Slate Miner
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- Jan 27, 2012
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Last Friday evening Mrs Slate Miner and myself joined the local CAMARA group for a tour 'round Hooky Brewery. :
Although I've lived in North/West Oxfordshire all my life this was the first time that I've done the tour.
I'd certainly recommend it, our guide was knowledgable and clearly enthusiastic about Hooky Beer. There's a lovely old steam engine on the ground floor which apparently is the only working steam engine still in use in an English brewery (currently having its 20 year service) Their water comes from a spring directly below the brewery. If you're tall (I'm 6ft 2") then be very careful as there are lots of low celings and bits of wood/metal to bang your head on! There are also a couple of shire horses which deliver the ale to the local pubs.
Afterwards we had a light hearted quiz to see who had paid attention to what our guide was saying! Followed by a very generous session of ale sampling, we tried, Hooky, Hooky Mild, Old Hooky, Cotswold Lion, Flagship, Double Stout, and Twelve Days. :drink: All of which as you would expect were well kept and rather moreish! :whistle:
I was brought up on Hooky Bitter and it's still a great pint, one of my favourite session beers, also impressed with the Hooky Mild (only 2.8%) on the night, however best of the evening was Cotswold Lion :thumb: which is apparently a blend of 4 malts and 4 hops.
The strange thing was that although I've not done the tour before, the steam engine looked very familiar, Just wondered if my dad took me there to have a look around when I was a small lad, highly possible! :hmm:
Edit: Here's a link if anyone's interested http://www.hooky.co.uk/
Although I've lived in North/West Oxfordshire all my life this was the first time that I've done the tour.
I'd certainly recommend it, our guide was knowledgable and clearly enthusiastic about Hooky Beer. There's a lovely old steam engine on the ground floor which apparently is the only working steam engine still in use in an English brewery (currently having its 20 year service) Their water comes from a spring directly below the brewery. If you're tall (I'm 6ft 2") then be very careful as there are lots of low celings and bits of wood/metal to bang your head on! There are also a couple of shire horses which deliver the ale to the local pubs.
Afterwards we had a light hearted quiz to see who had paid attention to what our guide was saying! Followed by a very generous session of ale sampling, we tried, Hooky, Hooky Mild, Old Hooky, Cotswold Lion, Flagship, Double Stout, and Twelve Days. :drink: All of which as you would expect were well kept and rather moreish! :whistle:
I was brought up on Hooky Bitter and it's still a great pint, one of my favourite session beers, also impressed with the Hooky Mild (only 2.8%) on the night, however best of the evening was Cotswold Lion :thumb: which is apparently a blend of 4 malts and 4 hops.
The strange thing was that although I've not done the tour before, the steam engine looked very familiar, Just wondered if my dad took me there to have a look around when I was a small lad, highly possible! :hmm:
Edit: Here's a link if anyone's interested http://www.hooky.co.uk/
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