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.
Bottle shared thanks to jmgreenuk. Pours hazy golden with a white head. Aroma of malt, grain and damp. Flavor is light moderate sweet and bitter. Light medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Bottle from the brewery. Poured a hazy light amber with a frothy white head. The aroma is stale malt. The flavour is medium to weak bitter with a yeast hop bitter palate and a short bitter finish. Medium bodied with average carbonation. A decent pilsners as pilsners go.
Bottle from the brewery. Poured a dark mahogany with a thin off white head. The aroma is weak roasted malt. The flavour is medium bitter with a hoppy slightly watery spicy malt palate. Medium bodied with average carbonation. A great session beer but not a great beer.
Bottle shared thanks to Jmgreenuk. Pours near black with a medium beige head. Aroma of roast, Chocolate, caramel and grassy hops. Flavour is moderate sweet and bitter. Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Bottle from the brewery. Poured a dark mahogany with a glass hugging off white head. The aroma is weak malt with a little sweet creamy milk. The flavour is medium bitter with a slightly watery spicy pepper milky palate. A super milk stout and one I could easily drink all night long.
Bottle shared thanks to Jmgreenuk. Pours near black with a small beige head. Aroma of roast, coffee, chocolate. Flavour is moderate sweet and bitter. Lactose and a touch of smoke coming out in the palate. Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Bottle from the brewery. Poured a hazy medium amber with a broken white head. The aroma is weak malt and yeast. The flavour is medium bitter with a fruity hop malt palate. Medium bodied with soft carbonation. A refreshing session beer.