Thomas Hardy's Ale: Vintage 2024, Barley Wine 11.3%

Thomas Hardy’s Ale is coming home: the quintessential Barley Wine will be finally available on the British market again thanks to the agreement between Interbrau Spa and James Clay and Sons, the new official distributor for the United Kingdom.

In 1968, the 40th anniversary of the death of the famous British writer and poet Thomas Hardy, some prominent members of the Dorchester society founded a cultural association, the Thomas Hardy Society, to promote his works. Among these there was also the Pope family, owner of the Eldridge Pope brewery, who decided to celebrate the event giving life to the historical Strong Ale described by the artist in his novel The Trumpet Major:

“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; free from streakiness of taste; but, finally, rather heady. The masses worshipped it, the minor gentry loved it more than wine…”