.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
500ml bottle from Tesco. Dark, clear amber, patchy off-white head. Toasty, malty aroma, mild sweetness. Taste is very sweet, malty, tannins, woody, raisins.
Feb 13, 2022Reviewed by JackieTheKingOfCraft
3.86/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.86/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
A nice strong beer with a smoked porter flavour profile. This is a little like Old Peculiar sans the treacly stickiness. It has a very deep verging on a dark obsidian to ruby colouration. This is a strong one and can only be drank 1 to 2 cans at a time if you get it in a pack of 4. However I would recommend buying this in bottle form as I got gassed drinking only 3 cans of 4.
If u are having a Chinese take-away the sweetness of the food should help get rid of the cloying flavour.
Oct 14, 2021If u are having a Chinese take-away the sweetness of the food should help get rid of the cloying flavour.
Rated by Ushouldbeworkinh from England
3.92/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
3.92/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
2021/04/19
Apr 19, 2021Reviewed by Robinshutedrums from England
3.48/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.48/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Dark brown in colour. Smells of fruits and malts. Flavours are traditional English strong beer and slight dark fruits. Not a world beater but for £1.80 it's a great buy.
Feb 21, 2021Reviewed by James94 from England
4.03/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.03/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
L: Reddish amber, with decent lacing and head
S: Vanilla, malts, rich fruitiness
T: Vanilla, toffee, rich roasted maltiness
F: Has become more drinkable for me personally over the years. For its ABV its quite refreshing and well-balanced.
O: 4
Dec 28, 2019S: Vanilla, malts, rich fruitiness
T: Vanilla, toffee, rich roasted maltiness
F: Has become more drinkable for me personally over the years. For its ABV its quite refreshing and well-balanced.
O: 4
Reviewed by InosukeHashibira
3.48/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.48/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Relatively strong ale from Scotland, strong taste with a hint of the sharpness of a strong cheddar crossed with a Guinness but lacking the bitterness of Guinness, unusual nose with a hint of smelly sock mixed with floral notes.
A good strong beer that would go nicely with a cheese sandwich or beef.
Dec 21, 2019A good strong beer that would go nicely with a cheese sandwich or beef.
Reviewed by Luvpeev
5/5 rDev +33.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +33.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Wow..7.3 %..this beers taste about 4.5% ..iv just discovered this gorgeous ale from Tesco superstore in Nottingham 4 bottles for £6 ..
It's truly a nice drinkable tasty beer made by guys who defo know there oats ..!!
Nov 13, 2019It's truly a nice drinkable tasty beer made by guys who defo know there oats ..!!
Reviewed by TheDoctor from Canada (QC)
3.14/5 rDev -16.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.14/5 rDev -16.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Serving: Bottle
Best Before: Aug-30-2020 (Consumed Sep-26)
Pours a clear caramel reddish brown, with a finger plus of tan head. Good retention, sheets of lacing. The aroma is toasty and a touch sharp, caramel malts, some light fruitiness. The flavor follows with a slight sharpness from the malt and the relatively high ABV, toast, dirty water. It is a little thin with some alcohol warmth and active carbonation. This is an okay beer. It is nice looking. The aroma and flavor are ok but overall it has a sharpish, boozyish, astringentish sort of character that takes away from every other aspect. Neither terrible nor great.
4.25...3.25...3...3...3
Oct 08, 2019Best Before: Aug-30-2020 (Consumed Sep-26)
Pours a clear caramel reddish brown, with a finger plus of tan head. Good retention, sheets of lacing. The aroma is toasty and a touch sharp, caramel malts, some light fruitiness. The flavor follows with a slight sharpness from the malt and the relatively high ABV, toast, dirty water. It is a little thin with some alcohol warmth and active carbonation. This is an okay beer. It is nice looking. The aroma and flavor are ok but overall it has a sharpish, boozyish, astringentish sort of character that takes away from every other aspect. Neither terrible nor great.
4.25...3.25...3...3...3
Reviewed by Spike from England
4.43/5 rDev +18.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.43/5 rDev +18.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
500ml bottle.
L: Very dark chestnut with ruby edging. Thin, off-white head recedes to a cap but leaves sheets of lacing.
S: Rich & sweet. Molasses & black cherry.
T: Follows the nose. Dark treacle, dates, some smoke and a bitter finish. Alcohol is evident.
F: Full bodied, very rich & long-lasting mouth coating, light carbonation.
O: A delightfully warming but drinkable ‘wee heavy’ on a freakishly cold & damp summer day. Lovely mouthfeel and a strong, malty flavour. Not sure why this beer doesn’t get better reviews. Maybe because it doesn’t hide its alcohol? Maybe because it’s being reviewed as a regular ale rather than a Heavy. Maybe because McEwan’s has changed ownership so many times? Regardless, I think it’s a boozy classic of the style (for just £2 a bottle!).
Jun 15, 2019L: Very dark chestnut with ruby edging. Thin, off-white head recedes to a cap but leaves sheets of lacing.
S: Rich & sweet. Molasses & black cherry.
T: Follows the nose. Dark treacle, dates, some smoke and a bitter finish. Alcohol is evident.
F: Full bodied, very rich & long-lasting mouth coating, light carbonation.
O: A delightfully warming but drinkable ‘wee heavy’ on a freakishly cold & damp summer day. Lovely mouthfeel and a strong, malty flavour. Not sure why this beer doesn’t get better reviews. Maybe because it doesn’t hide its alcohol? Maybe because it’s being reviewed as a regular ale rather than a Heavy. Maybe because McEwan’s has changed ownership so many times? Regardless, I think it’s a boozy classic of the style (for just £2 a bottle!).
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England
3.94/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.94/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bought today in Sainsbury's in west London. It was inexpensive/£1.70 and new to me so I didn't study the lable details closely. Hence I'm surprised to see it's 7.3% ABV.
L- Very dark chestnut brown, clear, and pours with a 1Cm pale tan head that is holding up well.
S- Unsurprisingly toasty
T- Deeply roasty-toasty grains and deep rich malts. Some coffee notes as well. The alcohol-tang is self-evident; no mistaking this is quite a beast.
F- The 7.3% gives a deep puddingy feel, as in the deep fruit richness in a traditional Xmas pudding.
O- Well well well. I'm no fan of the original/regular McEwan's but this is something else entirely. It might make an ideal winter/Xmas beer. It is pretty rich too and given the ABV% I would limit how much of this I had in a night to one or two.
BB 30/11/19. 500ml bottle. Apparently the name 'Champion' derives from it having 'won the Tesco bottled beer competition in 1997'. Yes I'd buy this again; it's an obvious choice for fans of heavier ales, and at £1.70/500ml...!
Nov 28, 2018L- Very dark chestnut brown, clear, and pours with a 1Cm pale tan head that is holding up well.
S- Unsurprisingly toasty
T- Deeply roasty-toasty grains and deep rich malts. Some coffee notes as well. The alcohol-tang is self-evident; no mistaking this is quite a beast.
F- The 7.3% gives a deep puddingy feel, as in the deep fruit richness in a traditional Xmas pudding.
O- Well well well. I'm no fan of the original/regular McEwan's but this is something else entirely. It might make an ideal winter/Xmas beer. It is pretty rich too and given the ABV% I would limit how much of this I had in a night to one or two.
BB 30/11/19. 500ml bottle. Apparently the name 'Champion' derives from it having 'won the Tesco bottled beer competition in 1997'. Yes I'd buy this again; it's an obvious choice for fans of heavier ales, and at £1.70/500ml...!
McEwan's Champion from The Caledonian Brewing Company
Beer rating:
85 out of
100 with
96 ratings
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