Great British Beer Festival’s headline sponsor is set to bring its iconic 5X brew to the festival next week.
The two-year-old oak aged beer is never sold in its purity but forms the basis of two of Greene King’s well-known brands Old Crafty Hen and Strong Suffolk. The 12.5% ABV beer uses a secret recipe and is then aged in the giant oak vats at Greene King’s Westgate Brewery in Bury St Edmunds. One of just a handful of brewers who still use the oak aged method, the 5X beer is often described as the finest brandy of the brewing world.
Craig Bennett, Greene King master brewer, said, “We have limited stock of 5X as it takes a minimum of two years to age so it’s a pretty precious commodity. Most people at the brewery never get the chance to try 5X in its pure form so it’s a bit of a treat to bring it along for the Great British Beer Festival for festival-goers to experience it.”
Greene King will be serving 5X in taster glasses and thirds and will have a limited supply, so when it’s gone it’s gone!
Catherine Tonry, Great British Beer Festival organiser, added, “We are delighted to welcome Greene King back to the festival as our headline sponsors this year! The Great British Beer Festival provides a unique opportunity to try rare, one of a kind and exclusive festival brews, as highlighted by the iconic 5X brew. As the only place for the public to try this beer, I can imagine there will be quite a queue from the Greene King stand next week!”
Also making an appearance for the first time at the festival will be Greene King’s latest creation, Yardbird Pale Ale. Taking inspiration from American jazz, the beer which originated as a seasonal ale has been re-launched with a new and improved recipe packed with four times more hops. Crafted with Citra, Centennial and Simcoe hops, Yardbird packs a punch with its citrus flavours and zesty, tropical aroma.
Joining the line-up will be the award-winning Heritage Vintage Fine Ale in cask, brewed especially for the event; normally only available bottle conditioned. The 6% abv fine ale is brewed with rare Chevallier malts and is a rich complex beer. First introduced in January, Heritage Vintage Fine Ale was awarded the highest accolade ‘Grande Gold’ at the 2018 Monde World Selections in May.
The Great British Beer Festival will be taking place from 7-11 August at Olympia London.