Tasty and full of character . Good quality, well produced beer .
Disadvantages:
A trifle more expensive than some beers . I can't buy it all the time .
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Last Friday night I enjoyed a rather nice half (yes you did hear me right!) in Chesterfield's CAMRA Pub of the Season ~ the Rutland Arms. I had already had quite a few drinks around town, but this one was by far the best. It stood out and certainly ended my evening on a high. It was so nice that I went back a couple of nights later to see if it was as good as I had first thought ~ or if my taste-buds had been clouded by the rest of the nights quaffing! It WAS good; in fact it was BETTER! I had a pint this time and enjoyed it all. What is this marvellous beer? It's Hook Norton Old Hooky!
The Hook Norton Brewery Company Ltd is based in Hook Norton, Banbury, in Oxfordshire. A bloke called John Harris set up the company in 1849, as a Maltster (he was a farmer too), and opened up a brewery in 1872. It is a brewery that uses traditional brewing methods to produce a good selection of cask conditioned and bottled beers. They try to use their original equipment ~ they even have shire horses and power supplied by an old steam engine! Hook Norton supply around 40 of their own pubs, along with over 250 other outlets. Their beers also crop up as guest beers, or at Beer Festivals nationwide. Some beers you may encounter include Double Stout (4.8% ABV), Haymaker (5% ABV) and Generation (4% ABV).
Old Hooky weighs in at 4.6 % ABV and is available both on draught and in bottles, generally around the Oxfordshire area, but, as I found this in Chesterfield it is not exclusive to that region. I have only tried in the draught option, so I don't know how good it is out of the bottle. It is made form Crystal and Pale (Maris Otter) Malts and from a blend of Goldings, Challenger and Fuggles Hops.
Looks wise, Old Hooky is a rather appealing reddy-brown colour, with a light cream, slightly frothy head. The pint clears well after pouring, but it does retain that slight liveliness quite a way into the pint. The texture is pretty rich and full-bodied, giving it a nice "syrupy" consistency in your mouth. The aroma is rich too and full of lots of character ~ quite fruity, with an undercurrent of nuttiness, from the roasted malt, coming through. There is also a hint of sweetness that adds a nice depth to the scent.
Taste wise, Old Hooky is equally as interesting. The sweetness and fruitiness present in the aroma are also in evidence in the flavour. These merge with a caramelly / treacly taste probably from the malts used. The fruity tang is pleasantly orangey, balanced out nicely by the bitterness of the hops. This bitterness carries on through to the finish, combining with a little sweetness. The aftertaste is long and lingering ~ I was left with that syrupy feel that reminded me of honey.
I paid £2.02 for my pint (and £1.01 for the half) at the Rutland Arms. This is slightly more than I usually pay, but only a matter of pence! If I had hung on and waited for it to appear as a Guest Ale at the Wetherspoons it would have cost me £1.49 for a pint ~ the list of beers is for all over the country, so I might never have got to taste it. I thoroughly enjoyed my Old Hooky and am glad that I took the opportunity while it was there. I didn't begrudge paying that price at all!
Old Hooky is a top class, tasty and enjoyable beer. At 4.6 % ABV it is strong enough so that you know you've had it, but not so overpowering as to make it undrinkable. It makes a credible "session ale" that I could see myself enjoying over an evening's drinking. It's an excellent beer filled with tons of flavour and bucket loads of character!
I would recommend Old Hooky as a great choice for a drink on an autumn or winter night ~ it will warm you up nicely! It has quite a strong flavour, so it may not be to everyone's taste ~ but I LOVED it! No wonder Hook Norton have been brewing it for over twenty years. Look out for it and enjoy!
~~~Brewery Details.
Hook Norton Brewery Co.Ltd; The Brewery, Hook Norton, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX15 5NY. Tel 01608 737210 http://www.hooknortonbrewery.co.uk/
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