Adnams' Celebrates Southwold's Heritage with Limited Edition Beer Brewed by Women

Pub goers will be able to savour a pint of Adnams beer brewed by women based on a 500-year-old recipe in Adnams pubs throughout East Anglia from this week.

The launch of the beer will coincide with celebrations planned for 26 June 2009 to mark the day in 1509 that William Godell’s land was bequeathed to the town of Southwold. Described as ‘the father of Southwold’, Godell was a rich businessman and landowner who left Southwold Common to local people upon his death. Each year, people from the Town commemorate the bequeath of the Common by beating the boundaries on the anniversary of his death.

William Godell Celebratory Ale is based on a recipe from the early 1500s, when brewing was predominantly women’s work. Ale was then a staple food as the water supply was very polluted, and women, known as ‘alewives’ or ‘brewsters’, were responsible for producing beer to provide for their families.

Adnams’ female brewer Belinda Jennings and a team of female volunteers, produced the limited edition celebratory brew, using a recipe of barley, oats and wheat, with a small amount of modern Nelson Sauvign hops. The resulting 4.5%abv beer is light, amber-coloured beer is with an aroma of tropical fruits and gooseberries.

Belinda Jennings said: “Adnams has a lot to thank women for – the earliest record of beer being brewed on our site was from 1345 when Johanna de Corby and 17 other Southwold ale wives were charged with selling ale illegally.

“Becoming a modern day brewster and learning more about the origins of brewing was a fantastic experience and I hope our customers will equally enjoy tasting Godell’s Beer which has been based on an ancient recipe using the very latest in brewing technology.”

Adnams Godell’s beer will be available in cask from Adnams pubs from this week and in cask-conditioned bottles from Cellar&Kitchen stores and Adnams.co.uk at the end of the month.