Thwaites Nutty Black

Ronseal would be proud of Thwaites. So would John Smith’s, once they got round to experimenting with new flavours anyway.

Some might say that Thwaites Nutty Black isn’t exactly a militant artisan beer, despite the fact it definitely offers something different to justanotherbitterpleasethankyouvery much. They are right – this is no Mikkeller experiment – but who cares.

Thwaites Nutty Black is a solid category winner. Nutty Black stands out against the norm, has been crafted into a mainstream local beer, a simple yet flavoursome ale. It’s character is balanced (a tad thin for my tastes) and it’s different by virtue of embracing nuttiness (and we believe no squirrels were harmed in it’s making).

Want tasting notes? Take one dark mild, make it taste nutty, hey presto!

Thwaites brew beers you can drink straight off the moors, alongside a Sunday roast, in front of an open fire with your dirty boots on. Nutty Dark is 3.3% so it’s almost what you might call a family beer and in it’s past life as Thwaites Dark Mild this beer has been around since 1807. It’s even a multi-Champion Beer of Britain winner. Daniel Thwaites would be proud today of his beer portfolio and that this Dark Mild survives on.

As autumn approaches or as the winter deepens, dark milds are just what the doctor ordered. Why CAMRA put Mild month in May I have no idea because you’d be mad to drink this before the leaves start to turn yellow and fall off. But drink it you should, because it’s pleasantly rewarding. If it’s leaves you unfulfilled but interested then you can try it’s stronger brother Thwaites Very Nutty Black, described tongue-in-cheek as ‘export strength’.

There’s no nonsense about Thwaites or Nutty Black, just simple northern charm and humour (read the labels on the bottles!).

Thwaites Nutty Black does exactly what it says on the tin.

Nutty Black pumpclip (by Paul Kayley for Thwaites)

Exported to the Far East of Leeds (photo by Nick Martin)

Beer information:
Beer: Nutty Black
Brewery: Thwaites
Style: Dark Mild
ABV: 3.3%
Country: Blackburn, England

Photo credits: Paul Kayley & Nick Martin