The Historical Ale: Thomas Hardy’s Ale Encounters Hine Cognac Barrels

The Historical Ale: Thirteen wooden barrels used for ageing Cognac of the finest quality made by the French company Hine have “hosted” a small quantity of Thomas Hardy’s Ale for over six months. A return to its origins to celebrate the rebirth of the quintessential English Barley Wine.

On Novemebr 20, Thomas Hardy’s  - The Historical Ale was introduced to the public attending the HORECA Expo in Ghent, Belgium at HALL 6 – BOOTH 6126.

A very limited edition of this specialty brewed to celebrate the return of Thomas Hardy’s Ale that was produced for the first time in 1968 as a ‘one-shot’ and aged in wooden barrels for the occasion.

The Eldridge Pope Brewery brought the ale back into production from 1974 to 1999. After that, The O’Hanlon’s Brewery resurrected Thomas Hardy’s Ale from 2003 to 2008. In 2015, it was back in production once again at the London-based Meantime Brewing Company.

The Vecchiato Brothers, owners of the label and recipe since 2012, had announced that a small batch of Thomas Hardy’s Ale would be aged in wooden barrels exactly the way it was for its first, extraordinary edition.

This time the Sherry barrels used in 1968 were replaced by Cognac barrels: thirteen 350-litre oak barrels arrived from Hine, the award-winning French distillery.

Almost nine months in the barrels has made it possible for Thomas Hardy’s The Historical Ale – the name chosen to convey the return to the beer’s origins – to develop its aroma and flavour while incorporating the essence of the Cognac and wood, which blend to perfection with the silky body, malted sweetness and notes of chocolate and brandied fruit of the Barley Wine.

A few thousand 25 cl bottles and a 12.7 ABV are the final technical features of a beer that is even rarer and more distinctive and could easily be left in the cellar to age in its bottles for many years to come.