About
Old Chimneys Brewery was started in 1995 by Alan Thomson, a Master Brewer who celebrated 40 years of brewing in 2017.

Located in Market Weston on the Norfolk/Suffolk border, Old Chimneys has achieved an enviable reputation for beer quality. The flagship brand,
Good King Henry Special Reserve, has for 8 years been the highest rated English beer on ratebeer.com

Alan ceased brewing at Market Weston in April 2019 to concentrate on collaborative brewing with top quality brewers in the UK and abroad,
starting with Grain (Norfolk), Northern Monk (Leeds) and Wylam (Newcastle).

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.

Changed to a client brewer as of 2019 on Brewver as Alan continues to brew elsewhere with the Old Chimneys name, mostly at Grain Brewery.
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hohops (2765) reviewed
Good King Henry (-2019) from Old Chimneys
9 years ago
8.9/10 — Appearance 10 Aroma 8 Flavor 9 Texture 10 Overall 8.5
Appearance- jet black, a half-finger tan head which gradually fades. Looks the part. Aroma- chocolate fudge, vanilla, Black Forest gateaux, coffee, tiramisu, woody notes, chocolate biscuits, slight boozy notes, more vanilla, marshy land. Taste- thick boozy chocolatey milkshake. Leather, vanilla, brownies, caramel, fudge cake, burnt treacle, rich coffee, scorched malt. Mouthfeel is thick, rich and chewy. Sweet dark malty finish, with cherry hints. Woody malt, trace of smoke. Excellent.
Tried on 25 Mar 2017 at 03:36
Buckeyeboy (18930) reviewed
Good King Henry (-2019) from Old Chimneys
9 years ago
8.4/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 9 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8.5
330ml bottle thanks to Steveoj. Pours out black topped with a tan head. Nose is ash roast malts black licorice. Taste is more of the nice roast ash black licorice molasses. Very nice.
Tried from Bottle on 24 Mar 2017 at 21:38
cagarvie (40318) reviewed
Good King Henry Special Reserve from Old Chimneys
9 years ago
9.8/10 — Appearance 10 Aroma 9 Flavor 10 Texture 10 Overall 10
For my historical ratings see my wifes account sgarvieUK and chrisgarvie This really is one of my FAV beersBottle at home ... 2012 vintage ... july 7th 2016 ... Dark Black ... thin tan head .. dark oaky chocolate roast... soft toffee chocolate nose .. carbonation on this one a bit light...dark chocolate .. very berries roast malt .. rich chocolate .. massive oak roast 4.4 .. this bottle just doesnt seem tohave held up as well as last weeks 2012 Bottles at fins August 201605 - dark black.. Thin tan lacing... Dark rich chocolate roast malts nose... Dark soya... Rich chocolate... Light thin.. Soft fruits bitter odd thin body 3.8 06 - dark black.. No lacing... Rich sweet chocolate roast malts nose meaty chocolate roast malts.. Smother roast.. Dark chocolate fruit malts ..Light oak 4.309 - dark black... Thin tan lacing... Soft woody.. Dark Berries plum fruit nose... Rich dark fruit.. Big oak.. Woody chocolate roast malts.. Heavy roast .. Way more oak than 11.. Big molasis... 4.511 - dark black.. Small tan head.. Only one with real head... Dark chocolate. Big sweet oak.. Rich chocolate roast.. Plums figs nose... Dark rich.. Sweet rich chocolate roast 4.713 - dark black... Thick tan head.. Dark rich chocolate roast malts ... Dark chocolate roast dry roast malts nose rich chocolate.. Thich rich body.. Rich chocolate heavy chocolate roast.. Thick rich heavy chocolate 4.6, Bottle at home .. my first 2014 ... dark black ... small tan head ...d ark chocolate ... soft woody oak malt nose ... rich sweet chocolate malts nose ... dark roast .. big sweet oaky chocolate .. massive chocolate ,.. rich soft chocolate orats ... light chocolate oakyness pretty awsome ... 4.8 bottle at home... 2014... Bottle 2... Dark black... Thin tan lacing.. Dark chocolate. Msoft oak.. Light chocolate roast malts nose... Dark chocolate roast.. Soft malts.. Mellow malts.. Light sweet mellow chocolate malts... Big oak bottle at home Christmas eve 2016...2013 bottle.. Arrrg was meant to be a 2014... Dark black.. Thin tan head.. Soft sweet chocolate roast malts nose... Dark rich chocolate roast.. Heavy oak.. Smooth chocolate.. Big soft smooth chocolate.. Light woody oak malts... Smooth..soft easy chocolate roast 4.8 bottle at home ,,, 2014 bottle Drunk Jan 2017 ... dark black ... thin tan lacing ... dark oak chocolate roast malts nose .. heavy rich roast malts nose .. sweet chocolate .. massive rich roast ... heavy roast .. swet chocolate .. massive oak .. long soft oak .. rich smooth chocolate .. woody roats .. 