Very Bad Elf
Ridgeway Brewing in South Stoke, Oxfordshire, England 🏴
Strong Ale Winter|
Score
6.29
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"Is it just my imagination," queried old Santa, surveying the scene, "or is my Elf only getting worse and worse every year? What's next? Seriously Bad Elf, I'll wager. Mark my words." This Very Bad Elf is one fine ale - rich, hardy and flavourful, brewed to an original 1795 Thames Valley recipe, with a very special pale amber malt that is rarely used nowadays, and balanced by a modest addition of English Fuggle aroma hops. 'Ere's to your elf!
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6.9/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Smell of malt. Amber colour, small off-white head. Aroma of sweet malt, some fig, dried fruit, caramel. Faint plum in finish. Medium carbon. Medium sweet. Light body for the ABV.
Tried
from Can
from
Alko (Turku Länsikeskus Citymarket)
on 28 Nov 2025
at 20:46
7.3/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
Can from Alko.
Poured clear and golden in color, white head.
Toasted malts, some dried figs, caramel, dark bread. Treacle, bit spicy. Pretty good.
Poured clear and golden in color, white head.
Toasted malts, some dried figs, caramel, dark bread. Treacle, bit spicy. Pretty good.
Tried
on 16 Nov 2025
at 10:41
6.1/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
500ml bottle from Holmegrown in Jersey, pours amber with creamy off white head. Aromas & tastes of caramel, fruits, nuts, bread, earth, alcohol, yeast & malt. Medium body. Warming finish
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 Jan 2025
at 21:01
7/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Bottle from HOTM. Clear amber pour with small white head. Aroma of rye bread, sprinkle of chocolate, toffee, sweetness from the malts. Taste of toffee, dried fruits, earthy-grassy hops, hint of chocolate, good dose of bitterness. Medium bodied, smooth, not harsh alcohol wise, sweet but balanced and not sickly. A good level of depth to the flavour and so I find this the best of the 9 Ridgeway beers I have had so far.
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Jan 2025
at 03:03
7.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8.5
bottiglia 50 cl , schiuma beige media grana evanescente, colore ambrato velato, al naso malto agrumi frutta matura leggero Whisky, in bocca caramello zucchero di canna biscotto leggero miele e agrumi, corpo rotondo, carbonazione moderata, alcool ben in evidenza, media secchezza, amaro accentuato lungo nel finale. L’elfo cattivo ha fatto una buona birra per le feste. Una birra seria 🧙🏼♀️🎄☃️🕯️🎁 27.12.24
Tried
from Can
on 27 Dec 2024
at 20:15
5.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 6
Bottle at the Columbus Christmas Tasting. 15/12/2022. Thanks to LKS. A clear amber orange coloured pour with a samll white halo. Aroma is grassy hop, nettle, stale grains, chalky, mineral. Flavour is composed of pale grains, grass, mineral, stale grains. Ok. Palate si semi sweet, mineral,highish carbonation. .
Tried
from Bottle
on 15 Dec 2022
at 20:30
5/10
Tried
on 15 Dec 2022
at 19:32
6.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle shared in London - picked up from HOTM. Pours clear honey-gold with a bubbly, pure white head. Light-medium sweet flavour with notes of toasted biscuits, honey, light pale grains, nips of caramel. Medium bodied with fine to average carbonation. Finishes with more sun-kissed pale malts, some sweet grains, straw. Not bad.
Tried
from Bottle
on 15 Dec 2022
at 19:20
6.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7
A dark yellow beer, a head is almost medium bodied and blond. Aroma has maltyness with biscuits and dryness, some flowers. Aroma has biscuit, wood, also herbal bitterness, light note of caramel in the background. Medium bodied. Feels surpiringly dry all the time. Quite nice, different than usually and this time it's a complement.
Tried
on 18 Oct 2022
at 20:02
7.5/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Appearance: foggy deep gold, moderate white frothy head of medium retention. Aroma and taste: biscuit, floral hop, honey, herbs. Relatively dry. Medium bitter. Mouth feel: medium body, appropriate carbonation. Overall: good.
Tried
on 25 Aug 2022
at 17:46