To mark the start of their 175th Anniversary year, Hook Norton Brewery will be brewing a series of special anniversary beers.
First up is 175 Strong Ale 7.5%. As the name suggests, this is a strong and robust dark red beer, fruity, full bodied with a hint of spice. It combines a trio of all English hops, delicate and smooth Goldings, spicy Challenger and floral Fuggles.
- See: Dark Red
- Smell: Fruity Malt
- Taste: Spicy Fruit
Hook Norton Brewery Managing Director James Clarke said: “We started the idea of brewing some anniversary beers a few years ago, when on a whim as we were 167 years old, we decided to brew 1 beer at 6.7%. We have continued this tradition ever year since bringing us to our 175th year. We may stop here! The 175 Strong Ale is based on our iconic Old Hooky recipe, but brewed to a much higher strength and is a beer to share, to enjoy and to respect.”
As a nod to the founding fathers, the bottle label features a photo of the workforce engaged in the construction of the main brewery c1890. Flat caps and waistcoats seem to have been the hi-viz attire of the day. The expansion resulted in a six-story tower brewery designed by architect William Bradford. The ornamental brewery had become the norm by the late 1880s and he was a prolific exponent who built or altered over 70 breweries and maltings. His distinctive decorative style featured much ornament, often in the form of ironwork, and a picturesque roof line.
An extraordinary building of brick, ironstone, cast iron and timber closely linked to each of the brewing stages with the clever use of gravity aiding the brewing process. This process, and indeed much of the originally installed brewing equipment and machinery is very much still in use today and can be seen in all its Victorian glory on their brewery tours that operate 7 days a week.
175 Strong Ale is a limited edition release and is available in 500ml bottles exclusively from the brewery shop and online at www.hooky.co.uk
