The High Sheriff of Wiltshire, Lady Lansdowne, has helped to brew a special beer at Arkell’s, as part of the brewery’s 180th anniversary celebrations.
Fiona Shelburne, Lady Lansdowne, High Sheriff of Wiltshire, with Arkell’s head brewer Alex Arkell in the brewery’s archive centre. Photograph: Richard Wintle
Alex Arkell, head brewer and one of the sixth generation of the Arkell family in the business, took the High Sheriff on a tour of Swindon’s oldest surviving business and gave an overview of the traditional brewing methods.
Lady Lansdowne helped to mash in, getting the celebratory brew — a 3.4% ABV beer called Tradition — under way.
Alex said: “We put together a recipe blending some old and new ideas. The beer is an easy-drinking deep red session beer with a warming fruit biscuity base. This comes from using rye, which was often used in our old brew books.
“We’ve then rounded this off with a hop aroma of mango and peach, which I don’t think you’d have seen much of 180 years ago. A perfect blend of old and new!”
The beer will be available on cask in participating Arkell’s venues from Tuesday, 7th February.
The visit concluded in the Arkell’s Grape & Grain Wine and Brewery Warehouse where the High Sheriff met members of staff and viewed the archive centre on the upper floor. The Grape & Grain was opened to the public five years ago by Her Majesty The Queen Consort.
A selection of special activities are planned for 2023 during the brewery’s 180th year. These include an ale trail competition around Arkell’s pubs, weekly brewery tours for the public, starting in February, and a Big Birthday Bash in September, with live music and lots of beers to sample.
