As a part of mixed six from Wegman’s, I picked up a bottle of Tanner’s Jack by Morland brewery. The brewery had been around since its founding in West Ilsley 1711. In the 1860′s, after a series of acquisitions, the brewery was moved to Abingdon and remained there until it was purchased by Greene King in 2000. Greene King shuttered the brewery and moved production of the Morland brands (Morlands Original, Old Speckled Hen, Hen’s Tooth and Tanner’s Jack) to its facilities in Bury St. Edmunds. From the Greene King site:
A smooth-tasting ale enhanced to offer an elegant happy floral nose, a nutty malty palate and a lingering malty sweetness.
I found the Tanner’s Jack to have the following characteristics.
- Appearance: Clear, amber. Little foam and lacing.
- Aroma: Sweet, malty with hints of pine soap and hops.
- Taste: A little thin with a somewhat muted taste of malt and a slightly bitter finish.
- ABV: 4.4%
Since the Tanner’s Jack is brewed by the folks that make the Old Speckled Hen, I thought I would find another nice English ale. Unfortunately, this ale was a little too watered down and lacked a unified balance. Rather than have a taste that built front to back, the Tanner’s Jack was almost segmented in its profile and ended with a bitter mishmash of flavor. Greene King and Morland’s make a wide variety of great products; for the money, this is not one of them.
