New Knoxville Brewing Company - Swanky English Ale

Swanky is a medium-bodied English Special Bitter (ESB) brewed with a combination of two-row Pale and Crystal malts as well as a touch of malted wheat. Robert uses both English Kent Goldings and Fuggles hops both in three separate additions during the 60 min. boil and both for their bittering and aromatic contributions. A 200 year old Ringwood Ale yeast strain taken from the Ringwood Brewery in England is used, the beer is brewed using traditional British brewing methods and it’s open-fermented. The hint of apple in the finish is a result of the Ringwood yeast.

Immediately note a very fruity and perfume floral nose in this medium-bodied, clear, straw-colored beer. Swanky starts, as the nose would indicate, sweet with floral hop flavor evident and then moves into a medium bitter and dry finish. Overall, an excellent, clean and flavorful ESB. One of the better American representations of this classic English style that we’ve tried.

The New Knoxville Brewing Company, which first brewed in Knoxville, TN under the same name beginning in 1896, has recently christened their new 25 barrel brewhouse and is now producing beer for the first time in that region since 1907. The brewery’s flagship beer, Swanky English Ale, derives it’s name from the same brew that ultimately caused the demise of the original brewery in 1912. As early as 1908, the brewery was producing "Swanky Temperance Brew", a supposed non-alcoholic beer, the operative word being, "supposed"! When Uncle Sammy discovered that the beer did in fact contain nectar of the demons, he promptly revoked the brewery’s charter in 1912.

Located in downtown Knoxville, 5 blocks from the old city and less than a year old, New Knoxville is only Tennessee’s third micro and shares the state with the Bohannon Brewing Co. in Nashville and the Jack Daniels Brewing Division in Lynchburg. Their small 5 person staff are all homebrewers and led by President, Ed Vendely. Brewmaster Robert Harvey is a former Chemical Engineer who’s traded in the corporate life to bring you the three beers we’re featuring this month. They plan to introduce a stout in early 1997.

For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (423) 521-7870