Thomas Hardy's Ale (1968-1999)
Eldridge Pope in Dorchester, Dorset, England 🏴
Traditional Beer - Old Ale Regular Out of Production|
Score
7.71
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Creamy butterscotch notes flood the taste buds, laced with subtle complex fruit...and a subtle suggestion of vintage port. Elegant and seamless, this beer was a waltz on the palate.
In ’The Trumpet Major’ Hardy wrote of Dorchester strong beer "It was of the most beautiful colour that the eye of an artist in beer could desire; full in body, yet brisk as a volcano; piquant, yet without a twang; luminous as an autumn sunset;..."
In ’The Trumpet Major’ Hardy wrote of Dorchester strong beer "It was of the most beautiful colour that the eye of an artist in beer could desire; full in body, yet brisk as a volcano; piquant, yet without a twang; luminous as an autumn sunset;..."
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7/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Intimidatingly old bottle. No ABV marked on it. Nose is actually really good. Raisins, malty, slightly vinious, very malty. Taste is pure vinegar, cupboard, battery acid and death. Mother of mercy. Unspeakably bad.
I am going to brush my teeth.
I assume it's got oxygen in or has not been kept well, it's only been in my possession since 2022.
I've given it a neuteral score as it's not possible to assess fairly.
I am going to brush my teeth.
I assume it's got oxygen in or has not been kept well, it's only been in my possession since 2022.
I've given it a neuteral score as it's not possible to assess fairly.
Tried
from Bottle
on 31 Dec 2025
at 21:45
8/10
Still surprisingly holding up. A tad boozy on the nose, thick treacle-y Christmas pudding notes, sweet with some stewed fruits.
Tried
from Bottle
on 17 Aug 2025
at 11:51
7/10
—
Appearance 3
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 7
Overall 8
Aromas are lots of dark ripe fruit with a bit of toffee. Flavors are similar to nose with toffee coming out more and add in some coffee. Really pretty good for a beer of this age. I'm impressed. Definitely a sipper. Good beer for the eve of my birthday. Cheers!
Tried
from Bottle
at
Bodega Brew Pub, Inc.
on 21 Jun 2025
at 04:47
8.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Poured from 33cl bottle (1994 vintage; 12% abv listed; lot BC126; thanks fiulijn; from the fiulijnator cellar). Clear mahogany brown with no head. No carbonation left. Dark dried fruits, toffee, oxidation is quite minor. Actually quite nice, especially for something 29 years old.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Oct 2023
at 04:37
7/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Bottle (1979) split at Tilt, Bingo-Cotts Convention, Thanks to Mark 08/07/23. Extremely dark mahogany brown with a khaki cap that dissipates to edgework. Nose is umami, dried fruit rinds, oxidised notes, sweaty knickers, soy sauce. Taste comprises toffee, brown sugars, earthy, more oxidisation but not unpleasant, dried fruit rinds, vinous. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, semi drying close. Has held up well for the vintage, lost any boozey edge it would have once carried, but a pleasant enough sipper overall.
Tried
from Bottle
on 04 Aug 2023
at 16:15
3.8/10
—
Appearance 3
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 3
Overall 16
1979 bottle sample at the Not Cotts bottleshare at Tilt last week end. Thanks to BeardedAvenger. Pours opaque deep brown with a smidge of a tan head. Aroma: musty, cacao, liquorice, soy. Taste: Sweet, rich, dark choc, vanilla, soy. Medium body with low carbonation. Far from terrible for a 44yo beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Jul 2023
at 22:18
7.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Tried at the Not at Cotteridge share 2023 at Tilt Birmingham. 1979 vintage. Black, musty, soya, rich full body.
Tried
on 09 Jul 2023
at 06:32
7.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Bottle at the cotteridge convention bottle share. Thanks to beardy. A dark black brown coloured pour with a halo or dark tan head. Aroma is dusty dark oily, waxy. Soy, white grape, cola cubes, soy. Palate is semi sweet, oily, vanilla.
Tried
from Bottle
on 08 Jul 2023
at 17:33
7.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle ordered from West Street Alehouse, Fareham. 1979. Aroma is boozy, cacao. Soy. Murky dark brown. No head. Rich. Sweet. Rye dough. Light soy. Medium bodied. Oily. Flat-average carbonation. Long slightly astringent finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 08 Jul 2023
at 17:22
6/10
Oxidized and a bit balsamicoy
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Apr 2020
at 22:08