England's Best Vineyard Tours

Camel Valley.
Landyjon

England and the rest of the UK are famed for having a rich history and some of the most famous cultural landmarks on the planet. However, when you think of beautiful vineyards your mind tends to wander towards the rolling hills of New Zealand, the stunning Chateaux of France or the beautiful riverside hills of Portugal. Rarely, however, does it occur that England may offer us some impressive, bewitching and functional vineyard vistas that can rival those of the countries named above.

Having been on a number of vineyards across the country and it being English Wine Week after all I thought it right to celebrate the beauty and charm of my homeland wineries. This is not an appraisal of their wines, purely an appreciation of their aesthetics.

Furthermore, from my experiences of English Wineries, most of them agree that they are more than the wine they produce. They cater for all with personalised tours, fine restaurants and sometimes even accommodation for those that want the full vineyard life experience.



Denbies Estate, Surrey.
Craig Denford under CCA

Denbies Winery- Dorking, Surrey

With a vineyard planted in 1986, Denbies has become the largest vineyard in the UK. They are open pretty much all year round and offer indoor, outdoor and group tours. Their indoor tour starts with a 20 minute film in their 360 degree cinema to learn about the geology, history of the estate and its transformation over the years as well as a full fun through of from vine to bottle. You're then escorted through the winery before a tasting in the cellar.

The outside tour is something I have not experienced before. A f***ing train takes you round! A train! Showing you all the stunning panoramic views of the Denbies Estate. Train!

The original farmhouse has been converted into an award-winning B&B catering for everyone with a whole range of things to do including bike hire. Pretty cool eh? It also caters for weddings and a whole host of other events.
Prices available on website.


Camel Valley- Bodmin, Cornwall

With vines planted in 1989, Camel Valley has become one of England's best known and most successful wineries. They not only produce fantastic wines but also personal, enthusiastic and incredibly interesting winery and vineyard tours. There is no snobbery here, just an unrivalled passion for wine and a love of the land and what they do.

They also off two stunning, scenic and comfortable cottages to rent that enjoy beautiful views out over the valley. I have been to the Camel Valley site and it is truly breathtaking. Their wine is gorgeous and has won many IWC awards but it is their location, hospitality and fantastic tours that will always put this winery in my heart.

Picture from Samerset

 Three Choirs- Newent, Gloucestershire

For me, this is probably the most impressive vineyard in Britain, visually. Beautiful, sun-kissed rolling hills, perfectly laid out rows and paths with gorgeous trees surrounding it.

It also has a very cute little winery overlooking it all, and it boasts one of the finest vineyard kitchens on the planet that produces tantalising English cuisine.

They're even happy to do that quintessentially English thing...... Have a bloomin' barby! If it is sunny that is.

It also offers hotel rooms and lodges that are not only within touching distance of the vineyard, but also of the plentiful scenery that the Cotswolds has to give.

You may also wish to check out my 'Blast from the past' review of Breaky Bottom in Sussex! Happy English Wine Week everyone and see you all at the London Wine Fair next week!

#VinspirePOTW: Our Fave Boozy Pictures #8

Sound your horns; we've made it to the bank holiday weekend!

I'm not going to beat around the bush this week, neither you nor me have time for waffling. Here it is; our eighth #VinspirePOTW! 

Let's start with how I'm currently feeling after finishing work… YEAAAH. @theappleciderboat is the perfect place to grab drinks this weekend, if you're in Bristol that is. Cider on a barge in the city centre just screams summer, right? Pray for sunshine. 

It has been London Wine Week this week, which I've been oh-so-desperate to go to after my jaunt last year. Alas, no time to squeeze it in. Still, I've been enjoying (said through gritted teeth) the Instagram snaps that have been filtering through. @forgedinlondon shared these cheeky rosés for #WineWednesday to encourage people to go out and embrace all the amazing wine flights you can get involved in. It's on until the 29th if you're about - see @drinkupldn. 

