Greene King and the importance of brewing with Ernest

Greene King has launched the third limited edition beer in its award winning Heritage Series. 

Heritage Ernest Hop Pale Ale, a 5% abv pale ale, follows Heritage Suffolk Pale Ale and Heritage Vintage Fine Ale, which were released in January 2018. All three premium ales have drawn influences from Greene King’s brewing heritage and have been based on historic recipes from the brewery's archives. 

Heritage Ernest Hop Pale Ale is brewed with the English hop Ernest, which was first bred in 1920s but never commercially released. Grown now in Herefordshire, it is considered New World in style for its wild fruit-centric flavours, in stark in contrast to traditional, more floral, English hops. 

In 2018 Greene King developed Heritage Suffolk Pale Ale and Heritage Vintage Fine Ale with East Anglian Chevallier malted barley, which was reintroduced from five preserved Chevallier seeds, discovered in a maltings seed bank. With the crops harvested, Greene King was able to replicate a traditional real ale from the 1800s. Heritage Vintage Fine Ale was subsquently awarded Grande Gold at the Monde World Selections 2018.  

Heritage Ernest Hop Pale Ale is limited edition cask ale, available in pubs throughout March and April. 

Ross O’Hara, Greene King head brewer, says; “It has been a privilege to develop the Heritage Series of beers, delving into archived recipes for inspiration.  What is so exciting as a brewer, is that had it not been for the fact that Ernest was discounted for its citrus flavours nearly 100 years ago, then we could have been drinking beers akin to modern day New World-style craft way back then.”