Let The Drink Talk

[Johnny]

Back on the Old Empire last night. Had a bottle in and a DVD and this beer whether in pubs or in a bottle just seems excellent, very much like the Abbot Ale in both bottle and barrel and nice.

http://www.camranorthlondon.org.uk/news/0306020001.html

Old Empire Strikes Back!

In the nineteenth century, a brewer in London developed a light coloured beer for exporting to India called India Pale Ale. The "pale" came from the fact that the malt was of a lighter colour than previously used. This was due to the new technology of using coke in the malt kilns, which enabled a golden coloured malt to be manufactured. This development also coincided with the change from pewter to glass for drinking vessels and the clearness of the beer added to its attractiveness. To help keep the beer on its journey to India, it was high in alcohol and highly hopped (hops having a preservative effect).

But despite London being the first, it was Burton that developed the reputation for India Pale Ales and established a strong market for these ales until the end of the century. So perhaps it is not surprising that it is a Burton brewer that has decided to bring back a traditional IPA.

In May, Marston launched Old Empire. Not for the fainthearted, this golden coloured beer kicks a punch at 5.7% ABV. The nose has the typical Burton sulphur notes balanced with a slight honey, sweet character and lemon citrus. The malt character is there throughout but the balance is quite dry with a bitterness that lingers, as one would expect of an IPA. Unfortunately, the bottled version is not real due to clear glass bottles being used and its aroma and flavour is not as hoppy as one would expect from a real traditional IPA. However, the draught version is dry hopped and promises to deliver a version that is much closer.

The man responsible for this brew, Steve Brooks, the Head Brewer, has worked for Marstons for 29 years and came into his dream job just a year ago. Old Empire is his first new beer and he had the assistance of Roger Protz, the editor of CAMRA's Good Beer Guide to help get the character right. Steve is promising that Old Empire will not be the last new beer and he currently has one or two other ideas in development. If they turn out to be as good as Steve's commitment to his beer, then they will definitively be worth trying.

by Christine Cryne
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