'Five go Mad in Hooky' as team creates new English hop cask ale
Great fun was had by all at Hook Norton last week as the village brewery teamed up with fellows from London to create a new, all-English cask ale.
The London-based Five Points Brewing Company team described the collaboration as ‘Five go Mad in Hooky’ as they pooled their expertise with experts from our famous north Oxfordshire brewers.
The result is a tasty new limited cask ale celebrating modern British brewing, rooted in tradition.
Points of Brew (3.8% Light Copper Ale) is described as a modern interpretation of a traditional English ale: soft, layered, balanced and highly drinkable.
Together, the breweries set out to showcase the depth and versatility of all-English hop varieties to deliver vibrant, expressive flavour in modern cask beer.
It was a journey Greg Hobbs, co-founder and director of Brewing at Five Points, jokingly described as ‘not quite Five go Mad in Hook Norton but a great adventure and fantastic experience’.
His view was shared by Andy Thomas, Head of Production at Hook Norton who said: “It was such a great experience to brew with Five Points and share knowledge, experience and maybe one or two pints!”.
The ale is described as light copper in appearance with an aroma of toasted biscuit, with toffee notes, earthy spice, orange marmalade and a soft grapefruit zest.
Its flavour offers a smooth balance of light nutty sweetness with herbal spice and hedgerow citrus.
The ale was brewed with Maris Otter, Premium English Caramalt and Vienna malts combined with Challenger, Admiral and UK Cascade hops.
Points of Brew will be available from both brewery tap rooms, Hook Norton Brewery pubs and discerning free houses in early July.