Earthy in OC

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Exciting news from The Bruery. They are changing up the infrastructure of their beer brands with the new Bruery Terreux (“Earthy Bruery”), a “brand that will focus solely on farmhouse-style ales fermented with wild yeasts as well as oak-aged sour ales.  The Bruery’s original brand will rededicate its focus specifically on experimentation with non-wild ales, modern twists on classic styles and aging beer in bourbon and other spirit barrels.”

All brewing operations will remain as is with the exception of the Terreux wort will be then “transported to their own facility a few miles down the road.  All fermentation, barrel aging and packaging will take place at this second facility.”

And the two brands will eventually have two separate tasting rooms by 2015 (if all goes to plan).

According to the new website, the “current brands from The Bruery that are brewed with wild yeasts or bacteria such as Saison Rue, Oude Tart, or Hottenroth Berliner Weisse, will be transitioned to Bruery Terreux.  The recipes will remain the same, but will be overseen by wild beer specialists and will be bottled under the new branding.”

I am still processing this change and what it means from a marketing and customer standpoint. But at first glance it seems a change more for streamlining brewing operations.  I do see that down the road, some loyal customers may be confused that one person who likes Hottenroth and another that likes Burly Gourd may have to drink at separate locations.  Unless beers from each arm are made available at each location.  That is all speculative though since this is 2014 and things will probably evolve from here.

More news on this change as it becomes available.

 

Journey to the Center of the Barrel – Part 3

The last stop on the grand tour of Firestone-Walker that the brewery sent us humble L.A. Beer Bloggers on was in Buellton at the new in 2013, Barrelworks.

And at this stop, after another grand lunch with some really fresh and hoppy Pale 31, we had to do some (gasp!), actual work.  OK, that was bit dramatic but we did get to try our hand at blending a sour beer.

We were given four beers to play with and let loose to create our own sour masterpiece.

Blending FW

My partner-in-crime for this experiment was Craig Berry from LA Beer Blog .  We found a free spot and had to figure out how to blend the following:

Component #1 – Saison-Lil with Brett and Lacto in from an Opus One barrel

Component #2 – Saison with just Brett from a Viognier wine barrel

Component #3 – Saison with Brett and Lacto from a Viognier wine barrel

Component #4 – Bretta Weisse from a retired Union barrel

IMG_4179We then had to find our favorite by blending different percentages of each beer. Since I am a novice at this, it was a bit like playing Battleship.  Guessing which beer should be in lower amounts and which beer needed more and then having to go back and trying again.

IMG_4182We came up with five different blends and liked the last couple attempts better so we were learning fast.  But more importantly, I now know how hard it must be to do this and I have even more appreciation for “Sour” Jim who heads up the program.  To figure out which blend is best is not easy.

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