Thornbridge

Since we last spoke to Thornbridge, the brewery has acquired a sizeable haul of awards, including three national and international awards for Cocoa Wonderland, its 6.8% Chocolate Porter, and the prized title of Best Flavoured Beer in the World for its Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout, Necessary Evil, at the 2022 World Beer Awards. 

In celebration of winning Beer52’s Members’ Choice Award, Thornbridge has brewed us Chiron, a West Coast Pale whose balance and drinkability pays homage to the globally celebrated original of its style, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. This beer is built on a complex malt base of wheat, munich, caramalt and low-colour maris otter, and liberally hopped with Chinook, Columbus, Cascade and Amarillo. The result is a piney, chewy beer with an earthy, lemon scent and soft, tropical fruit on the palate, finished off with a moreish, lasting bitterness.

When we ask sales manager George Tims how members can best enjoy this beer, he says simply that it should be shared with friends. “Picture the scene,” he says, “it’s a sunny day and you’re sitting around the garden temporarily forgetting about the cost of electricity. The whiff of sweet hickory smoke is wafting from the Boston Butt of pork on the smoker, ska music playing in the background and a cool box jammed full of ice cold Chiron. That’s what this beer is all about.”