Ready soon

The next beer will be ‘Chapter House’. This is in keeping with Hermitage and possible links to Reading Abbey and other ancient religious houses. I’m trying to create a warm, seasonal beer that you can enjoy in company rather like the monks of old would sit in the Chapter House to talk about everyday things. It will have a touch of seasonal fruitiness in the background that will remind you of the good smells of Christmas time.

This ale is made from Warminster Pale Malt and Chocolate malt. The First Gold hops provide the characteristic bitterness and then I’ve use a double measure of Progress hops at the end of the boil to give the more fruity aromas. It’s fermenting well now, though it has got a little colder than I would have liked. In about 2 days time, the green beer will be transferred to the maturation vessel and I’ll be adding some orange zest to bring out the fruitiness.

It will be in bottle in about 10 days time (10th December) and on sale from 16th. Look out for it in Cold Ash and Hermitage stores.

Here’s the beer being made – sparging the wort at the end of mashing. Nearly had a disaster because my camera got very steamed up!