Brewing vessel good to Last Drop (From Salisbury Journal)

Brewing vessel good to Last Drop

8:51am Monday 6th November 2006

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A UNIQUE item of Hampshire brewing history is being preserved by Ringwood Brewery.

Taking pride of place in the brewery yard in Christchurch Road is a 30-barrel fermenting vessel that was formerly used to brew up Gales Ales Prize Old Ale, a nine per cent ABV stunner, created by the Horndean company.

After 159 years of beer production, George Gale and Co. Ltd. was taken over by London brewers Fullers in the spring and production moved to Chiswick, to allow the Horndean premises to be developed.

Until 1994, Ringwood Brewery's head brewer Bob Mavin had worked at Gales and thought it would be a tragedy if the Prize Old Ale vessel was lost.

He spoke to Ringwood managing director David Welsh and Gales' retired head brewer Derek Lowe and a deal was done.

Now restored and encased in special knot-free cowrie pine from New Zealand, taken from other fermenting vessels at Horndean, the copper-lined vessel stands outside the Ringwood Brewery shop in Christchurch Road.

Mr Lowe said the only other similar vessel was in Dunedin, New Zealand.

To mark the closure of the Gales brewery, Mr Lowe brewed a special batch of high-gravity beer in the vessel.

Known as Last Drop Brew, a case was given to all members of staff when the brewery closed.

Mr Welsh was also presented with a case by Mr Lowe to mark the handover of the 82-year-old vessel.

Mr Lowe recommends keeping strong beers to mature.

"I've drunk Prize Old Ale, which is 20 years old, and it's been wonderful," he said.

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