Bodger’s Barley Wine voted as a top 50 Food Product in the Great Taste Awards 2017

Bottle-conditioned Bodger’s Barley Wine 8.5% from The Chiltern Brewery won 3 Stars at this year’s Great Taste Awards organised by the Guild of Fine Food – and has also been voted a Top 50 Food Product. It is the only beer to be included on this top product list which is true recognition of its ‘star’ quality.

This also places it within the top 0.4% of the 12,366 food and drink entries to the awards.

“Top 50 in the whole country in these much-cherished awards and also being the ONLY beer to reach this level – Wow! what an honour” said Head Brewer and Owner Tom Jenkinson. “We are also thrilled that every one of our bottled ales has won at least one star at the awards over the years. What an achievement by the team!”

Highly respected Beer Writer Roger Protz described Bodger’s Barley Wine as sumptuous – Remy Martin with a dash of hops, wonderfully rich and warming. Judges at the GTA praised its rich, honeyed, brandy-like flavour. Tasting notes mention the beautiful golden chestnut colour of the beer.

The unique quality of this beer comes from the purity and integrity of the 100% British natural ingredients combined with 37 years’ experience of brewing. From an artisan family business using age-old methods, this beer makes a refreshing change from the current wave of US East Coast IPA’s.

In keeping with the Brewery’s love of and inspiration for their beers taken from the local area, a bodger is a highly skilled itinerantwood-turner who worked in the beech woods of the Chiltern Hills; once common around the furniture-making town of High Wycombe.

Barley wine’s roots are in the 18thC when England was at war with France – as portrayed recently in the BBC1 series Poldark – and patriotic aristocrats refused to drink French wine! Brews could be as strong as 12%.

From inception the ethos at The Chiltern Brewery has been to brew natural, wholesome beers using 100% British ingredients – the best Class A malt and hops with great provenance and to mirror age old brewing methods. Thirty seven years on The Chiltern Brewery remains the oldest independent brewery in Buckinghamshire and the Chiltern Hills and many of its ales are award winning.

Recognised as a stamp of excellence by consumers and judged by over 500 of the most demanding palates belonging to food critics, chefs, cooks, restaurateurs and producers as well as a whole host of food writers and journalists, a GTA is a true badge of honour and mark of distinction for any artisan food product.

The beers are available online www.chilternbrewery.co.uk from independent outlets and the Brewery Shop in Terrick, near Wendover.