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You Can Buy 86-Year-Old Beer Brewed For Edward VIII’s Canceled Coronation
Fod & Wine ^ | Jelisa Castrodale

Posted on 05/04/2023 2:24:45 PM PDT by nickcarraway

But maybe don't drink it.

In the mid-1930s, British beermaker Greene King brewed and bottled a special ale to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VIII. The only problem? That king was never crowned. In 1936, Edward surrendered his chance to wear the crown, abdicating the throne only 325 days into his unofficial reign so that he could marry American socialite Wallis Simpson.

His coronation — which had been scheduled for May 1937 — was called off, his younger brother George VI became king, and all 2,000 bottles of that Coronation Ale were put into storage. Remarkably, that beer stash wasn’t discovered until 2011, when workers doing some renovation work stumbled upon it in Green King’s cellars.

And now, more than 86 years since it was brewed, those bottles of Coronation Ale are going to be auctioned off by Greene King on May 5. (Yes, that’s the day before King Charles’ coronation). In addition to giving bidders a chance to get their hands on a unique piece of Royal history, the auction will also raise money for The Prince’s Trust, a charity that provides opportunities for disadvantaged youth.

Let Them Eat Quiche: King Charles Releases Official Coronation Recipe “This really would have been a fantastic beer in its day,” Greene King’s then-head brewer John Bexon said in 2012. “It was 12% when it was brewed so is quite strong and has kept really well. The rich fruit flavor still stands out.”

Whoever ends up buying the beer will have to take Bexon’s word for it: Greene King said that the brew is “no longer drinkable,” and the bottles are being sold purely as collector’s items. According to The Telegraph, Greene King does have an updated version of Coronation Ale, which has been brewed for King Charles’ crowning next month; it will be available to buy in pubs and online.

“It is absolutely fascinating that these beers have been lying in the cellar for 86 years,” Royal historian and author Professor Kate Williams told The Telegraph. “The elaborate Coronation preparations took over a year to arrange, but by the time the event came around he had already abdicated, leaving the ceremony, and these celebratory beers, redundant.”

Greene King’s brewery is over 200 years old, so Bexon hinted that there could be some other surprising finds hidden in its vast cellars. “[T]here could be more vintage beers just waiting to be re-discovered,” he said at the time the Coronation Ale was unearthed. That would be great – but we’d prefer not to have to wait 86 more years for the next batch.


TOPICS: Food; History; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: abdication; dietandcuisine; edwardviii; fod; godsgravesglyphs; greeneking; oenology; wallissimpson; zymurgy
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To: Leaning Right
Was Edward a rabid anti-Semitic? Or was he just mesmerized by all those nifty Nazi uniforms?

You watch too many Steven Spielberg movies.

21 posted on 05/04/2023 4:42:21 PM PDT by Jim Noble (It is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government)
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To: Jim Noble

> You watch too many Steven Spielberg movies. <

Actually, I don’t think I’ve seen any. I don’t go to movies. But I do have a complete collection of remastered Charlie Chan movies on DVD. That’s entertainment enough for me.


22 posted on 05/04/2023 4:44:28 PM PDT by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
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To: Noumenon


Richard III (1995) - Shakespear's play set in 1930s/40s Facist England
23 posted on 05/04/2023 6:55:07 PM PDT by In_Iowa_not_from
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To: nickcarraway

I wonder is there is any Billy Beer to be had?


24 posted on 05/04/2023 7:07:48 PM PDT by GingisK
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To: KarlInOhio

Nobody brewing, but somebody’s been mowing...

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/23501089.pranksters-mow-giant-penis-lawn-royal-crescent-bath/

Check out the comments. They’re a hoot!


25 posted on 05/04/2023 7:20:05 PM PDT by mewzilla (We will never restore the republic if we don't first secure the ballot box.)
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To: nanetteclaret

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-33578174

She had company.


26 posted on 05/04/2023 7:23:14 PM PDT by mewzilla (We will never restore the republic if we don't first secure the ballot box.)
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To: SaveFerris

“They don’t happen to have any cake 🎂 from a poorly-ventilated English basement do they?
How’s about some Entenmann’s?
Do they have a castle 🏯🏰 in Windsor?
They have a case at the end of the aisle”

I would be interested in tins of Walkers shortbread biscuits... just for tins though.


27 posted on 05/05/2023 1:59:10 AM PDT by Clutch Martin ("The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right." )
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To: Larry Lucido; StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; ...
Thanks LL. Heh. Nice piece of history, and given the, uh, FReeper interest in, uh, zymurgy, a great ping for the GGG list as the week winds down. As everyone knows, I'm a teetotaler, in fact, I've got an autographed framed photo of Carrie A. Nation on the wall in the rec room, right behind the wet bar. I mean, the fridge with the soft drinks.

28 posted on 05/05/2023 9:01:26 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (NeverTrumpers are Republicans the same way Liz Cheney is a Republican.)
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To: SunkenCiv

I bet it tastes better than BUD LIGHT!.......................


29 posted on 05/05/2023 9:10:31 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Red Badger

One thing it as in common, is, it’s less filling, because ain’t no one gonna drink it now. :^)


30 posted on 05/05/2023 9:41:55 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (NeverTrumpers are Republicans the same way Liz Cheney is a Republican.)
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To: RushIsMyTeddyBear

They repeated that during THE CROWN.


31 posted on 05/05/2023 1:08:09 PM PDT by Hildy
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