Hook Norton Brewery is raising a glass to 20 years of Flagship IPA, first brewed in 2005 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.
With a clear, light, copper hue, it delivers notes of sweet biscuit and zesty orange, balanced by a hint of peppery spice. Appropriately, it is hopped with the Admiral variety.
To celebrate, Hook Norton held a cask ale launch at its flagship pub in Oxford, The Castle. Customers were able to enjoy free samples of Flagship IPA, and to meet the brewers.
The next event on the horizon is a Trafalgar night dinner and drinks evening, at the brewery on 21st October. There will be a silent auction in support of Naval charities. Find out more and book tickets here.
“Flagship was created as a tribute to Naval history and became a standout in our line-up almost overnight,” said James Clarke, managing director of Hook Norton Brewery.
“Two decades on, it remains a proud part of our brewing heritage. These events are our way of saying thank you to the people who’ve supported us along the journey.”
The writer’s view
Adrian Tierney-Jones wrote a history of Hook Norton, Playing Hooky, to mark the brewery’s 175th anniversary.
“In a world where anything often goes with the phrase ‘IPA’, it’s wonderful to see that Flagship maintains a connection with the original style of beer that would have been brewed at Hook Norton in the years before world war one,” he says of Flagship.
“It’s a potent pint, a celebration of English hops and malt in the glass, an easy-drinking copper-coloured beer with a double act of biscuity malt and orange marmalade-like citrus on the nose, too, that draws the discriminating drinker in.
“On the palate, there is more of the biscuit-like desirability of the malt alongside the sunshine of the orange marmalade, before it finishes with a well-tempered bitterness and dryness that continues to elevate the palate.
“Full-bodied and dynamic, this is a worthy tribute to the men that broke the might of Bonaparte’s navy.“
