This innovative beer has been created to celebrate the 5 th edition of the Beer Geek Madness – North Side. The freezing North brings to mind sour flavors represented by its typical fruit, the cranberry, whose powerful sourish flavor and tartness make it a perfect Sour Ale ingredient appreciated by any Beer Geek. We have saved some portion of this beer to take it a few steps further. We poured the beer into Bourbon barrels, added cinnamon, and left it to age for a few months. Before opening the barrels, we added some fresh lemon peels to give the beer a refreshing and mind-blowing aroma! Our inspiration for the beer was the famous Bourbon- Cranberry cocktail. Give it a try to see if we have succeeded in recreating its taste in beer.

	SALAMANDER Cinnamon and Citrus Bourbon B.A. 2017 Cranberry Sour Ale Exceptional acidic beer brewed with cranberry juice. Very light malts and wheat flakes make for a neutral cereal foundation. Cranberry juice has enhanced the beer’s sourness, fruity flavor and characteristic tartness.

Style

It’s a strong fruity acidic style. Strong extract (as for acidic beer) – over 15 plato, bright in color (the extract comes largely from wheat flakes) and acidified with lactic acid bacteria. The addition of fruit, in the form of pressed juice, intensifies the acidic taste while giving the characteristic cranberry sourness. It is an innovative idea to age it in Bourbon barrels with cinnamon to finish it off with a big addition of citrus peels.

Malts/extract:

Very light malts, Pilsner and wheat malts, enriched with wheat flakes, lay a strong foundation for acidic bacteria and the fruity profile of the cranberry.

Hops:

Acidity enriches the taste of bitter hop compounds. This is the reason why hopping itself seems limited as for this extract. The majority of hops have been added at the end of the cooking process so as to save the citric aroma of the American hops variety Citra.

Bacteria:

Lactic acid bacteria are the defining characteristic of this beer style. Giving beer its sour flavor, they may be found in bread starter, kefirs and yoghurts. They produce lactic acid which intensifies the sour flavor and refreshing qualities.

Cranberry juice:

We have added 100% natural pressed cranberry juice. No preservatives or sweeteners added. Cranberry juice is mixed with the beer at the fermentation stage to save the authentic taste and full aroma of cranberries.

Cinnamon:

Cinnamon: added in the form of cubes; not ground; added to Bourbon oakwood barrels where the beer was left to age – this is how we have brought out the best of the aroma.

Citrus peels:

It’s a real aromatic bomb! Fresh, juicy orange, lime and grapefruit peels full of essentials oils have been added to the beer right before bottling in order to save its fresh mind-blowing aroma. The citrus peels round the flavour, which brings to mind the “Bourbon-Cranberry juice” cocktail!

• Style: Fruit and Spice Sour Ale (Barrel Aged)
• Parameters
  • Extract: 15,5 %
  • Alcohol: 6,5 %
  • IBU: 25
• Ingredients:
  • Malts: barley malt, wheat malt, wheat flakes
  • Hops: Bitter: Columbus(US), Aroma: Citra (US)
  • Yeast: US-05
  • Extra ingredients: slow-pressed cranberry juice; cinnamon, citrus peel (orange, lime, grapefruit)
• Look: golden; slightly rose; slightly cloudy
• Aromas: limes, oranges, grapefruit, spices (cinnamon); cranberries; raspberries; oakwood; slightly vanilla
• Flavors:
  • fruity; slightly sweet
  • bitter; slightly astringent (oakwood)
  • sour; long citric finish

• Serving temperature: 8-12 ⁰C
• Glass: Sniffter, Sensoric
• Foodpairing:
  

  Dishes: Ciopono or Gumbo,

  Cheeses: smoked sheep milk cheese; “bryndza”-type sheep milk cheese

  Desserts: shortcrust cheesecake served with cranberry mousse