Speaking of wine, @auctionagainsthunger happened at @streetfeastldn's Hawker House last night, raising a whopping £218k! All the food and drink Instagrammers were there, and @robersonwine were dishing out Californian Jackhammer wines on tap. Very cool. I do love a beautiful bottle, but taps and wine boxes are the way forward. What do you think?

@antidotewinebar, just off Regent Street in London, were drinking this Austrian Meinklang beer earlier this week. Meinklang are usually known for their wines, but here we have (possibly) the first biodynamic beer! Made from ancient grains, you could say it's better for you... If you buy into all that stuff. Either way, it looks pretty swish.

Islay's Feis Ile 2016 has been in full swing - check out my 2014 roundup of all the whisky festivities I took part in here. Whisky blogger/reviewer @steveprentice captured those dramatic Scottish skies perfectly, as well as the stack of Bruichladdich barrels. I'd go back in an instant... *swoon*

If you fancy something non boozy and, intollerance friendly, dairy free, @fondantfox informed us of @rebel_kitchen's Mylk Chai. I've only ever heard good things about these moo-less milks, and this just sounds like a spiced coconut dream. 

In keeping with the accidental "health" theme I seem to have clutched on to this week (biodynamic ancient grains, dairy free...), @hotbarchick shared @thegermangym's edible orchards and matcha cocktail. I'm guessing it ties in with the Chelsea Flower Show, but floral beauts garnishing a drink? YES PLEASE.

How do we feel about cloudy white wine from Italy? I'm not sure either, but I'm certainly intrigued to try it! Get it at @ducksoupsoho. 

I've been getting properly into my sherries recently, and I've heard many things about En Rama. En Rama signifies a Sherry that has been bottled almost directly from the barrel, without undergoing the usual processes to prepare a wine for bottling such as filtering or fining. The idea is to taste the Sherry almost as if you had visited the Bodega in Spain and dipped your glass in the barrel! So thank you @sherryfest for reminding me that I need to hunt some down!

Last but not least, we have our Friday Cocktail! This time from @stylistmagazine; a cocktail inspired by a popular perfume. @spitalfieldsbar created this one - A Lilac Day. 

Mix 50g lilac flowers, 1 sliced green apple, 15ml of cider vinegar, 300ml water and 150g sugar in a pan // bring to the boil and simmer for 20 mins // strain into a jug, then mix 15ml of this with 50ml apple juice and 50ml bourbon // stir over ice and top with 15ml soda. 

Lead image: Heath Cajandig under the CCL

Friday Cocktail: A Berry Mexican Muddle

Photo by Asha Yoganandan

What do you do when you suddenly find yourself with 13 bottles of tequila? I know, a very common situation you’ve all found yourselves in many times before...

While the suggestions for bathing in it (complete with salt – of the bath variety – and lime – flavoured bubbles), or seeing how far I could get past ‘one tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor’ were a little bit tempting (they weren’t), I thought I would use the opportunity to get jiggery with it, and mix up some tequila cocktails.

We've got the long nights, it's a bit warmer, and flash flooding aside, summer is here! So to toast those summer nights, this cocktail is a little sweet, tangy, and refreshing (and apologies, but it’s really easy to drink). 

A Berry Mexican Muddle recipe (serves one)

Ingredients:
50ml tequila blanco (I used Herradura)
25ml lime juice
10ml agave syrup (which you can find in the sugar area of big supermarkets)
4 blackberries
3 raspberries
8 sage leaves
1 small sprig of thyme

Shake it!
1. Muddle the blackberries, raspberries, sage leaves and time in a cocktail shaker.
2. Add a generous handful of ice cubes to the shaker.
3. Pour the tequila, lime juice and agave syrup in.
4. Shake, shake, shake... shake, shake, shake... shake that shaker (and booty if you so wish).
5. Strain into a tumbler filled with crushed ice, and garnish with a blackberry and thyme sprig.

