The Chairman's Run to Hook Norton Brewery - 2nd October 2005
To round off the 3 years I have spent Chairing the AWC committee I decided to organise a run with a difference to be enjoyed by a few like minded souls. The trip to Hook Norton Brewery is like stepping into a world where time has appeared to stand still, which as MG drivers, is something we appreciate. If you happen to be interested in brewing, history and/or industrial archaeology, there is everything for you.
So early one Sunday, following a coffee and bacon roll, we headed off from the Dog House Hotel (on the old factory test route) in brilliant sunshine on an superb October day. The route took us along many single lane 'roads' through West Oxfordshire where an Autumn tinge was just appearing on the trees - a beautiful time of the year for open top motoring.
At one point the route was virtually blocked by a few parked cars as villagers headed to church. We mischievously shouted, "Are the bells ringing for us?" and the churchgoers, standing back to make way, were complimentary about the cars and probably wondered if we had come to attend the service. Alas not this time - maybe that would be a novel idea for a future run.
Once past Chipping Norton's famous Horse Fair and we were well on the way to Hook Norton, where we virtually stepped back 100 years as we drove along Brewery Lane and saw the magical 1900 building laid out before us, exactly as it has appeared for years on the bottle label. "Where progress is measured in pints" is the brewery motto, presumably meaning to mix metaphors, don't judge a book by the cover, just appreciate the contents. But before we could do that there was the tour!
All the guides are employees, or ex employees, and took us through the process of beer making and explained how the building has developed, albeit subtly, to use more efficient processes where appropriate without compromising that taste.
A brewery in a village, powered by a steam engine and under control of the same family for generations, is a gem and everyone was amazed by the sights; the engine, the flat belting, the wooden Hornbeam teethed gearing, the cast iron structures, the smells and the sheer inventiveness of the Victorian engineering. The brewery also has a small museum about local village life and of course a small bar for sampling the product.
Hook Norton is probably best known for Old Hooky and understandably is trading more on that name but in reality they have a fine range of different beers all with an interesting history (and USP) such as Twelve Days, Haymaker, Generation, Steaming On and not forgetting The Best Bitter now known as Hooky Bitter at pubs near you.
HNB as the company is known has a host of Public Houses through Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties.
In the village there are three and, to round off our visit, we strolled (note we didn't drive) to The Sun Inn for a traditional Sunday roast. Finally there were a few words from yours truly (at the last official engagement before the AGM) and then we headed back into the Oxfordshire countryside for the trip home.
The trip was limited in number by the brewery logistics but those who made it will not forget the experience. If you want to go you too could organise a trip there.
