Herevana – #202 – Thornbridge – Pachamama

Change of country for a change. Sunny Sunday afternoon and a Thornbridge Pachamama, which is a Brown Ale. Thornbridge make come notable beer, but I’ve not seen their “Never Ordinary Range” premium beers before, so like a magpie to a shiny thing…..

Thornbridge Brewery make the Thornbridge Pachamama in Bakewell, Derbyshire, 🇬🇧 England. This is a Brown Ale – Imperial and it has an ABV of 10.0%, this is shade under 3 standard drinks in NZ

Not your everyday Brown ale this one aged in Pedro Ximénez barrels and with a Spanish Honey, it does promise to be decadence.

For a big story that’s quite a muted aroma from the fresh open bottle, possibly a hint of honey.

A very murky muddy pour, but it settles to a glorious looking brown beer with a vicar white collar of a head, and again I can’t particularly pick out any particular aroma of note.

There is an underlying bitterness, which is tempered by quite a big layer of softer but not sweet, and there’s a little bit of a bite of alcohol tang at the very back.

Despite the lovely story and compelling difference this in the end lacks dept, and the bitterness begins to win over the warmth as it indeed warms in the glass, and thereby loses that sherry/brandy hint that would be quite welcome and, I imagine, enjoyable.

Overall not quite the decadence or difference that it easy to be spoilt on and found in may beers, s Brown Ale is unusual I’ll admit, but that doesn’t excuse it, it should be the difference and make this the beer that it wants to be, and that I wanted it to be. Richer, fuller, dazzling.

The Pdubyah-o-meter rates this as a soft 8 on the arbitrary scale. Whilst it looks the business there’s a muddle of aromas and it really lacks a bit of depth, but there’s a lovely warmth in this as it warms and settles.

Music: from 1999- Shack with the album HMS Fable. I’ve only just discovered this, and I really enjoy it.

Herevana beers are those I drink at home, I’m not at some beer festival, like, for instance, Beervana, but am just in my kitchen, usually, dining room table, sometimes, or outside, occasionally, where I can take an average picture and write in real time about the beer that I’ve invested in, both in a monetary and emotional way.

Philip himself.

10% Brown Ale With Spanish Honey Aged In Pedro Ximenez Barrels.

Pachamama is a divine brown ale, created with the addition of rich Spanish honey, enhancing the beer with floral notes and a light sweetness. We wanted to barrel age this in a way that would truly complement the honey and decided on native Pedro Ximénez barrels. The beer is aged for 9 months to give a beautiful consonance with the sherry, with flavours of raisins, candied fruits and hints of dark chocolate all interacting harmoniously for a complex and decadent beer.

Brown Ale – Imperial

The Imperial Brown Ale is a malty but hoppy beer frequently with chocolate and caramel flavors. The hop flavor and aroma complements and enhances the malt rather than clashing with it. This version of the original style, often based on the American Brown Ale, contains more malt, more hops and more alcohol. More chocolate and caramel type flavors than most American Strong Ales or Imperial Red Ales, typically with less prominent bitterness in the balance. Less bitterness and hop character than Imperial Brown IPAs.