Tap Handle #109: Olde Burnside - Dirty Penny Ale

This tap is just gorgeously stunning. The penny is supposed to be a 1937 English penny. There's lots of great detail, from the sword and Celtic cross, to the plants at the foot of the sword.

The Burnside Ice Company was founded in 1911 by a Scotsman named Albert McClellan. He was the leading supplier of ice to homes in the Hartford, Connecticut area. The business passed to his son Clifford, and then to Clifford's son Bob. Bob remembered his grandfather speaking of ales back then. They usually sold for a nickel, but occasionally a finer brew would be sold for a dime, or ten pennies. Bob dreamed of becoming a brewer and making a "ten penny" quality ale. In 1994 Bob discovered that the aquifer that produced water for his ice business was also suited for brewing beer. Bob decided to open a brewery and picked up some used equipment from the defunct Wyoming Brewing Company. It was assembled in a four-bay truck garage in the ice plant. Ten Penny Ale became their signature beer, and they also brew 7 other varieties, including seasonals.

Dirty Penny Ale is a Black & Tan style beer, which is a mixture of 60% Ten Penny Ale and 40% Stout. Recommended food pairings are steak, venison, game birds, sausage, and Roquefort cheese. Weighted average on ratebeer.com is 3.08 out of 5.

Olde Burnside Official Website