I recently came across a chilled bottle of fermented goodness and found that what enticed me the most about it was the name. This boiled bottle of hops was from a brewery known as “Wychwood”. For those of you who don't know, Wychwood is a forest in England, named after "The Royal Forest of Wychwood which was recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086, and covered much of what is now West Oxfordshire" in England. The book of Domesday was created by the King of that time to record all the land in his kingdom. What was then the 'Royal Forest' was known to be a great hunting ground for the king and had the feeling of enchantment, so much so that legends began to form around the creatures that lived there. That is why you will find that most of the Wychwood beers are named after many of these wooded folk and most them you won't find in your pretty fairytale stories.
The Wychwood Brewery is famous for a few of their bubbly cauldron concoctions, the most famous of which is Hobgoblin. Hobgoblin is “traditionally brewed to produce a delightfully well balanced blend of smooth, rich & satisfying flavors from witch crafted chocolate & fairy crystal malts combined with a crisp, refreshing bitterness from Styrian, Goldings and Fuggles hops.” The Hobgoblin or ‘Guardian fairies’ are known for their presence in the woods and warden’s to breweries. In the days of old, Brewers, in honor of their protection, would offer them copious amounts of beer before they began to brew. In exchange the Hobgoblin would ensure that the ale produced had a bouquet and bitterness second to none. Most often these domestic spirits are small, solitary, and shaggy-haired. “By tradition, the best times for seeing Hobgoblins and other fairy creatures and forest dwellers are twilight and midnight when the moon is full, and some of the best days are Halloween (October 31st), May Day (May 1st), Midsummer Day (June 24th), Lady Day (March 25th) and Christmas Day (December 25th).”
What is most appealing about this brewery is the haunting spirit that surrounds it. They have chosen a particularly ancient form of naming their beers, which has given them an air of medieval quality. It is a dark, mysterious perspective which one can only recognized by opening and indulging in one of their elected bottles. The Wychwood Brewery has been very good at dark crafting a brew into the essence of each month, not only making a selected beer for every month, but also, those of seasonal quality on the side. It’s a two for one special, for only the cost of your taste buds. This brewery has taken the pains in its study of the sinister hops and distilled them into the veins of the witches’ cauldron. Beware those Hobgoblins that guard the sacred hallows of these breweries and in their dimly light, create this frothy drink. Now sit back, make a wish, and always keep one eye behind your back, because the familiarity of one of these brews may trouble you for the rest of life!
...a dash of thought.
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy". ~Benjamin Franklin
What is most appealing about this brewery is the haunting spirit that surrounds it. They have chosen a particularly ancient form of naming their beers, which has given them an air of medieval quality. It is a dark, mysterious perspective which one can only recognized by opening and indulging in one of their elected bottles. The Wychwood Brewery has been very good at dark crafting a brew into the essence of each month, not only making a selected beer for every month, but also, those of seasonal quality on the side. It’s a two for one special, for only the cost of your taste buds. This brewery has taken the pains in its study of the sinister hops and distilled them into the veins of the witches’ cauldron. Beware those Hobgoblins that guard the sacred hallows of these breweries and in their dimly light, create this frothy drink. Now sit back, make a wish, and always keep one eye behind your back, because the familiarity of one of these brews may trouble you for the rest of life!
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