By Greg Ulrich
Ever wonder why you frequently see bottles of “Old Speckled Hen” English Ale displayed along with those cute little MG’s at our car events? The ale was originally brewed in Abingdon, England, the same town where MG’s were produced for over 50 years. In fact, the ale was first brewed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the MG factory in Abingdon. The strong brew was named after an old canvas sided MG that was used as a factory run around car. Once again, all things MG have various versions. I happen to like this one.
Over the years, the sides of the run around car became “speckled” with various shades of paint used in the factory. Factory workers and locals dubbed the MG “the owld speckled un”. Hence, “Old Speckled Hen” ale was named after an old trusted factory MG called “the owld speckled un”. Moreland’s Brewery now brews Old Speckled Hen and claims that the distinctive flavor of their ale comes from the waters around Abingdon. Moreland’s further claims that their ale is so popular that it now outsells Newcastle Brown Ale, a very popular English ale in the United States.
Want to learn more, click on the beer bottle below....
Over the years, the sides of the run around car became “speckled” with various shades of paint used in the factory. Factory workers and locals dubbed the MG “the owld speckled un”. Hence, “Old Speckled Hen” ale was named after an old trusted factory MG called “the owld speckled un”. Moreland’s Brewery now brews Old Speckled Hen and claims that the distinctive flavor of their ale comes from the waters around Abingdon. Moreland’s further claims that their ale is so popular that it now outsells Newcastle Brown Ale, a very popular English ale in the United States. Check out the photo of the original “owld speckled un” accompanying this story.
