Hogs Back Brewery’s A Over T – worth the wait

They say good things come to those who wait, but we're testing the resolve of beer aficionados by urging them to wait 10 years to try some of the latest vintage of our award winning barley wine A Over T. We're distributing bottles of A Over T - short for Aromas Over Tongham, named for Hogs Back’s home village - with a 10 year ‘drink by’ date rather than the normal two years. We expect the 9% ABV bottle conditioned ale to mature over the next decade to offer even deeper and richer flavours to those with the patience to wait. A Over T is our only bottle conditioned beer. It is a deep tawny beer made with high quality pale and crystal malts from English malted barley, with Kent Goldings hops added for bitterness and aroma, and Bramling Cross hops to further enhance the character. This results in deep, complex flavours of sultanas, orange peel and plums, and a rich lingering finish. Rupert Thompson, managing director, says, “A new vintage of A Over T is on the seasonal shopping list for many of our customers, and as this is the first time we’ve brewed the beer since 2014, demand is high for the newly-bottled 2017 vintage. “There have always been customers who buy some to enjoy straight away as well as putting a few bottles away to see how it matures, but this is the first time we’ve put an extended 10 year ‘drink by’ date on the bottle. A Over T is matured in the brewery cellar before we bottle it, so it’s already a wonderful beer, but it’s also fascinating to see how the flavour matures over time. “It should be enjoyed like a fortified wine, in a wine glass or a brandy balloon, to concentrate its wonderful aroma. The malty richness of A Over T matches beautifully with the complex and sharp flavours of any blue cheese, such as a well-aged Stilton. We also love it with regional favourites, Tunworth and Barkham Blue, as well as with rich desserts such as chocolate hazelnut torte and toffee caramel cheesecake. “We hope that people will be able to resist the urge to open it all straight away, and will save a bottle or two to try in 2027.” Awards for A Over T include being named Supreme Champion Winter Ale of Britain 2006 by CAMRA, SIBA Champion Barley Wine of Britain in 2014, and two Gold Medals in the International Beer Challenge 2016. A Over T is available from our shop in Tongham near Farnham which is open right up to Christmas and by mail order at £37 for a case of 12 X 330ml bottles. It also stocked by selected on-trade and off-trade retailers.