#VinspirePOTW: Our Fave Boozy Pictures #7

Whilst I'm currently snuggled up in bed with a hideous cold that appeared as if by magic late last night, I can't even begin to think about all the weekend antics I should be having. Even if I did treat myself to a nice cold glass of something, I'm 100% sure I wouldn't be able to taste a thing... What a bore.

Still, I can't leave you guys in the lurch. Here's another #VinspirePOTW to get your Friday night going!

It's been a relatively average week in terms of all things booze; I guess everyone is holding out for next week, where the countdown for the bank holiday is ON. It's perhaps a little wine heavy in our top 10 this week - though we are VINspire after all - and I've shamelessly thrown one of my own Instagram snaps in the mix too. Soz.

Let's start with a Friday funny courtesy of @onceuponawine_. Here's the Facebook emoticons matched with the various quantities of a glass of wine. Pretty accurate don't you think?

I'm not sure how I stumbled across this photo from @misskatywick, but it's brilliant! The Ivy Chelsea Garden celebrated their 1st birthday in style... With just a small bottle of wine. 

We featured them back in 2014 (here), but @popspoparazzi have just produced three new boozy popsicles for Fortnum & Mason this summer. Choose between the Blanc de Blancs Champagne, Kir Royale and the Gin & Sherry Summer Cup flavours. Or maybe just buy all three.

@mylittlehongkongkitchen gave us this splash of ice cold vodka, fresh lime and soda. A very cool photo, but don't waste the booze! 

Another pre-English Wine Week post, but this time from Somerset's @dunleavyvineyards. Makers of Pinot Noir rosé wine, they have an open day on Sunday 29th May. It's free, but you'll need to email hello@dunleavyvineyards.co.uk to book a place.  

On Sunday I (@luciennesimpson) skipped along to the new Deya Brewery and taproom in Cheltenham. "Our beers are designed to be awesome" they say, and from the taste of their American Pale Ale, Steady Rolling Man 5.2%, I'd have to agree. I'm looking forward to seeing more from these guys. 

Anyone needing some wedding or party inspo, here's a snazzy idea for you from @weddinghelperuk. Stripy paper straws and sparkles are totally my jam, and they're a must have for any celebration! 

@peroniuk have opened their House of Peroni residency at Proud East, Haggerston; eat and drink everything Italian in a gorgeous surrounding. The colour of this pistachio cake matches the green of the Peroni bottle perfectly!

London's first urban winery - @ldncru - were showing off their Cabernet Sauvignon grapes earlier this week. It was an alternative #WineWednesday post, yet still managed to make me crave a glass of vino. 

Our Friday Cocktail is slightly different this time. @thefeedfeed.cocktails informed us of a lemongrass and lemon peel infused vodka recipe from Nerds with Knives. Make it your weekend project, and in a couple of weeks you can make this tasty Lemongrass Collins.

• 1½ oz. Lemongrass infused vodka // ¾ oz. Vanilla liqueur // ½ oz. Lemon juice // 1-2 tbsps Simple syrup (optional, to taste) // 4 oz. Ginger beer (or more, to taste). 
• Shake lemongrass-infused vodka, vanilla liqueur, lemon juice and simple syrup with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a Collins or highball glass full of crushed ice. Top with ginger beer and garnish with lemon slices and a stick of lemongrass.

Vignobles Foncalieu wines with Indian food at Quilon

Image copyright: Vignobles Foncalieu

There are still a lot of people that wouldn't dream of pairing curry with wine: beer has always been the tipple of choice for curry-loving Brits. The classic pairing of spicy food with a cold, refreshing lager may be hard to move away from, but times they are a'changing. While the wine offering at your local Indian might not be worth putting down the Kingfisher for, restaurants such as Rasoi in Chelsea, and Michelin-starred Quilon in Kensington are trying to alter perceptions.

