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{{Short description|Style of beer}} |
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'''Old ale''' is a term commonly applied to dark, malty beers in the [[UK]], usually above 5% [[abv]], often also called Winter Warmers;<ref>http://www.allaboutbeer.com/style/24.6-oldales.html</ref> also to dark ales of any strength in [[Australia]].<ref>http://www.beerhunter.com/styles/old_ale.html</ref> Sometimes associated with ''stock ale'' or, archaically, ''keeping ale'', in which the beer is held at the brewery. American brewed old ales will tend to be of a [[barley wine]] strength. |
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[[File:Founders Curmudgeon (Old Ale) (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Founders Curmudgeon old ale]] |
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'''Old ale''' is a form of [[strong ale]]. The term is commonly applied to dark, malty beers in England, generally above 5% [[ABV]], and also to dark ales of any strength in Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.beerhunter.com/styles/old_ale.html |title=Michael Jackson's Beer Hunter - Beer Styles: Old (Ale) |publisher=Beerhunter.com |access-date=2011-06-26}}</ref> It is sometimes associated with ''stock ale'' or, archaically, ''keeping ale'', in which the beer is held at the brewery. In modern times, the line has blurred between Old Ale and [[Barley wine]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://zythophile.co.uk/2010/09/14/so-what-is-the-difference-between-barley-wine-and-old-ale/|title=So what IS the difference between barley wine and old ale?|date=14 September 2010}}</ref> |
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==History== |
==History== |
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Historically, old ales served as a complement to [[mild ale]]s, and in |
Historically, old ales served as a complement to [[mild ale]]s, and in pubs of the era typically the landlord would serve the customer a blend of the sharper stock ale with the fruitier, sweeter mild ale to the customer's taste. In London especially, the aged ale would take on a tart note from a secondary fermentation with [[Brettanomyces]] yeast which was present either in the pitching yeast or in the wooden equipment.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lloyd Hind|first=H|title=Brewing Science and Practice: Volume II Brewing Processes|year=1940|location=London|pages=800–802}}</ref> Because of the time required for the aging process, some investors would buy mild ale from brewers, age it into old ale, and sell it at the higher price. Eventually, brewers began to keep some beer behind at the brewery, age it themselves and sell it to the pubs. In some cases old ale was a blend of young and old. The "stock ale" was the brewery's very aged ale and was used to inject an "old" quality, and perhaps acidity to the blend. |
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==Burton Ale== |
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In London especially, Burton was a synonym for old ale.<ref>Martyn Cornell, ''Amber, Gold and Black'', p. 44</ref> |
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==Winter warmer== |
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| ⚫ | Another version was so-called " |
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A winter warmer is a dark, malty-sweet strong ale that is brewed in the winter months. The average [[alcohol by volume]] ranges from 6% to 8%, and some reach 10% or more. [[Christmas beer]] is a type of winter warmer, similarly strong in alcohol and usually spiced.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.beermonthclub.com/beer-style-guide-winter|title=Winter Beer Styles - Christmas Beer {{!}} Beer of the Month Club|work=The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club|access-date=2018-06-24|language=en-US}}</ref> [[Mac's Brewery (UK)|Mac's Brewery]] in [[Hertford]] have brewed a Christmas beer known as [[Bootwarmer]] since 1995, and an old ale called [[Stronghart]] since the 1850s.<ref>[https://www.mcmullens.co.uk/blog/2019/12/bootwarmer Mac's bootwarmer]</ref> |
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==Variations== |
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Examples of old ales include: |
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* [[Gales Brewery|George Gale]]: Prize Old Ale |
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* [[Theakston Brewery| Theakston]]: Old Peculier |
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* [[Fuller, Smith and Turner|Fuller's]]: Vintage Ale |
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* [[Greene King]]: Olde Suffolk English Ale |
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* [[O'Hanlon's]]: Thomas Hardy's Ale |
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[[File:Thomas Hardy's Ale 001.jpg|thumb|150px|right|[[Thomas Hardy's Ale]] (11.7% ABV)]] |
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==See also== |
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* [[Barley wine]] |
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* [[Bitter (beer)]] |
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| ⚫ | Another historic version was so-called "majority ale", a strong ale brewed on or around the birth of a child, and intended to be drunk on the child's twenty-first birthday.<ref name="harrison">{{cite book |title=Old British Beers and How To Make Them |author=Dr John Harrison |isbn=978-0-9517752-1-9 |year=2003 |publisher=Durden Park Beer Circle}}</ref> |
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Some old ales blended older vintages with fresh beer in vats, on the [[solera]] system. Burton Ale brewed by the Ballantine brewery ([[Newark, New Jersey]]) was such a beer, and kept in production as a gift item for distributors and VIPs up until the closing of the brewery in 1972. |
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The only surviving representatives are [[Greene King]] 5X and [[The Bruery|The Bruery's]] anniversary ales. [[Sour beer|Sour old ales]] fermented with ''[[Brettanomyces]]'' yeast were popular |
