And so it all began about 10 years ago when I made a personal discovery, O’hanlons Yellow Hammer. What a beer! It got me hooked, every time I went to Tesco I’d always pick up a bottle or four. But really it began as O’hanlons were a customer of mine and I was intrigued by their brew.
I grew up like every other youth, a lager lout. Fosters, smelly Carlsberg and some other XXXX. John Smiths was sampled but flat and heavy spring to mind, Boddies was the same, step in O’hanlons.
Yellow Hammer, where do we start? Draught; amazing colour, odour and drinkability. Watching it settle like a good Caffreys was immense. It was like drinking Dandelion Burdock as a child but an adult version. I couldn’t help but want for more! I’d never embarrass myself, but you know how some pregnant women crave liquorice……Yellow hammer was mine. Such a smooth and refreshing brew had never been tasted. Dangerous though, as too many would have it’s consequences!!!!
I became very acquainted with Yellow Hammer, never thought it bottled would end. But times change, and draught became my only rare glimpse of the Hammer. O’hanlons had been through some changes and bottles were obsolete. I’d chase the draught until it too was rare. I hate the word, but my ‘mission’ was to find a beer to equal, or even better Yellow Hammer.
And so it began, another word I hate, my beer ‘journey’.
Elstons Beer Blog 