Discover the unique flavours of Thornbridge Brewery with a craft beer tasting experience in the heart of the Peak District. Known for its innovative approach to brewing. Thornbridge Brewery offers a wide variety of exceptional beers that reflect the beauty and tradition of this stunning region. Whether you’re a seasoned beer enthusiast or new to craft brews, this beer tasting experience is a must for anyone looking to explore the best of Peak District brewing.
The history of Thornbridge Brewery and their beer tastings!
Launched in 2005, nestled away in the glorious grounds of Thornbridge Hall, Jim Harrison and Simon Webster founders of Thornbridge Brewery had the simple concept to brew beer for the local community.
Using a second hand 10 Barrel brew kit, both creators had the dedication and passion to turn Thornbridge Brewery from a small operation into a fully fledged award winning establishment. One way Thornbridge Brewery has succeeded is by producing a flagship beer ‘Jaipur‘ which has been showcased to hundreds of beer enthusiasts across the UK.
An overview of the tour and beer tasting at Thornbridge Brewery
As we stepped through the doors at Thornbridge Brewery, Reuben greeted us and prepared to lead our tour and beer tasting. His passion for the brewing industry was evident, and he shared many fascinating facts about the brewery.
Unlike some brewery tours where visitors can see brewing equipment firsthand, Thornbridge’s tour was more of a sit-down experience. It featured an in-depth video showcasing the brewery’s history and its rise to prominence in the Peak District.
One highlight was the Union System, an exciting piece of brewing equipment once used at Carlsberg Marstons Brewing Company in Burton Upon Trent. Reuben explained that the system is used for select beers, such as 90 Shilling On The Union and The Union, because it requires precision and careful time management to operate effectively
Once Reuben had concluded his talk about all the various bits of equipment inside the brewery, he then started the blind tasting which of course we were really looking forward to.
Tasting beer at Thornbridge Brewery
Reuben explained that the Thornbridge Brewery beer tasting would be split into two parts, the first set of three samples were Craft beers and the second set of three samples were the traditional cask beers. Each sample was a third of a pint tasting which we thought was a generous amount.
The important rule when it comes to any beer tasting , always allow one person in your group to be a designated driver, the majority of brewery experiences allow the driver to take home some samples and we were very happy when Thornbridge stated that we could take some samples back with us as well.
Taster 1 – Lukas Bavarian Lager 4.2% ABV
- Our thoughts – Straw blonde in colour, German beer texture which delivered a malty and sweet finish. Overall we both found this Lager sessionable and refreshing.
Official Tasting notes – A crisp Blonde style Bavarian Lager which is full bodied and ultimately refreshing.
Taster 2 – Green Mountain 4.3% ABV
- Our thoughts – Hazy looking beer with elegant aromas of citrus. Sensationally tropical with peach and pineapple. A perfect craft beer to enjoy on a warm Summer’s day.
Official Tasting Notes – A vibrant Hazy IPA which is packed full of hops to deliver this tropical juicy fruit bomb.
Taster 3 – Brock 4.1% ABV
- Our thoughts – A jet black craft beer that was moreish and very creamy. After taking a few gulps we honestly thought it was like drinking an Espresso Martini.
Official Tasting Notes – A dark treacled flavour nitrogen stout with an outstanding creamy head
Taster 4 – Lord Maples 4.0% ABV
- Our thoughts – The best of the British bitters, classical and traditional. The lacing on the glass was impeccable.
Official Tasting Notes – This was the first beer that Thornbridge launched. A vibrant mahogany British beer with a bittersweet finish of honey and caramel.
Taster 5 – Natures Pace 4.0% ABV
- Our thoughts – A crystal clear beer which was very mellow in colour. We picked up on the tasting small hints of citrus which made this beer taste fantastic.
Official Tasting Notes – Extra Pale and light in colour which delivers a soft mouth feel finish. Very moreish on the flavour making this beer extremely sessionable.
Final Taster – Jaipur 5.9% ABV
- Our thoughts – Light bodied in colour with substantial amounts of citrus. A huge amount of hops brings out this fruity exquisite IPA.
Official Tasting Notes – The flagship beer for the brewery. An enchanting bitterness which leads to many faultless flavours of lemon, grapefruit and tropical fruit.
Special Taster – Hayward 4.2% ABV
- Our thoughts – Although sour beers on the first sip deliver a sharpness to the mouth, take the second sip and be pleasantly surprised. This beer brought a refreshing flavour of kiwi and lime which was sweet and fruity.
Official Tasting Notes – A bright sour beer which is a fruit twist punch full of kiwi and limes
Conclusion Of Tasting at Thornbridge Brewery
All in all, the six blind beer tastings at Thornbridge Brewery which were selected for us were fantastic. The quantity as well as the quality of each pour delivered so many excellent aromas and flavours.
We then came to the picture that both our Connoisseurs, Luke and Chris had a decision to make on which taster they thought was best.
Our Whisky Connoisseur, Chris Walster overall favourite beer was Hayward (4.2% ABV) which was the special sour taster we were both allowed to sample. In his words, “The sharpness on the first sip was slightly unpleasant, but once you take the second sip, the Kiwi and Lime flavours make this beer taste sensationally sweet”.
Our Beer Connoisseur, Luke Slater thought the Lord Maples was his overall favourite beer that he sampled and this was his thoughts collectively. ” A classic British beer that provided so much flavour. The honey and caramel combining together just made this beer taste absolutely faultless”.
