Bovril Decision Day

Winter League

Last week we shared the inconclusive outcome of the Bovril taste testing and spoke of a more complete exercise to be undertaken this Friday at Thorpe Green. I am pleased to report that this test was completed with a winner unanimously forthcoming but maybe this story is not over yet.

Bovril-lovers everywhere will be aware that we have been left with two contenders for the prime Winter sport hot drink which is as much based on memories as it is on today's products' taste. Powder or Paste - which will find the favour of the Judge's Panel and win the day?

The taste panel of three assembled in the Thorpe Green greenside club house on a Pairs KO day to oversee the production of two samples vying to receive the ultimate accolade of being declared Crown Green Bowling's Ultimate Winter Beverage. The Powder and Paste versions are very different products, but which provides the closest match to the drink that takes us old farts back to our youth? Any drink that could do that will obviously have a bigger market potential in becoming an Elixir of Youth rather than just a trip down memory lane.

The stirring of boiled, but not boiling water, onto the two versions is an important element of the production process. But whereas the Powder version comes in small plastic cups with a measured dosage already contained within it, the Paste version relies on the individual measure scooped out of the jar and deposited in a traditional mug. This immediately flags up a concern of the Panel. The irregular amount of paste scooped into the mug means that every mug is different whereas the Powder version has a degree of consistency which is noted by the judges.

On top of that, the Value for Money element (i.e. cheapest) is always going to feature strongly in any Yorkshire contest. Surprisingly the Powder version along with a plastic cup is much cheaper that the Paste version and is also voted the best tasting of the two products. So the Powder version is declared the winner of this showdown.

But wait! One of the judges demands to know why the 'Cube version' of Bovril has not been included in the tasting test. 'What Cube version?' say his two colleagues. 'The Bovril Cube I use at home' comes back the response. So the tale rolls on and another tasting test is to be conducted next Friday featuring the winner of the first heat - the Powder version - against this late contender of the Bovril Cube. Come back next week for the final decision.

Since sharing the full story of Bovril the ultimate Winter hot drink I have been accosted by two other Winter League host clubs informing me that they have been providing Hot Bovril drinks all season. Congratulations to Springwood and the Rugby Club for seeing the light and catering for the sporting fraternity's demands for a return to the good old days when Bovril and Hot Vimto were the go-to hot drinks of their day. Come back next week for the final(?) pre-Christmas decision on the top Bovril version which will be awarded the official title of the 'Ultimate Hot Drink of Winter Crown Green Bowling 2025' Powder or Cube?