Ripon Jewel

Daleside Brewery
Harrogate, England
Imported by: St. Killian Importing Co.
Kingston, MA

Available: OH, FL, IL, MA, MD, NC, NY, OH, TN, VA, WI, ME and MN

The Ripon Jewel is a small, round piece of gold jewelry inlaid with gemstones, which is on display at the Ripon Cathedral in North Yorkshire, England. Discovered in 1976, the jewel is thought to originate from the seventh century when Saint Wilfrid built a basilica on the site of the present day cathedral.

ABV: 5.8
ABW: 4.6
Color: amber
Bitterness: n/a
Original gravity: n/a

I suspect the froth that oozed out of the bottle when I opened it happened because the beer arrived to me late, and I was forced to drink it only a couple of hours after being shipped to my door. No matter; Ripon Jewel poured a clear, bright gem-like amber with just a skiff of a white head, despite its earlier jostling. Sweet aromas of biscuits and toffee mingle with some spicy cinnamon notes. Flavors follow suit, with a bit of butter along with the bread. Ripon Jewel finishes a bit dry and mineral-y, making it a good partner with a variety of different food.
- Lisa Morrison

Daleside produces some fine cask-conditioned ales and their bottled beers are also worth checking out. Ripon Jewel―commissioned by a local cathedral―is a good example. On the face of it, this is a rich, deep amber beer, loaded with nutty, caramel-like, creamy malt character, nicely balanced by unobtrusive hops. What’s that little bit different, however, is the subtle suggestion of whisky or sherry as the alcohol becomes apparent. I don’t particularly like spirit notes in a beer, but they are not out of order here and add to the complexity of a satisfying, chunky ale.
- Jeff Evans

Lisa Morrison
Lisa Morrison, aka The Beer Goddess, writes about beer whenever she can and also gets to talk about it on a weekly radio show in her hometown of Portland, OR.

Jeff Evans
Author of the Good Bottled Beer Guide and The Book of Beer Knowledge, Jeff Evans is an eight-time editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide and one of Britain's best-known beer writers.

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