On Tap is a regular column featuring our recommendations on the most unique new draft beer offerings from local pubs.
Our Recommendation: Kennett Ale, A Collaboration Ale with Victory Brewing Co. and Market Garden Brewery
Where: Victory Brewing Company, 420 Acorn Lane, Downingtown, PA
Victory Brewing Co. has teamed up with Market Garden Brewery in Ohio to reproduce a long lost British style ale called Kennett Ale. On Tuesday night, April 2, they tapped three different versions of this peppery ale, and I arrived at Victory in time to catch Market Garden’s Brewmaster, Andy Tveekrem, tipping them back with Victory’s Ron Barchet.
The idea for this ale started with Andy, who told me, “I started my career at Great Lakes Brewing Company and there was a sign on the wall of the building that advertised a brewery and they had Kennett Ales, Stock ales and porters. I looked at that sign for 10 years and I always thought this was a brand name.”
While recently researching the history of beer, Andy noticed references to Kennett Ales and he realized it was a beer style, not a brand. Andy’s research finally led him to an old recipe for Kennett Ale in a beer book from the 1850s. The recipe called for “amber malts, a bunch of hops, coriander and chili peppers.” Andy reached out to Ron and asked if Victory was interested in collaborating on the project, and indeed Ron was excited.
In the meantime, a friend of Andy’s found a recipe for a Reading Ale, which was similar, but used pale malt, coriander, grains of paradise and brown sugar.
Andy explained, “We smashed all the ingredients together and lightened up the color a little bit.” This reproduction of a 19th century-style ale uses English and German malts, brown sugar, Espelette peppers, grains of paradise and coriander. The Espelette pepper comes from the Basque region of Spain and is mild compared to chili peppers.
One batch was brewed on-site at Victory, another batch was brewed at Market Garden Brewery. They also had a cask version for sampling.
I tried a pint of the Kennett Ale that was brewed by Victory. This ale poured an amber with a frothy head. While there is a slight fruity taste, the heat of the peppers finishes off each taste, giving it a dry finish. The pepper taste is mild, but it lingers on the tongue. At 8.6% ABV, this packs a punch. I sampled the Market Garden version. Side-by-side, they were slightly different in character and maltiness.
Where will you be able to find Kennett Ale? Ron informed me that Victory’s Brewpub expects to have it on tap for about a month, and “there may be a few kegs that leak out to the Philly bar scene.” Kennett Ale will also be served at Market Garden Brewery in Cleveland, Ohio.
