Full steam ahead for Brakspear!

Brakspear’s original brewing equipment from Henley is now on stream in its new home at the Wychwood Brewery in Witney, Oxfordshire.

The Mash Tun, Copper, and Brakspear’s legendary Double-Drop fermentation system have been installed in their sturdy Cotswold stone surroundings to ensure that Oxfordshire’s classic 3.4% abv Brakspear Bitter will continue to be regarded as one of Britain’s finest beers. Jeremy Thompson, Chief Executive for Refresh Uk says “The Double Drop system of fermentation used to be relatively common up to the nineteenth century, but, like the Burton Union System, it is very rarely employed now. Indded, we are not aware of any other brewer who uses it except for occasional special brews. Brakspear drinkers believe it accounts for their beers’ very special taste, in particular the intensity of taste froma relatively low abv.”

In addition to using the original Brakspear brewing equipment, Jeremy Moss, Brakspear’s Head Brewer, has been sourcing the same malt and hop varieties as used in Henley and, vitally, the original Brakspear yeast. After an intensive period of brew-matching trials the Oxfordshire-brewed Brakspear Bitter will be back on sale in pubs by the end of  June.

Jeremy Moss comments:“Considering that all of the original Brakspear equipment has been in storage for 16 months and has now been re-assembled in a new place, the trial brews of Brakspear Bitter have gone ahead with surprisingly few hitches. Peter Scholey, Brakspear’s former head brewer, has joined me for the trials and we are both very excited at the prospect of bringing Brakspear back to Oxfordshire.”

For the last 16 months, Brakspear’s Bitter has been brewed under contract at Burtonwood in Cheshire, awaiting the building of a new Brakspear brewery in its home county.

Comments Jeremy:“It is great to be bringing Brakspear’s back to Oxfordshire. I, and many others, have always regarded Brakspear Bitter as one of Britain’s national treasures, a defining style with as much subtlety and finesse as the greatest wine of Bordeaux. My task, with Peter Scholey, Brakspear’s former head brewer, has been to reproduce the floral hop and crisp, refreshing flavour, which drinkers expect of this distinctively bitter 3.4% abv Thames Valley beer.”

NB. To coincide with the Euro 2004 football championships in June, Wychwood Brewery is celebrating with ‘England’s Ale’. A robust and satisfying brew at 4% abv. Publicans will receive a free England’s Ale T-shirt with every cask of England’s Ale purchased in June while stocks last

Home  Latest News  Up and Coming  Pubs  Links  Beer Fest  Beer On Tap  Contact