Unionise!

Thornbridge acquired the Burton union system that Marston's were throwing out. You don't need me to tell you this: it was all over the beer news. Likewise, you don't need me to tell you what a Burton union is and does, which I easily could because I understand it completely. Two union-derived beers have arrived in Ireland in bottled form, and here they are.

The Union is the grandly titled flagship, an IPA with a grand ABV of 7%. Bottle conditioning has left the pale amber liquid a little hazy, which I'm sure a classically constructed English beer like this isn't meant to be. And by "classically constructed", I mean Maris Otter, Goldings, Northdown and invert sugar number 2. The aroma is very English, with an almost gastric sharp acidity. It's nicely light bodied, wearing its strength gently, much like the brewery's flagship IPA, Jaipur, does. And like Jaipur, the flavour opens with a pithy kick. There's citrus, but in the more easy-going jaffa orange manner of English hops, rather than any American grapefruit, and this sits next to a slightly metallic tang and a peppery spice. It became heavier as it warmed, and a single half litre serving was plenty. If there's something specifically union-y about the taste, I missed it: this is pretty much what I would expect an English-hopped 7% ABV IPA to taste like, similar perhaps to the one Meantime used to have as its claim to past glories. It's maybe a little strong to celebrate too loudly, but I enjoyed it regardless.

Now, that one was marked "a pure union brew" on the label; the West Coast IPA simply says "from the union". Is something different going on with the production here? I'm confused and a little suspicious. Anyway, this one is 6.5% ABV and collaborated on by Burning Sky. It's slightly hazier than the previous, and a paler shade of spun gold. The aroma's fresh grapefruit brings us straight to the west coast of the USA, and the mix of spritzy zest and oily dank in the flavour keeps us there. There's a certain softness in amongst the sharp hops, which is delightful and adds a welcome subtlety to what would otherwise be quite a brash beer. Is that the union's doing? Regardless, this is just the sort of high-end quality one expects from Thornbridge; bold and full-flavoured, but with a charming old fashioned classiness. Yes, it's a true-to-style American IPA, but there's a beautifully softer English vibe happening as well.

I am none the wiser as to what I, the beer drinker, am expected to expect from the use of a Burton union. These beers are both lovely, but very much in the way Thornbridge already operates. With luck, one of England's many fine beer writers will be able to explain what difference the equipment actually makes to the product, beyond the press releases and collaborations.