Well another month and another Thornbridge `collaboration`. No pop stars involved this time but rather local illuminati Tom and Sophie off of Derbyshire Lane, S8, who visited the Bakewell brewhouse in their capacity as managers of The Cross Scythes.
Although we have enjoyed the likes of RatM Summer Ale, Thorny Goat, and Twin Peaks but they were not out of the top drawer of Thornbridge. Baize certainly divided geek opinion whilst Rattlesnake certainly had an alcoholic bite, or at least left a taste in the mouth that did not merit review (No fangs!). I did fear that I would need to swerve a review of Kacho out of fondness for what Tom and Sophie have done to `The Cross` but this collab is a belter!
I missed the `First Pour Friday` but had my own occasion (a second sip Saturday?) that did not disappoint. The beer line-up was the best I have seen in S8 and I had to tear myself away from the Buxton beer I started on, and which I had chosen ahead of the likes of Pollards (a seasonal favourite of mine), Halcyon, Beadica`s Well, etc; Strong Thornbridge fare at their best.
I must prefix my comments with the fact that I only had time for a few slurps of Kacho (I shall return for more!) but I loved the rum aspect. I feared that it would overpower the classic roast malt of this porter ale but O` Hara`s spicy tones appeared late, and surprisingly subtly, on my palate. Using a (very) local Rum is a masterstroke in my opinion and it is balanced well here (Kacho is a very different drinking experience to the Rattlesnake, the last Thornbridge `house beer`). Kacho reminded me of a really good liquor coffee, or maybe a Pollards with a splash of the Steel City`s very own pirate juice. Mind you, Pollards is a `stout` but the Cross Scythes (first born?) baby is a mere porter weighing in at `only` 6%. Whatever the label, both Pollards and Kacho boast plenty of punch for the palate.
Mike`s Score - 8.5 (happy to reassess, very soon!)
