| |
Thornbridge, based in Bakewell, Derbyshire, in part of Richard Arkwright's water-powered mill that inaugurated the industrial revolution in the 18th century, is - fittingly, given its surroundings - one of the most innovative craft breweries in the country. Now it has added to its Jaipur IPA, St Petersburg Russian Stout and beers matured in malt whisky casks a weisse or wheat beer brewed in the true Bavarian fashion.
Thornbridge production director Rob Lovatt fell in love with the style as a result of numerous visits to Bavaria where "wheat beer just blew me away". He says Bavarian weisse beer is close
to the heart of good beer but the style is notoriously difficult to produce. While he's a great lover of cask-conditioned ale, on this occasion he thought it best to showcase
Versa in keg and bottle. The beer is neither filtered nor pasteurised and is a genuine hefe-weisse (with yeast). For more information about how the beer is
brewed see the Thornbridge blog.
Rob uses a Bavarian yeast strain to create the true wheat beer aroma and palate and he also uses Bavarian wheat malt along with pale, cara and crystal barley malts. Tettnanger hops come from the
Bavarian Hallertau region and create 15 units of bitterness.
The beer was launched on draught on 30 June at the Sheffield Tap on Sheffield railway station.
Thornbridge, Versa Weisse Beer (England) 
Versa Weisse Beer has a hazy orange/bronze colour with a big fluffy head of foam leading to a classic weisse aroma of cloves, bubblegum and banana. The beer is spicy, herbal, fruity and tart in the mouth with more of a hop attack than is normal for the style. As well as banana, there�s also a powerful hint of apple. The finish is long, quenching and complex, with banana and bubblegum to the fore but with a good solid underpinning of rich malt, spices and hops.
Malt: high. Hops: medium. Fruit: high. See website for information about draught outlets. 5.0% ABV, 50cl, �24 per 12, brewery website.  |  |
go to beer of the moment archives
|
|
