Bracia
Thornbridge Brewery

This one pours a fairly dark black color, with a small head, and a bit of lacing.

This smells like heavily roasted malt, peat, light smoke, caramel, nuttiness, dark chocolate, and honey.

This is classified as a strong ale, but it’s really, really reminiscent of an imperial stout. There’s a ton of roast here, and just the lightest hint of earthy peat and dark smokiness. There’s some chocolate and a definite rustic nuttiness, along with heavily roasted coffee and caramel. The honey adds a pleasant sweetness that helps offset the bitterness here.

This is medium bodied and fairly creamy, with no real booziness to it.

I imagine this would take really well to barrel aging, given the sharp edges. I do really enjoy the sharp edges, however.

I stumbled upon this one almost entirely by accident today at a local store that I haven’t been to in quite some time. I knew the name looked familiar when I saw it on the shelf, so I just had to check. As soon as I did, I grabbed a bottle. Let’s see what the highest rated English Strong Ale on BA is all about

Pours a very dark brown with a finger of tan head that fades to a ring and leaves minimal lacing

Oh man, this has an awesome blend of sweet malt and fruit notes in the nose that I’m really digging. I’m picking up on aromas of dates, sweet caramel, golden raisin, molasses, brown sugar, dark bread, port wine, toffee, light tobacco, and honey

While I still very much enjoy the taste of this, it doesn’t quite hit the same beautiful sweetness on display in the nose, opting for something a tad more boozy. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting tobacco, brown sugar, sweet honey, fusel alcohol, raisin, molasses, light toffee, and dry oak. The swallow brings notes of golden raisin, molasses, toffee, dark toast, sweet honey, fig, black tea, light tobacco, and a touch of cocoa powder

A medium body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a slick beer. Finishes a tad watery but with a nice fruitiness to amp it up a bit

This is definitely a unique beer. Such an interesting blend of notes going on here that makes for something awesome. I might have to pick up some more

Managed to find a bottle, no idea the year though, but by the taste I am guessing younger. Very dark brown pour with a tan head. Just as described in the menu: hazelnut, earth, honey, dark chocolate, mild roasted malts and a big finishing chestnut. Smell has some licorice and light raisin lingering in the honey, but otherwise similar though sweeter as the roast and nuts depth doesn't translate as much as in the taste. Malty the whole way, thicker than expected, smooth, very warm, and rich for style

 

 

 

 

500 ml bottle, as Thornbridge Hall Bracia, at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10%. Pitch black colour, large brown head. Mildly roasty, nutty and malty aroma, hints of honey and chocolate. Smooth and rich flavour with loads of malty sweetness, but not cloying. Roasty notes / mild coffee, also notes of chocolate, honey and nuts. Decent hops in the finish and aftertaste, which also has faint notes of peat smoke. Excellent beer!

 

 

Poured from fridge temp. This one looks really nice. Pours jet black with tan head. Nose is charred wood, licorice, raisin, coffee, and dark chocolate. Taste is black licorice (dominates), chocolate, lactose, malts, sweetness, slight bitterness, and honey. Mouthfeel is thick and viscous. Overall, an amazing stout.

 

 

 

 

Bottle from Bottle Shop- Druid St. Dark and smoky, near black with bubbly brown head. Aroma is campfire, taste is more stout-y, some chocolate. Warmth sneaks up and makes you glow. Once acclimated, this one rocks.

Poured from 1 pint .9 fluid ounce bottle into glass. No dating information found on bottle or label.
Opaque black body. Fizzy tan head settles to ring fed by bubbles. No lacing.
Aroma of dark fruit, caramel, licorice, coffee, a little chocolate, and sweetness. Peaty.
Taste is sweet honey, along with chocolate, coffee, licorice, toffee, and dark fruit/pear. Also bitter hops. Peat as it trails off.
Full mouth feel, somewhat coating, kind of hot.
A beer like a liqueur, lots of tastes involved, quite rich and heavy. Honey sweetness is balanced by the dark notes. I like the peat.

Poured a blackish body with minimal tan head that sticks around. Aroma is basically dark fruits like figs/raisins/prunes and some sugariness which I assume is honey. Beer is sticky, strong and slightly boozy so you get noes of dark fruits, honey/toffee, and also minimal notes of dryness like nuts and bitter chocolate and/or coffee.

 

L:
-pours a dark brown with faint ruby tinges and a small to medium,foamy,beige head
S:
-chocolate,banana,coffee,fudge,molasses,cinnamon,licorice,leafy
T:
-coffee,fudge,nutty,honey,chocolate,spicy,cinnamon,caramel
F:
-light to medium carbonation
-medium to full body
-alcohol noticeable
O:
A fantastic Dessert Beer.Not too sweet, not too boozy.Perfect for Winter.
Fans of Imperial Stouts should get this.

 

From elcervecero. In Teku glass. Playing A Foretold Affair. Really nice roastyness, with chocolate, coffee and molasses. Important alcohol presence well integrated,not bothering but forcing slow drinking

 

 

Decanted from a 500 ml bottle into a conical pint (I have a collect, just saying').
A: Opaque brown with being truly black; mocha color head which was 1/4 inch and persisted. Not much in the way of legs.
S: Dark malts, with dark chocolate, caramel, and toffee notes.
T: Black coffee, dark chocolate, and hazelnut. Bitterness, nicely balanced with malt.
M: Medium to full bodies; persistent effervescence.
O: Wow! Not inexpensive, but really an exceptional drinking experience. More for dessert than the main course. Gift it to friends who can truly appreciate it.

This is a big beer we've got here. Very bold with roasted malts, chestnuts, and citrusy/sprucey hops. Umami. It goes perfectly together in balance in great complexity. The mouthfeel is thick and nicely carbonated. This beer is strong and made for special occasion. Take care of it.

Delightfully unique beer, I think due to the honey flavor. Not overly sweet, nice balance of honey sweetness and bitter-herbal flavors. Looks like a stout but defies categories. Will pick up again.

From a 500ml bottle.
L: Black. Even when held against a light, very little shows through. Just some faint, red edging. Two fingers of mocha coloured foam (lots of big, open bubbles) recedes slowly to a 2mm cap. Leaves a few bars of crema-like lacing.
S: Piles of dark fruit steeped in sherry.
T: Coffee, liquorice, Islay whisky, oak. Sweet malt and bitter hops are perfectly balanced
F: Rich & unctuous. Hint of creamy carbonation. Finish is dry, long and boozy.
O: Outstanding. At nearly ten quid a bottle, this is a "treat yourself to something special" beer. Fortunately, it makes the mark. Rich, warming, luscious, boozy. Definitely a sipper.

 

 

 

The first time I Had Bracia, I enjoyed its richness, but did not think I could stomach the price/quality ratio.
Yet, here we are again.
I am Looking at an opaque ale. Its nose is very dense and rich and full of coffee, chocolate figs and the rest is mostly malt. Tastes are largely the same with some hops making the presence known... but nicely. Mouth Feel is suitable, although I personally would appreciate fewer bubbles. Maybe I'll get that if a hold the rest for tomorrow. Now, that is one way to get my moneys worth !

Listed on the "1001", I suppose it deserves to be on the list since Thornbridge is an innovative crafter and the work that goes into Bracia certainly proves that point.

 

 

A - Dark brown opaque pour with a thin, bubbly, lacing ring.

S - Caramelized malt, cherries, some chocolate, vanilla molasses, oak.

T - Toasted caramel from start to finish with a subtle citrus nuance on the finish.

M - Thick medium, silky feel, very sticky on the lips.

O - Balanced and elegant.