Monks’ beer returns after 220 years in Abbey-ance!
By: JimOldfield
April 4th, 2012
It seems everybody wants to brew real ale these days… and the latest band to take to the mash tuns are the MONKS of a North Yorkshire abbey!
The Benedictine brothers at Ampleforth, near Thirsk, have turned back the clock 220 years – to produce their first “biere anglaise” since fleeing revolutionary France in 1793.
And Ampleforth Abbey Beer is being brewed to exactly the same monastic recipe used in the 18th century The abbey – Britain’s largest Benedictine community – hopes to generate income from the ale and is taking orders via its website!
The monks had previously progressed from selling apples at the abbey gates to producing 22,500 litres of Ampleforth cider a year, along with cider brandy and an apple liqueur… using the Abbey’s 2,000-tree orchard.
The new ale is being brewed at a secret location and should be available towards the end of June.
The abbey’s website says the original ale “was made with hops and barley, then double-fermented for strength and a ‘champagne-like’ sparkle. The beer, to the same recipe, is being brewed and poured again”.
A case of 12 33cl bottles will set you back £36, and if you want to avoid P&P you can pick up the beer from Ampleforth.
For more details see the links below.
Hand-pumped links:
Abbey website
To locate the Abbey, click HERE
