Hobgoblin

The Beer

Brewed By:     Hobgoblin
Location:        Wychwood Brewery
Style:             Ruby Beer (English Ale)
Strength:        5.2% ABV in the bottle
Rating: *****

Comments

When the warm lazy days of a late Ontario autumn are mercilessly pushed aside by the first hints of frost, a magical thing happens at your local LCBO store....seasonal and harvest beers begin to emerge from the farthest corners of the planet and much like the seasons, the simple, summer lagers fade away to make room for the fuller and more complex fall and winter ales.  Master of seasonal brews, Wychwood Brewery, is no stranger to the shelves of Ontario Liqour Stores.  Several of their most popular recipes are sold at various times throughout the year and their award winning flagship, Hobgoblin, is available at well equipped stores year round.
Wychwood prides themselves on brewing traditional English style Ales and scoffs at what they deem the Lagerboys (those who fear the taste of a full flavoured beer).  Hobgoblin and stronger, big brother King Goblin certainly aim to please the non Lagerboys of the world with their ruby coloured, full bodied, roasted malt flavour. Much to the dismay of beer lovers in Ontario, most LCBO stores outside the GTA will only get one or two shipments of the Halloween theme beers from Wychwood each year so best stock up if you come across any Wychcraft, or King Goblin.  Look for the Bah Humbug Christmas Ale also seasonally available across the province and inquire about November's seasonal ale "Dog's Bollocks".
Owing to it's Chocolate malt, Hobgoblin is extremely dark bordering on Guiness territory (but it's okay Lagerboy - just try it!) however it delivers a bright flavour with a slightly hoppy finish that goes extremely well with hearty, late fall fare.  I can't say enough good things about this beer - if you are tired of the citrus flavoured swill that has abounded all summer long, it's time to pour a Hobgoblin and let the little creature treat you to a taste experience you won't soon forget! 

Links

www.wychwood.co.uk

www.marstons.co.uk

www.marstonsbeercompany.co.uk/our_brands/refresh/refresh.asp

The Story

Wychwood Brewery was born in 1990 from a long line of brewing history in Witney, Oxfordshire, UK. Like many English breweries, Wychwood started under a different name with different owners as a local favorite and eventually evolved into its current incarnation under the leadership of true individuals and masters of the trade.  In the 1980's, the more than 100 years of brewing tradition in Witney was taken up by Paddy Glenny under the name of the Eagle Brewery (check the labels of some of the Wychwood beers for a reference to Eagle Maltings). This was eventually sold to Glenny's partner, Chris Moss who then paired with Ian Rogers to form Wychwood in 1990 and so   began one of the most talked about breweries in England.  On the outermost edge of Witney, lies the ancient, mystical Royal Forest of Wychwood - it's folklore and legends are the source of inspiration for the fantastical marketing scheme behind Wychwood Brewery.  To read about the fairytales and characters of Wychwood Forest, visit the web site from the links section and click on Wychwood World.  The web site is a treat for the visitor and is full of spectacular imagery and details of the brewery. Hobgoblin, the most successful beer from the brewery, first appeared in keg format as a special request for a local wedding - it was an instant hit and was soon to be found in a bottled version, it's label graphics earning it the distinction of being the first in the UK to contain not only the name but a picture as well.  In 2002, Refresh UK (a subsidiary of Marstons PLC - Banks, Innis and Gunn, Duchy) took over Wychwood - Refresh UK, is now the largest UK brewer of organic beers with   Duchy Originals and Wychwood falling under their umbrella. What follows is a small description of the character of the Hobgoblin.  The Hobgoblin is a creature of folklore that is typically believed to be an easily provoked, domestic dwelling, practical joker.  The creature performs menial tasks around the household such as butter churning and mending during the hours of darkness while the family is asleep so long as they remain in his good favour.  The name Hobgoblin is one of many pseudonyms for the mischevious little prankster known as   "Puck" who's most famous appearance is found in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Puck can easily turn to trickery striking fear into the hearts of families and as such, one is warned not to say his name aloud since it will cause him to appear.  Instead, the name Robin Goodfellow is often substituted along with Hobgoblin both of which have been the disguise of choice for more than 100 years of English tales of the woodland knave.