Time for T.E.A. (T.E.A (Traditional English Ale))

Member Name: grahamt

Product:	T.E.A (Traditional English Ale)
Date:	17/08/01 (351 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Superb taste

Disadvantages: Care needed when pouring

OK, amusing name but it takes more than an attention-attracting name to make a good beer.

Situated in the little village of Tongham, on the outskirts of Aldershot, right on the border between Surrey and Hampshire and on the slopes of the famous hill from which it gets it's name, Hogs Back Brewery produces a number of beers of different styles but all to the highest quality.

T.E.A or Traditional English Ale, is the brewery's premier beer. In 2000 it won the accolade of the winner of the Gold medal in the Best Bitter category at CAMRA's Great British Beer Festival.

According to the label it is "...Brewed for a balanced flavour from the finest Malted Barley and the best whole English Hops. For the taste of yesteryear still enjoyed today".

The beer weighs in at 4.2% abv, in line with the standard strength of most beers of this style.

But what makes this beer different is that it is a bottle-conditioned beer. This is a close as you get to Real Ale in a bottle. What this means is that, as with draught Real Ale served from the pump in your favourite pub, the beer still has yeast in it and has not been filtered to clarity. The yeast enables the beer to continue to develop and mature in the bottle.

This does mean however, that you have to be careful how you pour it from the bottle. Leave the bottle to settle after bringing it home (I bought my supply at Waitrose) as disturbance will inevitably cause the yeast to rise in a cloud into the beer. The yeast will soon settle to the bottom and when it has the beer will be every bit as clear as you would want.

Actually, it's strange, beer available in this form on the Continent is often poured into the glass, yeast and all, deliberately. There are those who claim that the yeast is an as important ingredient as any other and good for the health as well.

I leave it up to you. The choice is yours.

The beer is characterise
d by an astonishing hoppiness, both in the bitterness of its flavour and in the flowery aroma of its smell. For some, used to the blandness of "cooking" beers such as Caffreys or the King of Bland, Budweiser, this might be a bit overwhelming. I love it.

The malt flavour is somewhat subdued by this hoppiness but it just rescues it from being too much. The colour is a deep bronze.

So, a superb beer, bursting with flavour and a tribute to the art of brewing. Congratulations Hogs Back.

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