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in 19th-century Britain. The style is now associated more with [[Belgian brewing]], for instance [[Oud bruin]] and [[Rodenbach Brewery|Rodenbach]] Grand Cru, although there is one surviving British example, [[Gales Brewery|Gales]] Prize Old Ale.<ref name="zythophile">{{cite web|url=http://zythophile.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/endangered-beers/|title=Endangered Beers|last=Cornell|first=Martyn|date=22 May 2012|access-date=7 August 2014}}</ref> |
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A number of breweries, particularly in Sussex, produce a weaker style of old ale with some resemblance to a [[mild ale]].{{refn|group=note|The boundary between old ale and mild is blurry, simply because, historically, old ale was mild ale, but aged.<ref name=zythophile/>}} Examples include [[King and Barnes]] (later W. J King) (4.5% ABV) and [[Harveys Brewery|Harveys]] (4.3% ABV) These are typically consumed on draught dispense. |
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{{Reflist|group=note}} |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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{{reflist}} |
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===Bibliography=== |
===Bibliography=== |
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*Wheeler, Graham, and Roger Protz, ''Brew Your Own British Real Ale at Home''. 1998, 2001, CAMRA Ltd. ISBN |
*Wheeler, Graham, and Roger Protz, ''Brew Your Own British Real Ale at Home''. 1998, 2001, CAMRA Ltd. {{ISBN|1-85249-138-8}} |
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== External links == |
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{{commons}} |
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* [http://www.camra.org.uk/page.aspx?o=180688 CAMRA description of Old Ale] |
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* [http://www. |
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150910172650/http://www.camra.org.uk/en_US/old-ale CAMRA description of Old Ale] |
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{{Beer Styles}} |
{{Beer Styles}} |
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[[Category:Beer styles]] |
[[Category:Beer styles]] |
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[[Category:Beer |
[[Category:Beer in the United Kingdom]] |
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[[it:Old ale]] |
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Latest revision as of 17:49, 27 June 2024
_(cropped).jpg)
Old ale is a form of strong ale. The term is commonly applied to dark, malty beers in England, generally above 5% ABV, and also to dark ales of any strength in Australia.[1] It is sometimes associated with stock ale or, archaically, keeping ale, in which the beer is held at the brewery. In modern times, the line has blurred between Old Ale and Barley wine.[2]
History
[edit]Historically, old ales served as a complement to mild ales, and in pubs of the era typically the landlord would serve the customer a blend of the sharper stock ale with the fruitier, sweeter mild ale to the customer's taste. In London especially, the aged ale would take on a tart note from a secondary fermentation with Brettanomyces yeast which was present either in the pitching yeast or in the wooden equipment.[3] Because of the time required for the aging process, some investors would buy mild ale from brewers, age it into old ale, and sell it at the higher price. Eventually, brewers began to keep some beer behind at the brewery, age it themselves and sell it to the pubs. In some cases old ale was a blend of young and old. The "stock ale" was the brewery's very aged ale and was used to inject an "old" quality, and perhaps acidity to the blend.
Burton Ale
[edit]In London especially, Burton was a synonym for old ale.[4]
Winter warmer
[edit]A winter warmer is a dark, malty-sweet strong ale that is brewed in the winter months. The average alcohol by volume ranges from 6% to 8%, and some reach 10% or more. Christmas beer is a type of winter warmer, similarly strong in alcohol and usually spiced.[5] Mac's Brewery in Hertford have brewed a Christmas beer known as Bootwarmer since 1995, and an old ale called Stronghart since the 1850s.[6]
Variations
[edit]
Some brewers will make a strong old ale for bottling. Some of these can mature for several years after bottling, and may or may not be bottle-conditioned.
The "October" keeping ales are thought to have formed the basis for India pale ales shipped by the British East India Company.[citation needed]
Another historic version was so-called "majority ale", a strong ale brewed on or around the birth of a child, and intended to be drunk on the child's twenty-first birthday.[7]
Some old ales blended older vintages with fresh beer in vats, on the solera system. Burton Ale brewed by the Ballantine brewery (Newark, New Jersey) was such a beer, and kept in production as a gift item for distributors and VIPs up until the closing of the brewery in 1972. The only surviving representatives are Greene King 5X and The Bruery's anniversary ales. Sour old ales fermented with Brettanomyces yeast were popular in 19th-century Britain. The style is now associated more with Belgian brewing, for instance Oud bruin and Rodenbach Grand Cru, although there is one surviving British example, Gales Prize Old Ale.[8]
A number of breweries, particularly in Sussex, produce a weaker style of old ale with some resemblance to a mild ale.[note 1] Examples include King and Barnes (later W. J King) (4.5% ABV) and Harveys (4.3% ABV) These are typically consumed on draught dispense.
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Michael Jackson's Beer Hunter - Beer Styles: Old (Ale)". Beerhunter.com. Retrieved 2011-06-26.
- ^ "So what IS the difference between barley wine and old ale?". 14 September 2010.
- ^ Lloyd Hind, H (1940). Brewing Science and Practice: Volume II Brewing Processes. London. pp. 800–802.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Martyn Cornell, Amber, Gold and Black, p. 44
- ^ "Winter Beer Styles - Christmas Beer | Beer of the Month Club". The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
- ^ Mac's bootwarmer
- ^ Dr John Harrison (2003). Old British Beers and How To Make Them. Durden Park Beer Circle. ISBN 978-0-9517752-1-9.
- ^ a b Cornell, Martyn (22 May 2012). "Endangered Beers". Retrieved 7 August 2014.
Bibliography
[edit]- Wheeler, Graham, and Roger Protz, Brew Your Own British Real Ale at Home. 1998, 2001, CAMRA Ltd. ISBN 1-85249-138-8
External links
[edit]
