Good King Henry (2019-)
(has 1 batch)
Old Chimneys in Diss, Suffolk, England 🏴
Brewed at/by: Grain BreweryStout - Imperial Special
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Score
7.87
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The regular Good King Henry is now brewed under Alan’s supervision at Grain Brewery. The strength has been increased to 10% abv, and for the first time in 20 years it is available in KeyKeg as well as cask.
Grain brewery, in Alburgh, Norfolk, has teamed up with Alan Thomson, following his recent retirement from Old Chimneys Brewery, to continue brewing Good King Henry, one of the world’s most highly rated beers.
The beer and brewing world shed a tear when Alan announced he would close Old Chimneys Brewery in March this, so the news that his famous brew, Good King Henry, a multi-award winning imperial stout will live on, will be greeted with much relief.
The bottled version, Good King Henry Special Reserve, has been England’s highest rated beer on ratebeer.com for eight years.
Grain director, Phil Halls, said: “I was very excited when Alan approached us to explore the idea of him brewing this amazing beer at Grain. It is not usually the way we work, but Alan’s beer has inspired my own Slate porter, and his years of knowledge and experience complement our mission of exploring grain characters and flavours.”
Grain brewery, in Alburgh, Norfolk, has teamed up with Alan Thomson, following his recent retirement from Old Chimneys Brewery, to continue brewing Good King Henry, one of the world’s most highly rated beers.
The beer and brewing world shed a tear when Alan announced he would close Old Chimneys Brewery in March this, so the news that his famous brew, Good King Henry, a multi-award winning imperial stout will live on, will be greeted with much relief.
The bottled version, Good King Henry Special Reserve, has been England’s highest rated beer on ratebeer.com for eight years.
Grain director, Phil Halls, said: “I was very excited when Alan approached us to explore the idea of him brewing this amazing beer at Grain. It is not usually the way we work, but Alan’s beer has inspired my own Slate porter, and his years of knowledge and experience complement our mission of exploring grain characters and flavours.”
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8.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8.5
Flavor 9
Texture 7
Overall 8.5
5/9/2026. Bottle at the latest ITFC beer share. Courtesy of ITFCDan, cheers. (Non-unique) total ratings #26,000. Brewed in 2019, batch G02, the first GKH brewed at Grain after the closure of Old Chimneys brewery. This has aged well. Roasted malts, caramel, coffee, black treacle, dark fruits, touch woody. Lovely mellow roasted bitterness. Smooth. Good body. Pulls the elements together really well. Enjoyable.
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 Sep 2026
at 20:02
7.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
bottle l997 bbe3/18 many thanks Alberto Scura buona schiuma fine abbastanza persistente cacao tostature un filo liquoroso lieve nota ossidata non fastidiosa corpo ancora medio gasatura leggera non molto amara finale cacao al liquore
Tried
from Bottle
on 17 Apr 2022
at 16:40
8.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
23/XI/21 - 275ml bottle from a trade, shared @ home, BB: 1/IX/11, lot n°: 265 (2021-1504)
Clear dark brown to black beer, small creamy beige head, unstable, non adhesive. Aroma: bit oxidized, soft roast, coffee, caramel, earthy, lots of tobacco, lovely stuff, really amazing! MF: soft carbon, medium body. Taste: slightly sweet, bit sourish, malty, nice roast, quite some alcohol, bit earthy, some blackberries. Aftertaste: bit malty, hay, cow fodder, caramel touch, some chocolate soft bitterness, more oxidation, but in a nice way, good stuff, like it!
Clear dark brown to black beer, small creamy beige head, unstable, non adhesive. Aroma: bit oxidized, soft roast, coffee, caramel, earthy, lots of tobacco, lovely stuff, really amazing! MF: soft carbon, medium body. Taste: slightly sweet, bit sourish, malty, nice roast, quite some alcohol, bit earthy, some blackberries. Aftertaste: bit malty, hay, cow fodder, caramel touch, some chocolate soft bitterness, more oxidation, but in a nice way, good stuff, like it!
Tried
from Bottle
on 23 Nov 2021
at 22:00
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Cask at Norwich Beer Festival 2021, Norwich, Norfolk. A dark brown/black coloured pour with a medium beige head on top. Roasty, malty, chocolate, dark fruit, caramel aroma, tastes similar very rich and incredibly drinkable.
Earlier Rating: 5/14/2016 Total Score: 4.2
Cask (cellar run) at The Rake, Borough Market, London. A very dark brown/black coloured pour with a thin beige head on top. Rich roasty, malty, chocolate, coffee aroma. Tastes similar, rich, roasty, malty, chocolate, coffee, a little caramel, soft and sweet. This was incredibly easy to drink, a quite marvellous Imperial Stout.
Earlier Rating: 5/14/2016 Total Score: 4.2
Cask (cellar run) at The Rake, Borough Market, London. A very dark brown/black coloured pour with a thin beige head on top. Rich roasty, malty, chocolate, coffee aroma. Tastes similar, rich, roasty, malty, chocolate, coffee, a little caramel, soft and sweet. This was incredibly easy to drink, a quite marvellous Imperial Stout.
Tried
from Cask
on 27 Oct 2021
at 15:04
8.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Keg at Red Hand - Dalston. Pours clear deep brown with a tight, creamy mocha cap. Medium sweet flavour with nicely layered dark malt character, some gooey chocolate, ashy roast, dark fruits, raisins, cherries, mellow booze, vanilla. Medium to full bodied with fine carbonation. Lightly warming finish, a little ashy dryness, more raisins, cherries, plum, baking cocoa. Delicious.
Earlier Rating: 10/13/2012 Total Score: 4.1
Bottle at Chriso’s Pre-GBBF Shindig, 2012, London. Pours oily, black-brown with a creamy, tan head. Nose holds dark chocolate and charred wood. Big sweet flavor replete with dark fruits, char, light rubber, burnt cocoa. Full bodied with fine carbonation. Sweet finish with dark and leathery fruits. Very good stuff. (October 2012, score: 3.9).
Bottle shared at Craig’s. Vintage c. 2008. Great stuff, well balanced, nice vanilla and burnt marshmallows, some chat, baking cocoa. Dry toffee. Medium to full bodied with fine carbonation. Sweet finish with scorched earth, oily chocolate. Some dark fruits. Wonderful beer. (January 2015, score: 4.1)
Earlier Rating: 10/13/2012 Total Score: 4.1
Bottle at Chriso’s Pre-GBBF Shindig, 2012, London. Pours oily, black-brown with a creamy, tan head. Nose holds dark chocolate and charred wood. Big sweet flavor replete with dark fruits, char, light rubber, burnt cocoa. Full bodied with fine carbonation. Sweet finish with dark and leathery fruits. Very good stuff. (October 2012, score: 3.9).
Bottle shared at Craig’s. Vintage c. 2008. Great stuff, well balanced, nice vanilla and burnt marshmallows, some chat, baking cocoa. Dry toffee. Medium to full bodied with fine carbonation. Sweet finish with scorched earth, oily chocolate. Some dark fruits. Wonderful beer. (January 2015, score: 4.1)
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 Aug 2021
at 12:38