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Thomas Hardy Brewery

(Microbrewery)

Last updated: June 1, 2000

Weymouth Avenue
Dorchester DT1 1QT
Dorset

Phone: +44 (01305) 251251
Fax: +44 (01305) 258300

Opened 1837.
100,000 bbl annual capacity.

Dan Thomasson's Malt Advocate article tells the details of Producing Thomas Hardy's Ale.

My Opinion Of The Beers That I've Tried:
17.0 points overall

1993 Thomas Hardy's Ale (bottled)
Style 10 - English / Scottish Strong Ale
- 20 points - Beer #35-3362, Green Bay Rackers, Green Bay WI, December 4, 1999
  Lighter amber than 1994, dead still. Raisiny, alcoholic aromas. Thick, even smoother than 1994. Not as complex, but an even nicer drink. Magnificently excellent. Thanks to Bert Zelten for the taste!
1994 Thomas Hardy's Ale (bottled)
Style 10 - English / Scottish Strong Ale
- 20 points - Beer #35-3361, Green Bay Rackers, Green Bay WI, December 4, 1999
  Deep amber, still. Wood, smoke, raisin aromas, to name a few. Thick, intense malt flavor, complex flavors like the aroma, only more so. Best Thomas Hardy's I can ever remember tasting. Thanks to Bert Zelten for the taste!
- 20 points - Beer #26-2140, The Liquor Collection, Honolulu HI, August 14, 1997
  Note: We randomized the 1994, 1995, and 1996 Thomas Hardy's before tasting, and didn't disclose the order until later.
  Red-brown opaque, almost no carbonation and head. (I disturbed the yeast while covering up the label.) Smells smoky, sweet, alcoholic, raisiny. Flat, thick, sweet, but not sticky. Obscenely complex. Great malt flavor backs up raisins, grapes, walnuts, alcohol, caramel...it's liquid candy.
1995 Thomas Hardy's Ale (bottled)
Style 10 - English / Scottish Strong Ale
- 19 points - Beer #32-2607, Siebel Institute, Chicago IL, April 1, 1998
  Dead flat, amber brown. Alcohol, walnut, raisin aromas. Thick, sweet, hi-test. Absurdly complex, including wood from the barrel.
- 16 points - Beer #26-2141, The Liquor Collection, Honolulu HI, August 14, 1997
  Amber-brown, hint of a head, not quite clear. Aroma is much less pronounced than 26-2140, but still lots of alcohol and some woody notes. Is this the youngest bottle? (No.) Not as complex as 26-2140, alcohol a bit harsher. Some hop flavor in this one. Small carbonation tingle. Dark dark caramel finish, and very drying at the end, with a resinous bitterness.
1996 Thomas Hardy's Ale (bottled)
Style 10 - English / Scottish Strong Ale
- 17 points - Beer #26-2142, The Liquor Collection, Honolulu HI, August 14, 1997
  Amber-brown, low carbonation and head, pretty clear. Citrusy, alcoholic aroma. Smooth, fruity, sweet. A little nutty, quite strong, lots of caramel and alcohol.
1998 Thomas Hardy's Ale (bottled)
Style 10 - English / Scottish Strong Ale
- 16.5 points - Beer #36-3441, Flanagan's Stop and Shop, Appleton WI, May 18, 2000
  Brown amber, still. Malty, alcoholic aroma. Thick, flash of bitterness before a huge malty blast. Caramelly, raisiny, alcoholic finish.
1999 Thomas Hardy's Ale (bottled)
Style 10 - English / Scottish Strong Ale
- 14 points - Beer #36-3456, Flanagan's Stop and Shop, Appleton WI, May 30, 2000
  Red-brown, still, no head, slight haze. Sweet caramel aroma. Thick, fairly bitter, very sweet. Big caramel malt flavor. Finishes with a faint hint of the complexity to come, but it's very rough around the edges now.
Royal Oak Pale Ale (bottled)
Style 5 - English-style Pale Ale
- 12 points - Beer #26-2132, The Liquor Collection, Honolulu HI, August 11, 1997
  Amber-brown, low carbonation, low head. Diacetyl aroma and some spicy hops. A bit like Samuel Smith's odor. Sweet, lots of diacetyl, some bitterness, some fusels. Sticky finish.

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