Beer #90 - W/C 14 November 2016
BREWERY // "Innovation, Passion, Knowledge"
Thornbridge Brewery is an example of wealthy backers working with skilled brewers to great effect. In 2004 Simon Webster and Jim Harrison decided to set up a brewery in the converted workshop of Harrison's house, Thornbridge Hall. Eschewing tradition they hired a young Italian brewer, Stefano Cossi, and 23 year old graduate Martin Dickie and instructed them that they wanted to create "a beer that's gonna take the world by storm". In June that year they brewed Jaipur, an India Pale Ale with new world hops which is credited as heralding a new wave of craft brewing in Britain. Cossi & Dickie have long since moved on (Dickie to found BrewDog) but Thornbridge brewers continue to release innovative, brilliant beers which have garnered them 100's of awards over that past decade. The brewmaster Rob Lovatt keeps an excellent blog.
TASTING NOTES // Reverend and the Makers (below) are a Sheffield rock band and their guitarist, Ed Cosens, is a keen home brewer. A couple of years ago he got together with Thornbridge to brew a collaborative beer. Following the success of that beer, they came together again to make a beer to commemorate the bands latest album- Mirrors. The pale ale is a bright gold colour with lots of tropical hop aroma. It is a crisp and light pale which makes for very easy drinking. Lots of fresh citrus, grapefruit flavours and you may even detect a touch of lemon sherbet.
BREWERY // Thornbridge
BEER // PMA
STYLE // American Pale Ale
ORIGIN // Bakewell, Derbyshire
ABV // 4.5%
TEMPERATURE // Cool - 9-12C
FOOD MATCH // Roast Pumpkin Soup. Thai Green Curry. Ploughman's Lunch
GLASS // IPA Glass, Nonic Pint