145-year Birthday Brew at Donnington
June 2010
145-year Birthday Brew at Donnington
A Spring clean at Donnington Brewery near Stow on the Wold resulted in the discovery of the original brewing book recording its very first ale brewed on 27 May 1865. Exactly 145 years to the day, the team at Donnington Brewery celebrated the discovery and brewed a special Founders Ale.
On 27 May 1865, Richard Isles Arkell, who had moved to Donnington the previous year, recorded the first brew consisted of 25 barrels of Best and 26 barrels of Table*.
The 2010 Founders Ale, 4% ABV and available on draught from 4th June, uses Maris Otter Malt (very pale, winter barley), English Golding hops in the Copper and Willamotte hops in the hop back producing a pale coloured beer with a strong Styrian hop flavour coming through the palate.
James Arkell, who owns Donnington Brewery (named 2010 Brewery of the Year by the Good Pub Guide), is thrilled with the new beer.
"The records show that Richard Isles Arkell brewed once a week at Donnington and it's wonderful to think we were able to brew a very similar beer exactly 145 years to the day."
James and his team started brewing the Founders Ale early last Thursday, fortified by bacon butties brought to the brewery by Karl Baston landlord from nearby-Donnington pub The Mount at Stanton. Apart from a couple of cars parked outside, Donnington Brewery wouldn't have looked much different 145 years ago.
"Inside the brewery is very similar," said James "We stood on pretty much the same spot to brew and taste the beer as Richard would have done, probably using some of the same equipment too. The best things never change."
Founders Ale, available at Donnington's 15 pubs, will also be available in bottles from around 11th June.
*James explains the term Table Beer: "Table beer used to refer to weak bottled beer, generally less than 1.5% ABV drunk at meal times instead of water, simply because as it had been boiled in the brewing process, it was safer. It was also known as Small beer."
More News
Click on the stories below for more information
- H-app-y Days For Donnington Brewery!
- Silver For Cotswold Gold
- A Glowing Review!
- The Plough Wins Best Cotswold Pub
- Donnington Brewery takes to the rails with the GWSR
- A Merry Dance!
- Pub of the Season!
- Donnington Brewery From The Air
- Fancy A Winner At Cheltenham?
- We tried running a country pub and it nearly killed us!...
- Donnington Brewery on TV - Again!
- Donnington BB Picks Up Award
- 150 Celebratory Ale
- Life Sentence Now On Tap
- First Pint of Black Swan
- Donnington Gold comes 3rd in Label Of The Year
- Donnington Brewery Nominated in Taste Awards
- Donnington Brewery Buys The White Bear, Shipston on Stour
- TripAdvisor Award For The Plough at Ford
- Donnington Gold wins 'Beer of the Festival'
- Donnington Brewery features on ITVs Saturday Farm this Saturday (15th June)
- Some Recent Pictures
- Bottled Gold!
- Donnington Gold is Back!
- Mount Inn Wins Cotswold Tourism Award 2013
- Improvisation At Its Best At Donnington Brewery
- 145-year Birthday Brew at Donnington
- Donnington Brewery named 'Brewery of the Year'
- £7,000 in ten days for Haiti thanks to a Cotswold pub
- Donnington Brewery featured on Top Gear
- Donnington Brewery sponsor Gloucestershire Morris Men
