Pale beer macerated on Blaufränkisch grape pomace from Joy Hill farm. Aged for 5 months in an American Merlot barrel. A dry, fruity and complex beer that bridges the worlds of wine and beer and celebrates hard work in the fields!
It pours a slightly hazy, beautiful golden colour with orange highlights. A small, fizzy, off-white head forms as it’s poured, then disappears almost immediately.
On the nose, the barrel really comes through! Woody aromas mingle with wine-like notes reminiscent of grapes. There are also hints of hay, peach and tropical fruit. A bouquet that makes you want to take a sip!
On the palate, flavours of white grape, apricot and lychee come together delicately. The beer is very dry and lightly effervescent. Its subtle acidity lets the fruity and mineral nuances shine through.
The wine-like character carries through to the finish, leaving a slight astringency on the tongue. As for the alcohol, it’s completely imperceptible in the flavour. Delicate as can be!
Looking at other tasting notes for this beer, I notice that several date back many months, or even a few years. It makes me curious about its ageing potential and how its flavour develops in the bottle. I would have loved to taste it younger, simply to see the difference. Was the fruit more prominent? Was the acidity more pronounced?
A little comparison over time would have been lovely… but for now, I’m really enjoying what’s in my glass! 😉