Beer and Cars Combined

There can be fewer unexpected locations to find a brewery than with Bellingers of Wantage. Traditionally brewing is closely associated with the farming industry and so many small breweries start life here, in fact farmers were once brewers as in the case of the Saison style of beer. Nowadays many start up breweries can be found on industrial sites and although this does not carry the mysterious charm that craft drinkers seek, it is very practical and commercially viable.

Front of the tin brewhouse

Bellingers however is fronted with a very modern car dealership for Vauxhall and Chevrolet cars. It's quite an impressive business and building and you would never know a brewery existed but for some signage on the forecourt. The car dealership boasts all that you would expect from a cutting edge sales business, with vehicles displayed to look their very best. The brewery on the other hand is situated in a shiny tin covered building that is hidden away at the rear with the dealership's service dept.

Bellingers are a 4th generation company and the brewery uses an image of Les Bellinger who flew with the RAF in the Second World War and then went on the lead and grow the company in the years thereafter. The company is now a major landmark as you approach Grove and Wantage from Oxford.

Being an ex resident of Wantage and certainly proud of my Oxfordshire roots I am delighted to find  this brewery and recommend their beers.

Two beers I purchased were the IPA and the Moonlight. The branding on the former is not great and does not reflect the beer, which certainly is a refreshing IPA, however the colour ways suggest a darker beer. The branding on the Moonlight I liked a lot better, reflected Bellingers heritage and the label colours and balance just seemed to imply a quality beer.






Bellingers IPA & Moonlight
 



The IPA had a hint of chocolate combined with citrus on the aroma - chocolate orange like! The palate was more hop, pineapple, herbal like, but there was a hint of fruity esters as well. The finish was bitter and touch astringent which actually I quite liked. Overall a beer in the English IPA style and very drinkable.

The Moonlight was the more interesting of the two beers. Chocolate and fruity esters on the aroma, there was a lot going on here. The palate was fruit cake, spice, roast and a bit nutty. The mouth feel was nice and full, with good conditioning bringing the beer to life. I liked this beer better and it is a good example of a Strong pale ale.

I' m looking forward to my next visit home when I will make another trip to this craft brewery to try some of their excellent brews.