A THUMPING GOOD THIRST QUENCHER
SIMON LAWRENCE
VISITS RINGWOOD BREWERY
THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED IN 'THE NEW FOREST COUNTRY MAGAZINE'
High on the supermarket shelf, somewhere between the Scotch Whiskey and bottled lagers, you will find the eccentrically named English beers, each painstakingly and lovingly crafted.
'Old Peculier' shares this space with 'Youngs Ram Rod', the 'Blandford Fly' and, of course, our locally produced award-winning 'Old Thumper' from Ringwood Brewery.
Ringwood has a long history of brewing. At one time, its industry was dominated by breweries and malthouses. Ringwood Brewery stands on the site of the old Tunks Brewery, which closed around the end of the 1800s.
When you pull into the small car park adjacent to the brewery store, the first thing you notice is the biscuity and sweet smell of malt. It's nearly overwhelming, but as I later learned, this is the beginning of the process that eventually gets our frothy pints to the local pub and bottles to the supermarket shelves.
Suzie James met me with a warm handshake and promised I could later sample their seasonal beers. "Hmm! I'm a bit of a lager fan", I admitted guiltily. "Do you realise you'll now never leave this place!" she retorted, and if you do, you will leave in a pie!" "Then I will endeavour to enjoy every sip," I promised. It seems they have more than just a passion for their beers.
"The brewing methods we use are still very traditional", she told me, "although we do have computers to monitor the process continually." When you wander through the brewery, you sense a wonderful feeling of the old world, sitting comfortably with shining modernity.
At any one time, Ringwood Brewery has a stable of four beers. Their 'Best Bitter', 'Fortyniner', 'Old Thumper' and a seasonal beer, of which there are four to match the mood of the season.
'4x Porter' is their traditional dark beer - one for winter - the brew you will find if you visit your local now: a beer for supping next to a warm, open fire. In the spring, you'll encounter the 'Bold Forester', brewed with a lighter amber malt, giving a gentler, more biscuity flavour. 'Boondoggle' will quench your summer thirst, while 'Huffkin' will serve you well through the autumn months and prepare you for the winter chill.
Not only do Ringwood Brewery take pride in producing some of the best beers in the world – but they now own a vineyard in the Bergerac region of France. Since the mid-1990s, they've developed three whites, three varieties of red and a sparkling wine, all of which enjoy a loyal following nationally.
I was allowed to leave freely despite my mention of the 'L' word, proudly clutching four bottles of 'Fortyniner' – I think there's something very unusual about this place – I've found myself converted, perhaps rehabilitated!
© Simon Lawrence
High on the supermarket shelf, somewhere between the Scotch Whiskey and bottled lagers, you will find the eccentrically named English beers, each painstakingly and lovingly crafted.
'Old Peculier' shares this space with 'Youngs Ram Rod', the 'Blandford Fly' and, of course, our locally produced award-winning 'Old Thumper' from Ringwood Brewery.
Ringwood has a long history of brewing. At one time, its industry was dominated by breweries and malthouses. Ringwood Brewery stands on the site of the old Tunks Brewery, which closed around the end of the 1800s.
When you pull into the small car park adjacent to the brewery store, the first thing you notice is the biscuity and sweet smell of malt. It's nearly overwhelming, but as I later learned, this is the beginning of the process that eventually gets our frothy pints to the local pub and bottles to the supermarket shelves.
Suzie James met me with a warm handshake and promised I could later sample their seasonal beers. "Hmm! I'm a bit of a lager fan", I admitted guiltily. "Do you realise you'll now never leave this place!" she retorted, and if you do, you will leave in a pie!" "Then I will endeavour to enjoy every sip," I promised. It seems they have more than just a passion for their beers.
"The brewing methods we use are still very traditional", she told me, "although we do have computers to monitor the process continually." When you wander through the brewery, you sense a wonderful feeling of the old world, sitting comfortably with shining modernity.
At any one time, Ringwood Brewery has a stable of four beers. Their 'Best Bitter', 'Fortyniner', 'Old Thumper' and a seasonal beer, of which there are four to match the mood of the season.
'4x Porter' is their traditional dark beer - one for winter - the brew you will find if you visit your local now: a beer for supping next to a warm, open fire. In the spring, you'll encounter the 'Bold Forester', brewed with a lighter amber malt, giving a gentler, more biscuity flavour. 'Boondoggle' will quench your summer thirst, while 'Huffkin' will serve you well through the autumn months and prepare you for the winter chill.
Not only do Ringwood Brewery take pride in producing some of the best beers in the world – but they now own a vineyard in the Bergerac region of France. Since the mid-1990s, they've developed three whites, three varieties of red and a sparkling wine, all of which enjoy a loyal following nationally.
I was allowed to leave freely despite my mention of the 'L' word, proudly clutching four bottles of 'Fortyniner' – I think there's something very unusual about this place – I've found myself converted, perhaps rehabilitated!
© Simon Lawrence
