Greene King Chevallier Series

Presented in a massive display stand at my local Tesco(surely not a real ale/craft beer demographic)
in quantities betraying some massive batches, there is the latest attempt at a big brewer to coin it in.

Even though GK are willing to bottle condition, use brown glass bottles & charge more,
I think the extra 50p went staright into marketing & design

I cannot more whole heartedly recommend you avoid both of these beers.

I hear Marston's are going to be onto something similar

 

Ha ha, I honestly do try & 'tell it as it is'
but I also do try & balance out so my preference for small batch micro/nano
doesn't become an unreasoning prejudice against big production macro/national/multinational

I'm not a fan of Greene King
but deep down I wanted these heritage to be of a reasonable quality
so for a while I could have a couple of decent bottle conditioned beers at a reasonable price on my doorstep, I was even going to not object to handing over money to GK to do so.

Both the Suffolk Pale & Vintage Fine I found flawed enough not only to prevent me purchasing again but enough to create this thread suggesting others avoid.

I have had Chevallier in an ale brewed to highlight it
Govinda Barrel Aged Chevallier Edition.
Now, I never made any direct comparisons, Govinda is an attempt at a historically accurate IPA, a small batch pale is going to have more hops & hop profile than a big batch double IPA.
So the other way round is just going be totally unfair, even taking that into account
you are left with a couple of ales that I wouldn't pick up again discounted to clear at Home Bargains/B&M's.

Head brewer of Cheshire Brewhouse said on discussion that issues with the beer would ultimately would be down to GK's accountants, they simply would not allow the costs for a good beer to be brewed.

On a side note I picked up an extra 'Vintage Fine' to see if it will improve with age
what with it's name, I've asked GK on twitter but they don't seem too keen to answer.

 

There is one dissenting voice on BoakandBailey, a comment from Shane
whom I am pretty sure is the Head Brewer of Cheshire Brewhouse