Tunnel Brewery Ales, Ansley

Two ales I picked up on our trip to Stratford-upon-Avon are from Tunnel Brewery.

The first is Quill, a Trappist Style Ale made for the brewery's 3rd birthday (and is their 200th brew). The write up from the bottle:

Whilst settling down on a gloomy candlelit eve to write another play, Will Shakespeare bumped his desk and spilt his ink. What was he to do? In his hand he had a goblet of dark ale. He tentatively dipped his nib and discovered to his amazement that his quill flowed effortlessly across the pages. In no time at all he penned one of his finest plays. This Trappist Style Dubbel Ale should also flow smoothly and sweetly across your tongue. The play he wrote that night was of course.......All's Ales! Well That Ends Well!

This brew is dark and delicious, worthy of the bardic heritage it claims. I enjoyed drinking it quite a bit, even if it didn't inspire so much as a sonnet from me.

The second is The Knight, Death and the Devil, also a Trappist Style Belgian Ale, but this one is a Tripel.  The write up:

Rumour has it...the tunnel, after which the brewery is named, was the secret entry and exit to the ancient homeland of the Sacred Knights. After a long and tiresome campaign the Knights would head home, often in solitude. Death and The Devil eagerly awaited their return. The only thing that kept the Knights from certain death was the elixir they took with them on their crusades. This elixir was made with the Holy Water from their sacred land and the resultant brew was their guiding light home. We hope that after drinking this brew you will find your own way home safe and sound thus, thwarting Death and The Devil yet again.

This brew is also very good. I guess I'm a sucker for a good Belgian ale.