Thornbridge Brewery Alliance - Madeira Reserve 2007

Alliance - Madeira Reserve 2007

 

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

  Barley Wine - Barley Regular Out of Production
Score
7.58
ABV: 11.0% IBU: - Ticks: 25
During 2007, an alliance based on friendship and love of great beer between Thornbridge’s Head Brewer Stefano Cossi and Brooklyn Brewery’s Garrett Oliver led to the brewing of this refined strong ale which has been matured for over 18 months before being bottled. The collection includes the unoaked Alliance Strong Ale and two finished exclusively in fortified wine casks: Spanish oak Pedro Ximenez Sherry (PX) and American oak Madeira. We hope you enjoy this unique tasting experience.
 

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7.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

Bottle. Thornbridge online. That’s the wrong pic. It’s red. Anyway. Not a ton of life left in this. Some oaky sweet Sherry / Madeira thing on top of light woody vanilla pod. I’m being generous. Pretty sweet overall. Flat and dull mouthfeel. Sweet finish. It’s how you might expect a 2007 brewed beer to turn out now.

Tried from Bottle on 27 Sep 2023 at 22:26


7.5
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

At the 8th tasting (round 2), held in Vranovo and Pozarevac. 2007 bottle courtesy of mortlach from Rome, ciao e grazie mille. Pours a reddish pink color, hazy, almost no head. Nose: caramel, mou, leather. Mouth: mild dusty notes, caramel, frizzy end and quite bitter.

Tried from Bottle on 29 Jul 2015 at 09:44


7.2
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Bottle at Craig’s. Pours clear chestnut with a thin white head. Aromas of sherry, oak, boozy. Taste is light sweet, dry finish. Marzipan.

Tried from Bottle on 28 Nov 2014 at 12:46


7.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

Bottle at Craig’s. Pours amber, nose is toffee, vanilla, oak, taste is sweet toffee, caramel, fruity. --- Beer merged from original tick of Alliance Madeira Reserve (2007) on 30 Nov 2014 at 15:19 - Score: 7. Original review text: Bottle at Craig’s. Pours amber, nose is toffee, vanilla, oak, taste is sweet toffee, caramel, fruity.

Tried from Bottle on 28 Nov 2014 at 12:46


7.2
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Bottle at Chateau Jackl, big thanks to Fin for trading me this one, 13/08/14. Murky mahogany brown with a moderate beige covering. Nose is dark fruit, brown sugars, dark toffee fudge, dates, spice. Taste comprises mellow dark fruits, vanilla, spice, dark toffee, lightly oxidised tones but holding up well, spice, molasses, oaky wood. Full bodied, fine carbonation, light booze inthe close. Decent.

Tried from Bottle on 30 Aug 2014 at 01:43


7.5
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Bottle at Jack’s, massive thanks to Colin! It pours murky brown with minimal head. The nose is soft, fruity, caramel, candy, berry, rich vinous, some oxidization, Madeira and jam. The taste is slick, oily, candy vinous notes, wood, jam, raisin, strawberry, raspberry and oxidized malts. Full body, fine carbonation and oily mouth-feel. Good depth and fruitiness. Enjoyable.

Tried from Bottle on 14 Aug 2014 at 02:16


8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Bottle shared in London - many thanks to Colin for this personal whale. Pours rich unclear amber with a foamy tan head. The nose holds toasted wood, ripe orange, toffee, dates, caramel. Medium to big sweet flavor with light carbonation. Warming finish with some oxidized malts, more toffee, golden raisins, caramel, low bitterness, ripe apples. Lovely stuff. Has aged well.

Tried from Bottle on 13 Aug 2014 at 15:33


8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 8

Cooperation between Thornbridge and Brooklyn matured for 18 months and consisting of three versions of Alliance, two of which matured on casks of fortified wines. The result was a wonderfully complex barley wine with an off-white head and warm amber colour, a complex aroma of honey, madera, orange peel, almond, apricot, liquorice, sherry and bayleaf and a rich, delicious and multi-layered taste of a herbal sweetness supported by hints of sherry, madera and - although only virtual - some bourbon, in the finish complex woodiness with warming and soothing, but never astringent alcohol. Wish I had bought more bottles at the time.

Tried from Cask on 24 Jul 2014 at 09:04


7.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

11th December 2010
Cloudy amber beer, tidy white head. Woody caramel vanilla nose. Softish dry palate. Aniseed and minerals lead to a sweetish malt base. The Madeira is pretty subtle but provides a nice dark tone against the light fruit salad sweet notes found in all 3 of these beers. Caramel malt before the slightly spirity finish. Nice beer but not in the same league as it’s siblings!

Tried on 17 Nov 2012 at 05:21


8.3
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9

Bottle purchased at the Grove Inn in Huddersfield. Amber/golden with a medium off white head.Sweet malty aroma with lots of ripe fruits, vanilla, oak, madeira. Sweet taste, very ripe fruit, sugar, caramel a bit alcoholic, decently hopped that makes the finish bitter. Well crafted liek a mixture of UK and US Barley wines.

Tried from Bottle on 29 Nov 2011 at 02:30