Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the
NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.
Tonight’s featured beer is Almanac Beer Company Brandy
Barrel Pêche - Ale Brewed with Peaches and Aged in Used Brandy Barrels.
From the Almanac Beer Company website: “Historically,
fruit-infused sour beers were a way of preserving the summer harvest. In that
tradition, this blonde ale was added to brandy barrels with high-summer
peaches, hand-picked by the Loewen family at Blossom Bluff Orchards in Reedley,
California. We aged this liquid gold for six months until we needed a reminder
that summer will come again. Pair with Prosciutto, crusty bread and fruit
preserves.
Farm to Barrel
Our Farm to Barrel beers focus on the eons-old tradition of
aging beers in oak barrels. This American wild ale was aged in used wine casks
with our house “Dogpatch” sour culture, a cocktail of wild Belgian and American
yeasts, including San Francisco sourdough starter. The yeasts slowly morph the
beer from a traditional ale into something wild, creating a mild acidic bite as
well as pulling oak and vanilla flavors from the barrel. After maturing, the
barrels are blended together—creating a vinous, delicate beer that captures the
essence of a particular harvest. Farm to Barrel Beers are alive in the bottle,
and will continue to mature gracefully for several years.”
Let’s get started!
Appearance: Pours
a hazy pale orange color with a foamy white head and light lacing.
Aroma: Tart,
peaches, funky with a bit of oak and only the slight scent of brandy.
Taste: Tart and
sour lemon, peach, vanilla, sweetness that seems to come from the malts used
with a touch of oak and brandy in the finish.
Overall: Crisp,
tart, sweet and refreshing Almanac Beer Company Brandy Barrel Pêche is
terrific! This 7% ABV offering is totally enjoyable. I tried this at the SF Beer Week Opening Gala
(here)
and loved it.
Cheers!
Mark Harvey
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