"Where progress is measured in pints"

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"Where progress is measured in pints"

Thursday, 02 October 2008 18:06

So what do you do if you have some spare time while you're moored in Banbury? Obvious, isn't it? Catch the 488 bus from Banbury bus station, and tell the bus driver you're going to Hook Norton Brewery. If he's anything like the two drivers we had (where 'we' are Graeme, my New Zealander, narrowboating, co-conspirator & I), after 36 minutes he'll drop you at the end of Brewery Lane, by the PearTree Inn, and it's only a short walk to their Visitor Centre.

Graeme had booked us on the guided tour, and what a guide we had! Monty, a retired Chemistry teacher, was absolutely brilliant. His patter was entertaining and informative. Starting from the ground floor we climbed almost to the top of the impressive listed brewery building, with explanations about the hops, barley, yeast, wort, fermenting, mashing, starch, sugar, carbohydrate, kegs, casks, IPA, stout, bitter, and so much more. I won't spoil it for you – I'll just recommend it as a thoroughly well spent hour.

As well as the tour there's the museum, which is currently undergoing re-development – but you wouldn't know it unless they told you. As well as that, there's the village museum (under the same roof) with its own tales to tell.

Oh, and finally, just in case you were wondering there's the tasting! Seven beers to taste, and no limit on how much you try of each, as far as we could tell, though drinking too much would have spoilt the tasting. I think my favourite was Old Hooky, but Flagship was a close second. Come November and December, look out for Twelve Days, a nice dark, rich beer that is fermented for .... well, you can guess how long.

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