535: Hammerpot – Madgwick Gold

The Brewery: “Hammerpot Brewery was founded in 2005 with the aim of handcrafting authentic premium real ales. Within a year, its founder Lee Mitchell had created an award winning beer, Woodcote Bitter. Growing production to a ten barrel plant, by 2012 Lee had created the Champion Porter of Great Britain, crowned at that year’s CAMRA Winter Ales festival……

……The ales are brewed near the tiny hamlet of Hammerpot, near Arundel, using water from the South Downs and carefully selected hops, malted barley and wheat. Production is sustainable too – from forgoing mechanisation for traditional hand bottling, through to ensuring the spent grains from production are not wasted but feed animals on the local farm.”

The Beer: “A medium bodied golden ale with a fresh citrus spice hop aroma. Smooth malt sweetness balanced with a refreshing, thirst quenching finish. BRONZE Strong Beers Macclesfield Beer Festival 2009. BEER OF THE FESTIVAL, CAMRA WHITE CLIFFS FESTIVAL, 2015.”

Guesting at our local it takes an exceptional beer to trump the usually excellent Harveys Sussex Best Bitter. This didn’t do that but it was very drinkable although it certainly didn’t have the body expected of a beer of this strength. Always nice to sample local brews though. 5.0% A.B.V.

The Rottingdean Club, East Sussex. May 2018