4.7 bottle at home 2014 vintage Drunk March 2017 ... dark black .. small tan head ... massive oaky woody .. ligth sweet cholate roast malt nose .. dark viscous chocolate malts .. heavy sweet chocolate .. big oaky vanilla ... sweet chcolate .. dark oaky plums and chocolate ... long long lomng oak finish 4.3 bottle at home 2015 vintage drunk October 2nd 2017 ... guess what .. dark black ... with smalll dark brown tan head .. meaty oaky woody chocolate roast malts nose ... rich plums figs and oaky chocolate .. soft sweet malts .. tiny soya ... light saltyness ... soft smooth oaky chocolate 4.7 Bottle at home 2015 version drunk Jan 2018... Dark black ... thick tan head ... soft oaky woody chocolate roast malt nose .. dark sweet rich chocoolate malts.. heavy sweet roast ... woody chocoalate ... big oak woody malts .. 4.7 bottle at home ...2025 ...2023 vintage ...dark black ..thin tan lacing ..soft sweet oaky chocolate roast malts nose ..earthy woody chocolate roast malts 9.6
Tried from Bottle on 24 Mar 2017 at 17:41
Tdtm82 (4783) ticked
Brimstone from Old Chimneys
9 years ago
8/10
One of the best pilsners in the uk. Great biscuity malt profile. Super clean. Cereal. Hey and straw. Lemons. Super crisp finish
Tried from Bottle at The Stash Bar on 23 Mar 2017 at 12:29
Holmen_1 (15008) reviewed
Horn of Plenty from Old Chimneys
9 years ago
6.6/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 6 Texture 8 Overall 6.5
Flaske delt med Steven, hos ham: mørk oransjegylden med ok skum. Dufter alkohol, fersken, engelsk appelsinmarmelade, vinterepler og karamell. Vinøs smak med de samme inntrykk, men litt røff - alkoholpreget er tydelig til stede, sammen med bitre humler. Noe ubalansert helhetsinntrykk, den blir for besk i avslutningen.
Tried on 06 Mar 2017 at 16:11
thebrewsader (2840) reviewed
Good King Henry Special Reserve from Old Chimneys
9 years ago
7.6/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
2012 Bottle poured into a taster showing caramel foam lacing and thin translucent rims with a black center. The nose shows a mix of soy sauce, roasted malts, smoky and a light vanilla background. The palate is full bodied and moderately carbonated with a foamy mouthfeel and strong alcoholic spice. Flavors of dark roasted malts, light vanilla sweetness and a very light latte bitterness. Finish shows more vanilla and bourbon resurging on the finish.
Tried from Bottle on 03 Mar 2017 at 21:23
TimE (11137) reviewed
Good King Henry Special Reserve from Old Chimneys
9 years ago
8.5/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 9 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 9
Dark brown color. Massive bourbon, chocolate cake, molasses, dark fruit, stewed apples, raisins, fudge in the nose. Super deep and complex. Slightly sour, fudge, cherries, dark fruit and molasses in the mouth. So complex and rich. A pure sipper.
Tried on 03 Mar 2017 at 08:39
Holmen_1 (15008) reviewed
Good King Henry (-2019) from Old Chimneys
9 years ago
8/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 10 Overall 8
Flaske delt med Steven, hos ham: nesten helt sort med fint skum. Vidunderlig aroma og smak med enorm fylde og laang ettersmak. Mørk sjokolade, dessertkaffe, lakris, vanilje og andre godsaker i perfekt blanding. Life is good.
Tried on 03 Mar 2017 at 03:53
jjsint (8914) reviewed
Walnut from Old Chimneys
9 years ago
7.1/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 5 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Gravity cask at the CAMRA National Winter Ales Festival, Norwich. Palish brown, very translucent. Astringent and slightly sulphurous smell. Taste starts sweet and nutty before turning to an intensely medicinal (but never unpleasant) bitter. Aftertaste resplendent with hazelnut. A brilliant nut brown ale.
Tried from Cask on 25 Feb 2017 at 08:03
jjsint (8914) reviewed
Good King Henry (-2019) from Old Chimneys
9 years ago
8.6/10 — Appearance 10 Aroma 7 Flavor 10 Texture 8 Overall 8.5
Gravity cask at the CAMRA National Winter Ales. Festival 2017, Norwich. Black with a tan head. Smell is almost entirely dominated by sweet liquorice but the taste is far more complex: salted caramel, peanut brittle, yeast extract. Long sweet and salty finish. Oily body. Wow. A brilliant strong stout.
Tried from Cask on 25 Feb 2017 at 07:51