Pondera
Thornbridge Brewery

Copenhagen 29/4 2021. 44 cl can from Meny, Borups Allé, Frb. F. Light blue can where Thornbridge’s lion and Firestone Walker’s bear is challenging each other.

Pours unclear golden yellow with a mid-sized white head. Settles as thin patchy layer of foam struggling to cover the surface of the beer. Clinging to the sides of the glass. No lacing.

Aroma is fairly intense with a light fruity sweetness mingling with strong citric scents. Sweet peach and black currants. Grapefruit and citrus.

Light carbonation. Slightly thick, oily, almost flat texture.

Flavor is medium intense with a medium strong sweetness followed by a slightly stronger bitterness. Aftertaste is bitter and lingers for a while. Finish is fairly dry.

Nice bitter take on a West Coast India Pale Ale.

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.7%. Slightly hazy golden colour, moderate white head. Aroma of citrus, various tropical fruits and spruce. Citric but still fairly smooth mouthfeel. Fresh flavour with the same elements as the aroma, also pine needles and a fairly distinct bitterness in the finish.

440ml can from Morrisons (£3):
Pale golden & very clear with a 1cm, foamy white head that slowly settles as a thin surface lacing. The nose opens with tropical fruits & citrus, its not the strongest west coast IPA but grapefruit & stone fruits feature alongside some sweet malts, candied sugar & a pine bitterness. It's a bitter tasting beer too, again grapefruit, resinous pine & citrus hops kick things off with some sweetness & a few lighter malts; it's tangy without being as in your face as expected but the balance was good. It's medium bodied, sharp & tangy with more sweetness than usual for the style but it goes down well & the alcohol content is well hidden too.

440ml can. Collaboration with Firestone Walker.
L: Dark gold colour with a light haze and a fluffy, open-bubbled head. Sheets and arcs of lacing.
S: Rich, overripe tropical fruit with an earthy background.
T: Tropical fruit with a side order of resin. Bitterness is moderate to astringent.
F: Medium body, nicely chewy, foaming carbonation, some alcoholic heat.
O: Hoppy, fruity, earthy, very bitter, west coast IPA. Heavy Firestone Walker influence.

*Benefits from drinking slowly and savouring. My first review was on a hot summer day when I was thirsty and in need of a 'cold one'. I marked it down as "too rich and too heavy". This time, on a wintery, lockdown Sunday evening, it's like a totally different beer.

Canned in a big old tallboy crafty craft can
Pours a crystal clear golden body with big thick white head
Aroma is sweet malt and citrus
Flavour has that crystal malt finish but the finish isn’t bitter enough imho still good

Thornbridge / Firestone Walker collab

L4.5 Classic amber, good head retention - white as white. Looks great.
S4.25 Fresh fruity
T4.25 Great balance, loads of bitterness.
F4.5 Spot on as always from Thornbridge
O4.25 Great example of a West Coast IPA. Very similar to thornbridge halcyon IMO.