Old Speckled Hen

After a bit of fascinating research, this investigator found that Old Speckled Hen is a traditional English Ale brewed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the MG factory. It was named after a paint spattered MG automobile called the “Owld Speckled ‘Un” that used to drive about the factory.

Strange, indeed.

Take a quick trip to the lighter side of beer websites at Owld Speckled ‘Un.

Ol' Speckle

While MG has since moved on from Abingdon, Greene King still brews Old Speckled Hen. The name refers to a beloved MG company runabout, know as “the old speckled one.” Really, any beer brewed to honor a British sports car legend gets bonus points in my book.

In the American market, Old Speckled Hen is available in both clear twelve-ounce bottles and 14.9 ounce nitro-cans. Pitched as “a great choice for those who enjoy a rich, strong beer to drink,” it’s an English Pale Ale. Here’s how the brewery describes the beer:

Old Speckled Hen has a superb rich malty and fruity aroma. When tasting it you will experience a wonderful warming flavor that is bursting with body. Malty (malt loaf) toffee flavors from the pale and crystal malts combine with bitterness on the back of the tongue to give balanced sweetness which is not cloying. This is followed by a dry finish, surprising for ale of this strength.

After interrogating the Old Speckled Hen, my mind was made up. Lovely!