Image copyright Quilon

I was invited to Quilon to try a range of wines from Vignobles Foncalieu, the oldest wine co-operative spread across the Langeudoc-Roussillon, Gascony, and Rhône Valley regions. It now consists of more than 1,000 vineyards, covering 4,500 hectares. While the Langeudoc may have had a reputation in the past for producing vin de table, that is not the case any more.

Our evening started with the chance to try four wines from the Langeudoc region, with a soya bean chop and pepper shrimp to nibble.

Albariño 2014, vin de France – Les Extraordinaires (100% Albariño): This was my first taste of an Albariño from France! Fresh, light and full of tropical fruit, this would be a lovely wine to enjoy at a summer barbecue before you tuck into the sausages. If the weather isn’t agreeing, I’m sure it would be just as nice indoors. 

Available from Hennings, £9.99

Le Versant Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Pays d'Oc IGP (100% Sauvignon Blanc): While everyone you know might be sticking with their trusty New Zealand sauvignon, this makes a nice change. Clean on the palate and not too heavy on the grapefruit.

Available from Hennings £8.75, The Secret Cellar, £9.50

Le Versant Pinot Noir 2014, Pays d'Oc IGP (100% Pinot Noir): A smooth, well balanced pinot noir. It’s a bit floral, with some dark fruits: a tasty, casual wine. 

Available from Hennings £8.75, Fine Wines Direct, £9.49

Le Versant Grenache Rosé 2015, Pays d'Oc IGP (100% Grenache Noir): I’m not usually a big rosé drinker but this could definitely change my mind. While it’s big on the fruits, it’s got a nice depth to it too.

Available from The Secret Cellar, £9.50

Coconut cream chicken: Image copyright Quilon

We sat down to a mixed starter of lotus chop, curry leaf and lentil crusted fish, and coconut cream chicken, paired with two more Langeudoc wines.

Le Versant Viognier 2014, Pays d'Oc (100% Viognier): This worked really well with the fish and chicken. While there were plenty of delicate spices in the food to get your head around, the fresh acidity of this wine stood up to it well.

Available from Hennings, Fine Wines Direct, The Secret Cellar, £9.50

Domaine Haut Gléon Gris 2015, Vallée du Paradis IGP (30% Grenache Noir, 25% Merlot, 25% Cabernet France, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon): Lots of spice, a bit of sweetness, and packing a punch with blackberries. 

RRP, £18.00

Mangalorean chicken: Image copyright Quilon

It makes a very pleasant change to have a delicate, refined and light curry, compared to the usual hefty takeaway (not that I don't enjoy that from time to time...). We were served a selection of dishes for the main: prawn masala, mangalorean chicken curry, lamb biryani, malabar paratha (a delicious flaky, fluffy, crisp and soft flatbread), and snow peas with coconut and asparagus. These were paired with four wines:

Château Haut Gléon Blanc 2014, Corbières AOP (60% Roussanne, 40% Grenache Blanc): I am a big fan of this wine, and I thought it was the best match with the food. There’s a lot going on: it’s a big white, with spice and nuttiness. A wine that keeps on giving. 

Available from Fine Wines Direct, £21.99

Take me there! Image copyright: Haut Gleon

Château Haut Gléon Rosé 2015, Corbières AOP (50% Syrah, 50% Grenache Noir): After trying the above with the food, I didn’t think this paired quite as well, but I still really liked the wine. It’s a very pretty pink, and it’s light, fruity, and floral. Another for those occasional, long summer evenings. It would be even better to sip a glass while relaxing at Château Haut Gléon itself, which Foncalieu bought in 2012. I mean, just look at that pool. 

Available from Hennings, £25.00

Atelier Prestige Le Lien 2013, Minervois, AOP (80% Syrah, 20% Grenache Noir): Intense but still soft, if that’s possible? It's floral on the nose but with lots of body and a lingering finish. 

