BEING strawberry blond, Bar Talk has a lot of sympathy for those whose tresses veer towards the Mick Hucknall hue.

Classmates with an underdeveloped sense of colour would mock Bar Talk Jnr for being carrot-topped (and we thought carrot tops were green). Another comparison was with the Duracell battery, and not for our impressive reserves of energy.

So it was with a twinge of regret that we learned of the name for Suddaby's latest brew: Ginger Whinger.

It struck us as another blatant example of gingerism.

Now, though, we have been won over by the creator of this new beer, Neil Suddaby of Suddaby's Crown Hotel & Malton Brewery. He told us that the title came from the key flavour, which we're happy to report has nothing to do with hair of Hucknall.

"We have been working for some time to perfect an alcoholic ginger beer to add to our award-winning range," said Neil.

"The Castle Howard Food and Drink Festival in May provided the perfect opportunity to market test our latest creation and it was a runaway success with supply easily out-stripping demand."

Brewed to a special recipe with the source of the ginger tang a closely guarded secret, the beer weighs in at a middling 4.2 per cent ABV. Its name came from a competition, with one N Duck from York dreaming up the catchy, if controversial, winning moniker.

Understandably Neil wants to place some distance between his quality creation and the man nicknamed the Ginger Whinger, Chris Evans.

"When we announced the winning name to our regulars the popular view was that we had produced the beer as a signature brew for a famous TV and radio tycoon, but be assured our primary intention was to create the perfect summer beer which would compliment the picnic basket or be the ideal accompaniment to a Chinese takeaway meal.

"I'm confident, and current orders confirm, we have got it just right."

Suddaby's has produced a string of flavoured ales over the years, ranging from core favourites such as Golden Chance and Auld Bob to more contemporary brews including Malton Goddess, Lavender Beer, After Dark Coffee Porter and Last Chance, its new chocolate-flavoured beer.

Ginger Whinger has been the star attraction of the Midsummer Beer Festival which began last Thursday and runs until tomorrow at the Crown Hotel in Malton.

More than 40 beers were lined up from across the UK including the full Suddaby range. There is live music tonight and food available throughout the day until 9pm.

RAISE your glasses, please, to The Golden Lion, named Town Pub Of The Summer by the York branch of the Campaign for Real Ale.

It is the third time the Church Street pub has won the seasonal award, its previous victories coming in spring 2002 and spring 1997.

"Manager Jonathan Raw and his deputy Kelly Blair are both young and enthusiastic and really know their stuff when it comes to real ale," the York Camra judges said.

"There are nine handpumps on the bar and all the beers are in excellent condition."

The Country Pub Of The Season award went to the fabulous New Inn in Cropton, making it a hat-trick for them too. We can only agree with the Camra experts who described it as "a pub which has everything - a cosy bar, accommodation, lovely grounds, an annual beer festival and even a brewery in the back garden".

Two pints all round!

Updated: 16:37 Friday, July 15, 2005