The Bowsing Ken

Morland Brewery :
      Old Speckled Hen

   So, it was way back in 1711, that a yeoman farmer on the Hodcott Farm by the name of John Morland started his own brewery in the parish of West Ilsley, in Berkshire, England.  Although history is often not quite so clear, records do indicate that he bought a parcel of land between the towns of Newberry and Abingdon, complete with a malting house, from one Mr. Benjamin Smith, a local maltster. Soon after this purchase, John Morland began to brew his own beer in the village of West Ilsley.
  Over the ensuing years, the Morland Brewery stayed in the family, passing down to John's son Benjamin (in 1727), and to his son William (in 1761), and still later generations. Family ties also brought other breweries into the fold. For example, in 1796, one of John's daughters, Susannah, married John Spenlove, the owner of the Abbey Brewery, and a generation later - 1866 - the Abbey Brewery was entirely incorporated into the Morland Brewery. Other acquisitions were made by simply taking over a struggling brewery, as Edward Morland did in 1861, when he bought out the Eagle Brewery. Indeed, it was Edward Morland, actually a cousin of the Morland sons, who began an expansion program that not only added other breweries, but also expanded the commercial reach of the company. By 1887, the overall company, still owned by the Morland family, was named United Breweries, and was now based in Abingdon. More breweries, as well an increasing number of tied pubs and even a soft drink factory, were added to the portfolio.
  Interestingly, by the 1950s, the Morland Brewery, and all its associated ancillary companies, was itself seen as a prime object for takeover. In 1956, Morlands sold a large number of company shares to Whitbread & Company, thus joining what was known as the "Whitbread Umbrella," which offered a modicum of protection from these various prowling companies. Being associated with Whitbread also gave Morlands access to a larger market area, as well as better distribution methods and newer brewing technologies. For the most part, however, breweries under the Whitbread Umbrella were still allowed to chart their own course. Then enter the folks from Greene King.

  So this story goes...Back in 1799, a man by the name of Benjamin Greene moves to the town of Bury St Edmunds, in England, and starts to brew beer. And, as a portent of things to come, in 1806, he buys the Wright Brewery in Westgate. This was the first acquisition of a brewery that would continue to grow and today is known as the Greene King company. In 1836, Benjamin's son Edward is now running the show, and the company continues to grow, by 1870 brewing over 40,000 barrels of beer, as well as operating a number of public houses.
   Meanwhile, in 1868, and just around the corner in Bury St Edmunds, another man by the name of Frederick King buys the Maulkin's Malting Company with the idea of making his own beer, thus founding the St Edmunds Brewery. Frederick King makes a go of it, but by 1887 finds that he simple can't match step with the folks over at the Greene Brewery, so he agrees to fold the St Edmunds Brewery in with Greene's - the new company was called Greene, King and Sons. Not only did the new company form a large regional brewery, but at the time they also operated nearly 150 area public houses.
   Over the next several decades, Greene King, as it was more familiarly known, survived war (two wars, in fact), strikes, the temperance movement, vagaries in laws and changes in consumer tastes, all the while continuing to make its fine beers, and adding new public houses and breweries to its books. In 1992, Greene King began the process to purchase much of the Whitbread organization, and in 1999, after much corporate wheeling and dealing, acquires the Morland Brewery, and its 422 public houses, which brings us to a Strong Fine Ale (or later a Crafted Fine Ale) we present here - called Old Speckled Hen.

   However, we must digress just a bit... Back in September 1929, The MG Car Company moved from its now outgrown factory at Cowley to its new facility at the old Pavlova Leather Works, at Abingdon. With the move came an experimental car - a 1927 fabric bodied, four-door 14/40 saloon, which sported the registration WL3450. It also sported a rather unusual paint job consisting of a grained tan color with specks of gold. WL3450's experimental days now over, the car was relegated to be used as a general utility vehicle puttering around the Abingdon factory grounds. Legends abound about the first use of the title, but sometime after the move to Abingdon the car, which was reportedly now wearing a few paint splatters, was being referred to as the "awd speckly 'en," or the "owd speckled 'un," which eventually morphed into the "Old Speckled Hen." Again, the history is a bit vague, but the Old Speckled Hen was reportedly broken up in 1934 or 1935.
  In September 1979, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of MG's move to Abingdon, the Morland Brewery responded to MG's request, and brewed a special batch of beer, a strong pale ale called Old Speckled Hen. Some 48,000 half-pint bottles were made. So popular was the beer that it was soon a standard at the brewery, being bottled, canned - including the fizzing pub can - and available on draft. Fortunately for all of us, when Greene King took over Morland Brewery, the brewing of Old Speckled Hen was continued.
   Old Speckled Hen has been variously described as an English ale, an English fine ale, an old ale, a special bitter and an extra special bitter, all of which just goes to show that beer categories are not set in stone. I would say that it is essentially a strong pale ale - a good malty taste not overpowered by hoppy bitterness. Greene King has since introduced a couple of buddies to Old Speckled Hen, including Old Golden Hen - a lighter, golden beer, and Old Crafty Hen - a stouter, darker ale. The latter is occasionally offered as a cask conditioned ale.

   I have had Old Speckled Hen both in the UK and here in North America. In the UK, I was always pleased to walk into a pub and spy the octagon - the MG octagon - on a tap handle - Old Speckled Hen on draft (draught!) - hurray. Here in North America, you can find Old Speckle Hen in bottles and pub cans. I have yet to find Old Golden Hen or Old Crafty Hen. Old Speckled Hen is a fine beer - quite tasty and infinitely drinkable - and you owe it to yourself to give it a try. Personally, I must admit that perhaps the association with MG makes it a bit more special to me.

  Update: Just the other day (October 2016) I stopped in a new beer store in my hometown, and found that it had dozens upon dozens of craft brewed American beers, but painfully for me, almost no British imports. Very few Belgian imports, for that matter. I had just about given up, my eyes becoming blurry by looking at all those fancy craft brewery labels, when I saw my beloved octagon. Will wonders never cease - Old Golden Hen! Now, Old Speckled Hen has long been imported to North America, but I have searched in vain for any of the other associated offerings from Morland's. Fancy finding it in this place.
  Anyway, there were three bottles on the shelf, and I bought all three. When I inquired to the dude behind the counter if he could get any more, he sorta gave me one of those deer-in-headlights look, so I am not too sure. I think I will drop them an email - maybe the actual buyer will read it - and see what they can get. Now I just have to find Old Crafty Hen. Plus, there is yet another "hen" in the brood - Old Hoppy Hen.
  I think you will like both of these beers: Old Speckled Hen - Smooth and Malty. Old Golden Hen - Crisp and Hoppy.