Available from £28.00

Atelier Prestige Les Illustres 2012, Coteaux D’Enserune IGP (60% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec): This is the result of 11 winemakers coming together. Despite the saying, ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’, they’ve done a good job with this one. Very fruity, smooth, and elegant. 

Available from The Secret Cellar, £21.00

After all that there was even room for dessert: a sweet and moreish baked yogurt, and a seven-layered Goan celebration cake called bebinca, with two wines.

Griset Gris de Gris 2015, Pays d'Oc – Les Extraordinaires (100% Sauvignon Gris): The evening did well on helping me along with rosé. This is an easy drinking wine that is grapefruit in colour, and grapefruit in flavour. The stripes on the bottle matched nicely with the striped bebinca.

Available from Hennings, £7.50

Syrah/Viognier Rouge 2015, Pays d'Oc – Les Extraordinaires (80% Syrah, 20% Viognier): The fresh and spicy syrah has the edge taken off it by the floral, sweeter richness of the viognier.

Available from Nectar, £5.78

Although there was a lot to try throughout the evening, I was impressed by the variety and quality of the wines on offer. It was a great introduction to Les Vignobles Foncalieu wines, and will certainly make me think twice before reaching for the Kingfisher with my next balti.

Image copyright: Haut Gleon 

#VinspirePOTW: Our Fave Boozy Pictures #6

Come rain or shine, we're here again! We started the week with a #VinspirePOTW, and we're ending it with another.

What have you all been drinking over the past week? I went to a crackin' New Zealand wine tasting at my local, The Grape Escape (you can view my posts on their previous tastings here - look out for one about this at some point in the future). I know our very own Tim has been sipping snazzy cocktails with a view… He's made it into our top 10!

Oh, and incase you'd not seen, it's World Cocktail Day today! Friday 13th clearly ain't always about bad vibes; unleash your inner Taylor Swift and shake it off!

After my attempt to persuade the sun to stay last week - which failed miserably - I've avoided the full on cold beverage/summery snaps this time (bar one or two, but they're from outside the UK, so it doesn't really count). We've got beer, blossom and bitters… Here's to the weekend!

Ok, so let's get the jealousy out of the way. @clerkenwellboyec1 seems to have the life we all wish we had; eating and drinking his was around the best of London's food and drink hotspots. Now he's off to bloody Bordeaux to experience all the French delights, aka ALL THE WINE. 

@ginfoundryuk let us in on a little tonic secret; Thomas Henry Cherry Blossom Tonic Water! Sounds like a delicious way to change up your usual G&T, and you can pick it up from the Gin Kiosk website (another new one to me) for £1.20! 

The BBC Food & Farming Awards happened recently, and this year's winner of the Best Drinks Producer was @halletscider! Produced in Wales at Blaengawney farm, renowned for its altitude and cold weather, Hallets produce real cider from locally grown apples. "Year by year, the weather and seasons change, which produces new flavours and textures that enables [them] to select the blend
that we think is perfect for that particular year." A true small, independent cider maker which makes them very special indeed - congratulations!

Coconut water is so last year (though you could go and check out our Chi post if you're still into it). How about this watermelon water cleverly named 'What A Melon'? I do love a pun, and it has the celebrity approval thanks to @fearnecotton.

Here's Tim with the Thames! Cocktail, check. Snacks, check. View, check. Our @tjmilford does live the life, and he highly recommends the Gong Bar at The Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard. Maybe don't go if you're afraid of heights. 

@three.sheets combine cocktails and cats in a very arty way. There are some serious cocktail recipe ideas in their feed, but here they're showing of Crude Bitters. "I wasn't at all surprised when the founder and owner of Crude, Craig Rudewicz, won the Good Food Award in 2015 for his 'Rizzo' bitters (rosemary, grapefruit, peppercorn). If you haven't had these in a Martini, you should." I've taken note. 

English Wine Week is coming up again from 28th May - 5th June, so here we have @oatleyvineyard in Somerset showing off their al fresco "tasting room". They'll be open every day throughout the week from 11am - 6pm. Looks lovely if you ask me! 

