Thornbridge Brewery Thornbridge Hall - Bracia

Thornbridge Hall - Bracia

 

Thornbridge Brewery in Bakewell, Derbyshire, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

  Spiced / Herbed / Vegetable / Honey - Honey Special
Score
8.07
ABV: 10.0% IBU: 50 Ticks: 180
Bracia is the Celtic name for a beverage brewed in Iron Age Europe with reference found on a Roman inscription at Haddon Hall, Derbyshire. Little is known about this except it was high in alcohol, brewed with cereals and, most probably, honey.

Thornbridge’s Bracia has been infused with a generous amount of dark and bitter Chestnut Honey. This was sourced by Head Brewer Stefano Cossi from Beekeeper Onelia Pin in the Alpine foothills of North East Italy. Aromas are of chestnut, honey, cappuccino, white chocolate, dark fruits, vibrant fresh peel. The mouthfeel is velvety and rich, with notes of coffee, chocolate, liquorice and hazelnuts with warming alcohol, cocoa and a little peat in the finish.

Malts: Maris Otter, Brown, Munich, Dark Crystal, Black, Chocolate, Peated and Roasted Barley.
Hops: Target, Pioneer, Hallertau Northern Brewer and Sorachi Ace.

Bracia can be cellared for up to one year, maybe longer. Its flavours will evolve so why not enjoy the experience of opening a bottle every once in a while.
 

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9.4/10 Appearance 10 Aroma 9 Flavor 9 Texture 10 Overall 9.5
Bottle. Color: Very dark brown, stable mocha colored head. Aroma: Pretty intense, sweetish, chestnut, notes of milk coffee, dark red fruit, hints of chocolate. Taste: Sweetish and lightly bitter, honey, (chest)nut, strong notes of mocha, notes of milk coffee, dried dark red fruit, roasted malt. Herbal hints. Boozy hints at finish. Medium to over medium bitter, bit earthy mouthfeel at finish. Full body, strong flavours, below average carbonation, smooth mouthfeel. Great beer to enjoy slow sipping
Tried from Bottle on 09 Aug 2018 at 19:14

7.9/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
500ml bottle, from trade with theydon_bois, thanks Colin. Chocolate, nuts, coffee grounds, dark chocolate, nutty, sweet, nutty finish. Medium body. Good.
Tried from Bottle on 07 Jul 2018 at 16:00

8.3/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 10 Overall 8
Bottle from SB. Opaque black with creamy beige head. Rich leather, cocoa, candied sugar, wet wood, dates. Smooth texture, lasting sweetish finish.
Tried from Bottle on 21 Apr 2018 at 19:11

6.8/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 6
2014 bottle into a snifter showing amber brown with sparse white foam. The nose shows moderately intense notes of sweet roasted chestnuts, honey, and light malts. The palate is full bodied and well carbonated. Pronounced notes of chestnut and malt with a strong hoppy bitterness. Alcoholic spiciness throughout.
Tried from Bottle on 11 Feb 2018 at 12:46

8.3/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 9
Bottle, 2015. Nose is grapes, berries, honey. Sweet berry flavor, burnt something or other, honey, chocolate, very bitter finish in a unique and fascinating way. Class and awesome beer like no other.
Tried from Bottle on 03 Jan 2018 at 21:17

8.6/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 9 Texture 10 Overall 8.5
Bottle 50 cl., FANTASTIC! Deep red with a nice light brown head. Nice aroma, dark fruit, coffee, chocolate some wood and licorice. Sweet taste, light bitterness with a warm dark fruit, coffee and wooden end. Again, fantastic! BB 13.03.20.
Tried from Bottle on 21 Jul 2017 at 00:01

9/10 Appearance 10 Aroma 8 Flavor 9 Texture 10 Overall 9
0.5 l bottle from ’Rudat’, best before October 2018, cellared for more than two years. Pitch black with a medium large, frothy, stable, light brown head. Sweetish-malty, slightly roasty and a little smoky aroma of milk chocolate, mocca, toasted hazelnut, a touch of dark fruits and faint hints of peat. Quite sweet, malty, roasty and slightly peaty taste of dark chocolate, lots of mocca, praline, licorice, some peat and hints of dark fruits, followed by a long, rather roasty-bitter, earthy and a little warming-alcoholic finish. Full body, creamy mouthfeel, soft carbonation. Wonderful beer, very intense and moreish but still well-balanced, just way too expensive.
Tried from Bottle on 10 Jul 2017 at 15:07

8/10
Tried from Bottle on 27 Jun 2017 at 19:27

6/10
Tried on 17 Jun 2017 at 14:17

10/10
Tried on 22 Apr 2017 at 10:58