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The Story of Everards Tiger: Leicestershire's Best-Loved Beer

Everards Tiger beer is a classic copper ale brewed at Everards Meadows in Leicestershire. It pours amber, delivers a balanced malt and hop character at a sessionable strength, and has been a cornerstone of the Everards beer range for decades. You can find it on cask at pubs across the Midlands, and explore the wider range through our website. 

What is Everards Tiger? Style, Strength and Heritage

Tiger beer is our flagship copper ale, and it has held that position for good reason. At 4.2% ABV, it sits firmly in sessionable territory without sacrificing depth of flavour. The style is a traditional English bitter: amber in colour, balanced in character, and built to be enjoyed over a proper conversation rather than rushed.

But why Tiger?

The story goes back to the Royal Leicestershire Regiment, who served for more than 18 years in India. In 1825, following their service and bravery, they were awarded the Royal Tiger badge, and became known as 'The Tigers'.

That famous Tiger name has lived on in Leicestershire ever since, with the Leicester Tigers rugby club also adopting the name in 1880, and in 1972, Everards joined the story, brewing a beer worthy of the name.

Tiger was born.

More than 50 years on, Tiger is still being brewed by our six-generation family brewery, right here in Leicestershire. 

Tiger's story is rooted in Leicestershire. Everards has been brewing in the county since 1849, and Tiger has grown into one of the region's most recognisable pints. It carries the kind of local loyalty that takes generations to earn, and it remains central to everything we do at Everards Meadows, our state-of-the-art brewery and leisure destination near Enderby.

The name itself carries character. Tiger is bold enough to be memorable, approachable enough to be a regular order, and consistent enough that drinkers know exactly what they're getting. That reliability is part of what makes it so well regarded across the Midlands and beyond.

A Bitter with Genuine Local Identity

Bitters of this style have a long history in English brewing culture, but Tiger has always carried a distinctly Leicestershire identity. It's not a generic regional ale; it reflects the character of the county and the values of a brewery that has remained independently minded throughout its history.

Tasting Notes: What to Expect From a Pint

Pour Tiger into a clean pint glass, and you'll notice the colour first: a warm, clear amber with a modest, persistent head. It looks exactly as a well-kept cask bitter should.

On the nose, there's a gentle combination of biscuit malt and floral hop aroma. It's inviting rather than aggressive, which is precisely the point. Tiger is designed to draw you in, not to make a statement before you've taken a sip.

The palate delivers what the aroma promises: Toffee depth and delicately spiced hops strike a perfect balance, thanks to British hops and speciality malts 

Serving and Condition

Tiger performs best when served on cask, at cellar temperature, from a well-maintained line. The beer's character depends on proper conditioning and careful cellarmanship. A poorly kept cask bitter loses the nuance that makes it worth drinking, which is why we take pub standards seriously across our estate.

  • Allow the beer to settle before pouring

  • A clean glass makes a measurable difference to both aroma and head retention

  • Tiger is a cask product, not a keg substitute

How Tiger is Brewed at Everards Meadows

Everards Meadows, our home on Cooper Way near Enderby, is where Tiger comes to life. The site combines a modern brewing facility with the kind of considered approach to ingredients and process that a beer of this standing demands.

Tiger is brewed using traditional British malts that provide the amber colour and biscuit character you find in the glass. The water profile, yeast strain, and fermentation conditions are all managed to produce a consistent result across every brew.

The Role of Brewing Tradition at Everards Meadows

The move to Everards Meadows gave us the opportunity to invest in modern brewing infrastructure without abandoning the methods that made Tiger what it is. The brewery is designed to maintain the integrity of traditional English cask ale production while operating at a scale that lets us reliably supply pubs across the region.

We also run a brewery tour programme at Everards Meadows, giving visitors a proper look at how Tiger and the wider range are produced. If you want to understand what goes into a pint, a tour is one of the most direct ways to find out. You'll see the brew house, learn about the ingredients, and, naturally, have the chance to taste the results.

