Monthly Archives: March 2009

Signature Ale


Posted by Aschwin de Wolf

signatureBrettanomyces and hops are a predictable element in traditional lambic brewing but, as a general rule, the hops are not allowed to contribute to the flavor of the beer. One exception to this rule is Cantillon Iris, which does not contain wheat and includes fresh hops. As such, Cantillon has wisely decided not to label that a lambic beer. Another example of a beer that combines the Brettanomyces yeast and hops is the classic Trappist ale Orval.  But what can we expect from an experiment to combine Brettanomyces and American West Coast style hopping?

Signature Ale was conceived by the Port Brewing Company and De Proefbrouwerij in 2007 to find out. This  limited American / Belgian collaboration uses Sacchromyces and Brettanomyces and Amarillo, UK Phoenix, and German Brewers’ Gold hops during the boil and dry hopping. The result was released in 750 ml corked bottles.

The following notes were taken on Friday, March 27, 2009.

Poured into a snifter.

Appearance: Golden orange color. Substantial amount of yeast in bottom of bottle before pouring, resulting in a little yeast in the glass. 1.5 fingers of foam with some head retention and lacing.

Smell: Brett, pronounced orange smell, and citrus hops. Sweeter and more expressive when it gets warmer, but no element ever runs amok.

Taste: The malt, Brett and hops are in perfect harmony throughout. Ends on a velvety, hoppy finish. Warm and boozy.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, nice carbonation, smooth, and creamy.

Drinkability: Smooth sipper. Beer changes with temperature, but is incredibly well integrated at every temperature. At 8.5% alcohol, this beer definitely packs a punch…take a taxi home!

Can one use Brettanomyces for beers that are not sour? I had an experimental 100% Brett beer once and was seriously underwhelmed, having to poor a portion of it down the drain. So it is fair to say that this beer was approached with some degree of caution. I am therefore glad to report that Signature Ale is absolutely stunning. The malt, brett and citrus hops present themselves in a beautiful balance. Finding a note that is off, even at different temperatures, is impossible.  This drinks like a strong but subtle Imperial IPA with the warm and introvert feel of a good Belgian Trappist Triple. This creation should not leave any remaining questions about the use of Brettanomyces for strongly hopped beers. A remarkable achievement.


Nørrebro Bryghus Old Odense Ale


Posted by Aschwin de Wolf

As discussed in the post the domestication of beer, the practice of wild fermentation must have ensured that many traditional gruits must have been quite sour in taste.  It was therefore only a matter of time before modern craft brewers in search of tradition sought to re-create such brews.  A recent and interesting attempt at a spiced sour ale is Old Odense Ale, a collaboration between Dogfish Head and Nørrebro Bryghus based on a 15th century Danish gruit recipe.

The following notes were taken on Tuesday, March 24, 2009:

600 ml in a snifter.

Appearance: Opaque, reddish / orange color, pours with two finger head but little head retention and no lacing.

Smell: Fruity, sour apple, hay, yeast, caramel/maple syrup.

Taste: Sharp, sour apple with a subtle sweet caramel candy apple note. Ends on a slightly bitter herbal note. Could not detect the anise.

Mouthfeel: Thin and smooth with a vinous astringent note. Carbonation is moderate and in balance with the beer style.

Drinkability: Very drinkable. Goes down easy and light.

There is no established beer style for Old Odense Ale but the flavor profile reminds me more of a  subtle spiced Flanders Red than a traditional lambic.  This is far too good to go down the memory hole as  a one-time limited brew and hopefully it, or a similar brew, can be made available again in the future.  Old Odense Ale is highly recommended. There is a future for spiced tart beers.