You probably saw Rachael's post on Eurovision beers earlier, and before you ask, YES I am a fan! Sweden are the host country this year, and what better way to celebrate than by having a drop of Sweden's finest whisky? @mackmyrawhisky nestled in the gorgeous Scandinavian blossom might just be my favourite #VinspirePOTW this week!

I came across @thebeershelf on my hunt for more beer accounts to follow, and there was something so humorously crude about their posts. A square wooden box (or shelf) with a bottle/can of beer, a glass containing the poured beer and a little score out of ten scribbled on some paper. Simples. 

@mountgayrum bring us our #FridayCocktail; The Daquiri! "A proper daquiri is a thing of simplicity, and does not emerge from a bar-top machine." Blend 2oz Mount Gay Eclipse, 1oz simple syrup and the juice of one lime. Shake and strain, served up or over ice.

Eurovision 2016 beers

The television event of the year is back on Saturday (May 14): it's Eurovision night! And what's not to love? There's sarcastic commentary from our beloved Graham Norton; an hour and a half of awkward voting with the show hosts desperately trying to find out who got 12 points while some hyped-up Armenian TV host tries to have their ten seconds in the limelight; more key changes than you ever thought you could want from one night; questionable pyrotechnics; the genuine panic as you think the UK may get nil points again; and a half-arsed political statement thrown in for good measure. This year, my money's on Brexit, although if Australia are allowed in for the second year in a row, I doubt we'll be going anywhere whatever the outcome (how many years is it since the UK actually qualified on talent, rather than the amount of pennies we throw at it?).

If you're in it for the whole night (and why wouldn't you be, yay Eurovision), you're going to need supplies. While you're madly waving your French flag and dearly hoping you win the office sweepstakes (hello £20!), consider ordering in a few of these. There's a Beer for That have compiled a list of beers available for the countries that have been given the best odds of winning this year's Eurovision: place your bets and order in six of each!

Bring on the beers

#1 Russia 3:1
Act and song title: Sergey Lazarev - You Are the Only One

Baltika

Available From: Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda

RRP: £3.00 (x6)

ABV: 0%

There's a Beer for That says: Baltika is the only one for you if you’re supporting Russia during Eurovision. This light, alcohol-free, aromatic beer has a refined flavour and is served in the finest restaurants and bars of St. Petersburg, Moscow. The beer possesses a unique taste and a subtle aroma.

I say: As this is alcohol free, it might be nice to mix in a few with some of the stronger beers on the list below. But if you can't face the thought of drinking alcohol-free beer, there are another eight varieties of Baltika where the ABV is a little higher than zero.  

#2 – France 4:1
Act and song title: Amir - J'ai Cherché

Bellerose Biere Blonde

Available From: www.beersofeurope.co.uk

RRP: £2.19

ABV: 6.5%

Amir is looking strong in second place for the running at this year's contest.  Why not accompany his performance with something a little bit different from France? Bellerose Biere Blonde contains three different hops collected from three continents, making it a mix between the French 'Biere de Garde' style and an IPA.

#3 – Australia 13:1
Act and song title: Dami Im - Sound of Silence

Foster's

Available From: Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury's and Morrisons

RRP: £3.50 (x4)

ABV: 5.0%

There's a Beer for That says: Eurovision has officially welcomed Australia for the second time! First brewed in Melbourne by William and Ralph Foster, this Aussie lager is light-coloured, presenting full malt character with balanced clean hop bitterness. Combined with a slightly hoppy, but yeasty/malty nose.

I say: If you're getting on those last minute party plans then you'll certainly be able to get your hands on a few crates of Foster's, but if you can get down to Waitrose, pick up a few bottles of Little Creatures pale ale (currently £1.59 a bottle, bargain). It's got a nice citrus kick, thanks to the addition of hop flowers into the brew, but it's still very drinkable and not too heavy on the hops.