Ingredients and Process: What Matters

  • British pale ale malt forms the base of the grist

  • Crystal malt contributes colour and a residual sweetness that balances the hop bitterness

  • Whole and pellet hops are used at different stages for bitterness, flavour, and aroma

  • Primary fermentation uses a house yeast strain that contributes the beer's characteristic fruitiness

  • Cask conditioning allows the beer to develop naturally before it reaches the bar

This approach to brewing reflects the wider craft tradition that underpins English bitter production. Tiger isn't a shortcut product; it's the result of a process that respects the style.

Tiger vs the Rest of the Everards Range

Tiger holds the flagship position in our range, but it sits alongside a considered portfolio of beers that cater to different occasions and preferences. Understanding where Tiger sits helps you decide which Everards beer is right for the moment.

Our core range includes beers at different strengths and style points. Tiger's 4.2% ABV and amber bitter profile make it the natural choice for a session pint, but drinkers who want something lighter, darker, or with a different flavour emphasis have options.

How the Range Compares

  • Tiger (4.2% ABV): Amber bitter, balanced malt and hop, dry finish. The everyday choice.

  • Lighter options in the range suit drinkers who prefer a lower-gravity pint with less residual malt character.

  • Darker, richer beers in the portfolio offer more roast character and body for those who lean towards that style.

  • Seasonal and limited releases from Everards Meadows give regular drinkers something new to explore without replacing the beers they rely on.

The range is designed to complement rather than compete internally. Tiger is the anchor, and the other beers extend the choice without diluting what makes the flagship worth ordering.

When to Choose Tiger Over Other Everards Beers

Tiger is the right call when you want a reliable, well-balanced pint that works across a full session. It pairs well with food, particularly British pub classics: a proper pie, a ploughman's, or anything with a savoury, umami-forward profile that benefits from the beer's dry, bitter finish.

If you're new to the Everards range, Tiger is the logical starting point. It represents the brewery's approach to flavour and quality in the most direct way possible.

Where to Drink Tiger Near You

Tiger is available on cask at pubs across Leicestershire and the wider Midlands. Our pub estate spans a range of venues, from traditional community locals to destination pubs with food offerings, and Tiger is a consistent fixture on the bar across all of them.

Finding your nearest pint is straightforward. Our website lists the pubs in our estate, and many independent free-trade accounts also stock Tiger on cask. If you're in Leicestershire and you can't find a pint nearby, it's worth asking your local whether they'd consider stocking it.

What to Look for in a Well-Kept Pint

The quality of Tiger in the glass depends as much on the pub as it does on the brewery. A well-run cellar, clean lines, and a landlord who understands cask ale will produce a noticeably better pint than a poorly managed one.

When you order Tiger, it should be:

  • Clear, not hazy (unless a haze has been deliberately introduced, which isn't the case with Tiger)

  • Served at cellar temperature, not too cold

  • Poured with a natural head that settles to a fine, persistent layer

The Online Shop and Can Options

For those who want to enjoy Tiger at home, we also stock beer in cans  and packaged formats through our online shop. This gives you the flexibility to enjoy Everards beers without needing to find a pub that stocks them, though we'd always encourage a visit to a proper cask outlet for the full experience.

The online shop also carries the wider Everards range, so it's a useful way to explore beers you might not have encountered on draught. Gift sets and mixed selections are available if you're looking to introduce someone else to the range, though Tiger itself is always the natural place to start.

Ready to Find Your Next Pint?

Tiger has earned its place as Leicestershire's best-loved bitter through decades of consistent quality, genuine local heritage, and a brewing approach that respects the English cask tradition. If you haven't tried it recently, or if you're discovering it for the first time, there's no better moment to seek out a well-kept pint and show your stripes.

Explore the full Everards range, find your nearest pub, and learn more about what we do at Everards. Whether you're planning a brewery tour, stocking up through the online shop, or simply looking for a great local, we're here to help you get the most from every pint.

Call us on 0116 201 4100 or visit us at Cooper Way, Everards Meadows, Enderby, Leicestershire, LE19 2AN. We'd love to hear from you, and there's always a good reason to talk about Tiger.