When James Kemp (universally known as JK) joined the brew team at Thornbridge a few months ago he came with a reputation for being passionate about brewing and having been crowned the New Zealand Home Brewing Champion in 2008 by winning three of the five major awards as well as the Liberty Award for best malt balanced beer and the Brewcraft Award for best beer.

 

 

He also had a recipe for a black IPA that he has been itching to develop and produce at Thornbridge. So when the brewery was offered the opportunity of brewing a new beer specifically for the Chesterfield CAMRA festival this October it presented JK with the chance to lead on the brew.

 

 JK explains “I wanted to brew a dark beer as strong as an IPA with as much bitterness and hop character but with the extra bonus of specialty malt flavours that are in dark beers, very complex, loads of flavour and really interesting”.  With a beer so dark Raven was an appropriate name.

 

In Raven JK has used Maris Otter, Munich, black patent and chocolate malt to get the black colour while suffusing it with roasts coffee and chocolate flavours. Hops are Nelson Sauvin for bitterness, Centennial and Sorachi for flavours and Nelson Sauvin, Centennial and Sorachi for aroma.  With Chinnook and Amarillo used to dry hop in the fermentor.

 

Raven will be on sale from 29th October- call 01629 64 1000 to place your order.

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