Comments on: Thornbridge Raven: we like it

By: Bailey

Bailey — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:35:48 +0000

Thanks for the intel from Cask, Tyson. That’s a shame — it’s easier to come by Thornbridge than Dark Star in London, at least in our usual stamping grounds. But we’ll cope.

By: Tyson

Tyson — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:18:27 +0000

Meant also to say-had a chat with the landlord of Cask last week. He is majoring now on Thornbridge (glasses and all) so expect to see less of Dark Star, in the immediate future at least.

By: Tyson

Tyson — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:13:27 +0000

“Black IPA” is a silly title for a beer that clearly isn’t and smacks, frankly, of gimmickry. On whether it’s actually any good, the jury is split, which must say something as usually Thornbridge gets pretty well 100% approval. There seems to be a certain type of drinker that goes for it, but my feeling is that it went wrong somewhere and it became one of those beers that brewers like to pass off as “experimental”.

By: Bailey

Bailey — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:31:30 +0000

You’re on to something there, Mark — some colleagues of mine from Liverpool/Cheshire will refer to a session on Bacardi Breezers and white wine as a “night on the ales”.

By: Mark, Real-Ale-Reviews.com

Mark, Real-Ale-Reviews.com — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 11:57:01 +0000

I had a very Dark Star and Thoenbridge themed weekend in London. Cask had no Dark Star on as they have about 460 pallets of beer from oop North filling the cellar (Thornbridge I presume). Their new Murmansk was good though. The Bull in Horton Kirkby (Kent) had lots of Dark Star however, all excellent.

@Leigh India Dark Ale is a tidy classification
@Barm Beer, ale, does it matter? Even lager is ale according to my mates from Liverpool!

By: Martyn Cornell

Martyn Cornell — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 16:31:05 +0000

Now let’s not get started on THAT one!

By: Barm

Barm — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 15:36:51 +0000

India Pale Ale is an oxymoron anyway, as it is a Beer, not an Ale.

By: leigh

leigh — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 12:27:39 +0000

I thought we were going for something along the lines of ‘Cascadian Dark Ale’ or some such nonsense…Am i getting confused? I’m with you on this one – can’t be pale and dark at the same time. India Dark Ale?

By: Bailey

Bailey — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 12:14:19 +0000

Glad you liked it! Meantime might be getting big, but they’re certainly not afraid to experiment and it doesn’t always work out. A price worth paying for the variety, I think. We didn’t get to try the kellerbier but will definitely be back later in the year to give it a go (we were tempted to go this afternoon — the weather is gorgeous!).

By: AndrewS

AndrewS — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 11:41:51 +0000

Hi Bailey. Hopefully the lack of DS is just a temporary aberration. When I visited they were serving Hophead and Sussex Extra Stout. There’s definitely room for both breweries on the bar.

BTW, thanks to your recommendation, I made it along to the Old Brewery yesterday. I probably haven’t had enough kellerbiers to judge the authenticity of the Meantime take on the style, but it certainly went down well in the sunny beer garden. Not quite so taken with the Famous Belgian, but the Hospital Porter was gorgeous – the kind of beer that ticks all the right boxes for me. Must return to eat there at some point – it’s a very impressive venue and the staff were friendly and attentive.