Three family run breweries are teaming up to produce three unique beers as they all celebrate their 175th anniversaries.
The partnership between Hook Norton Brewery, Everards, based in Leicester, and Joseph Holt, based in Manchester, will see the creation of three beers in March, May and September, each infused with hops from Charles Faram.
Hook Norton, founded in 1849 by John Harris, has been run by five generations of the same family.
With managing director James Clarke, the great-great-grandson of John Harris, at the helm, they still make use of original machinery in their Victorian tower brewery and uphold their traditional practices, including the shire horses and dray brew deliveries.
Mr Clarke said: "Whilst we have collaborated with other breweries before, working with our fellow family breweries who are also celebrating 175 years of beer and brewing makes these beers extra special and we are very excited to get brewing."
The first of the three beers, Tower Ale, will be brewed at Hook Norton Brewery with the helping hands of brewers from Everards and Joseph Holts.
The beer has a light amber colour with floral, passion fruit, and grapefruit scents, and notes of sweet toffee and a "light fruity finish".
Hook Norton Brewery said: "Enjoy this unique ale in the best, most enjoyable environment, your local pub with friends and family. Taste tradition with a modern twist."
Brewer Andy Thomas said: "We are very excited to be using Olicana in our special one-off 175 beer.
"We have used Olicana before and loved brewing with it for its tropical and floral notes.
"This variety, in our eyes, is on another level.
"We’ve combined it with Goldings, the UK’s oldest variety and Fuggles, a mainstay of our Hooky beers over the years.
"It’s great to continue our longstanding association with Charles Faram."
The limited-edition Tower Ale will be available on the bar at the brewery and across Hook Norton pubs in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire, as well as through Everards and Joseph Holts outlets.
Charles Faram has been a hop supplier for more than 150 years, and has one of the largest range of hop varieties available from stock in both nitrogen flushed leaf hops and Type 90 pellets.
It uses hop varieties from the UK, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, New Zealand and the USA.
Their own varieties include Archer, Godiva, Harlequin, Jester, Minstrel, Mystic, Olicana, and Opus.
Olicana made its commercial debut in 2014 and is a sister of Jester and a daughter of Cascade.
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