Curious Raspberry Kettle Sour

Description

Something curiously different
At the outset this brew looks like any other A bit of pilsner malt and wheat married with some Kentish Bullion hops and fermented with an American ale strain. Its what we did in between that turned this into a blush-coloured, tart, and refreshing treat.

Sour from the start
We normally take around 7 hours to convert the malted barley, hops, and water into wort which our yeast then generously turns into beer over the next several weeks. With this brew we elongated the initial brewing process with the addition of lactic acid bacteria in our kettle. We held the brew at 38C for 24 hours to let that bacteria sour the wort. We then boil it to sterilize, add our Bullion hops, and carry on as though nothing happened.

A seasonal addition
After fermentation with US-05 Ale yeast we added two separate additions each of 100 Kg of fresh, locally picked raspberries to give this tart sensation its reddish hue and overwhelming punch of raspberry.

Unfiltered and fully flavoured
We kept the processing to a minimum in order to deliver the most flavourful beer possible. It should have a touch of haze left in it.

Visual
Expect this to look a bit like a sparkling ros: blush-coloured and bubbly with a high level of carbonation.

Aroma
Those bubbles should lift the delicate raspberry aroma to your nose along with a background of stone and forest fruits from the Bullion hops. The malt provides a light background of crackers and fresh hay.

Flavour
Sour should be the first word on your lips. Followed closely by wow! This beer is tart raspberry simplicity. Light, crisp, fruity, and effervescent. Best served at 4C on a sunny afternoon. Vegan and Vegetarian friendly.