#4 – Sweden 15:1
Act and song title: Frans - If I Were Sorry

Pistonhead

Available From: www.beersofeurope.co.uk

RRP: £1.79

ABV: 4.60%

You won't be sorry when you try Sweden's Pistonhead beer. Crafted in a self-proclaimed 'brutal brewing workshop' the 'kustom lager' is a smooth, no-nonsense brew. It’s a dry beer with cascade and amarillo hops to offer a spicy citrus edge. Plus the beer is organic, and glows in the dark! 

#5 – Bulgaria 17:1
Act and song title: Poli Genova – If Love was a Crime 

Zagorka

Available From: http://www.beerhere.co.uk/

RRP: £1.99

ABV: 5.5%

Easily recognised for its rich flavour, pleasantly bitter taste, and 5% alcoholic content. Thanks to its quality ingredients, Zagorka is a true innovator of the beer market.

#6 – Malta 17:1
Act and song title: Ira Losco – Walk on Water 

Cisk

Available From: www.beersofeurope.co.uk

RRP: £1.59

ABV: 5.0%

Cisk was launched in Malta in 1928. It is a golden-coloured lager with a distinctive and well-balanced character. Its rich hop aroma and pleasant bitterness, combined with a mild astringency, make it an outstanding thirst-quencher.

#7 – Ukraine 21:1
Act and song title: Jamala – 1944 

Obolon Lager

Available From: www.beersofeurope.co.uk

RRP: £1.79

ABV: 4.5%

Celebrate Ukraine with its famous Obolon Lager. It's a deeply fermented beer with hoppy bitterness and flavour. Expect grassy aromas and a bittersweet finish, pure gold in colour and has a strong foamy head. 

#8 – Latvia 23:1
Act and song title: Justs – Heartbeat 

Aldaris Porteris

Available From: www.beersofeurope.co.uk

RRP: £2.89

ABV: 6.8%

Aldaris Porteris is a strong beer so perfectly matches Latvia's Eurovision entry. It contains a hint of caramel and wine which may also be detected in the aroma.

#9 – Armenia  23:1
Act and song title: Iveta Mukuchyan – Love Wave

Ararat

Available From: http://www.beerhere.co.uk/

RRP: £2.19

ABV: 4.5%

This Armenian beer is light in colour, while providing waves of apple, floral notes and a cookie dough aroma. Its grainy sweetness overpowers the bitter notes while pouring clear and crisp with a bouncy head.

#10 – Serbia 26:1
Act and song title: ZAA Sanja Vučić – Goodbye (Shelter) 

Jelen Pivo

Available From: https://www.jelenpivo.com/sr/pocetna

RRP: £1.49

ABV: 5.0%

Jelen Pivo is the leading core lager brand in Serbia-Montenegro. This golden bitter beer will provide fresh grassy notes combined with warm honey tones. A bright and light hoppy lager makes for an easy drinking beer.

...Well, we're not last! It would be rude not to have the UK on the list, or in the competition!

#24 – United Kingdom 101:1
Act and song title: Joe & Jake – You're Not Alone

Meantime IPA

Available From: Ocado and Waitrose

RRP: £5.35

ABV: 6.9%

While our nominated act might not be a top ten contender, Meantime IPA is certainly an excellent consolation prize. Meantime has a slightly roasted malt profile with plenty of sweetness, lots of citrusy hops which lighten the beer and create a lingering bitter finish.

And if those suggestions aren't doing it for you, or if you didn't do so well in the work sweepstakes but still want to remain loyal to your country, tweet #BeerMatch to @BeerforThat, along with a dish from your chosen country i.e. PIZZA, and you'll get a response. They also run a #BeerClub every Wednesday at 8pm with beer experts on hand to answer any question you've ever had about beer.

Enjoy the ridiculous spectacle that is Eurovision this weekend, and let me know what you'll be quaffing!