19 Apr 2018 Saturday is Release Day for Blushing Star Barrel Aged Pilsner
Available this Saturday, April 21 at the brewery starting at 11 a.m. and on tap at the bar at noon.
This is the first release of our 2018 barrel aged series. Head brewer Greg Abbot shares some detail about Blushing Star below. This is a rare opportunity to have this level of insight about a new beer release.
Q: Where does the name come from?
The name comes from the specific variety of white peach. When I found out the name I knew I should call the beer this.
The name comes from the specific variety of white peach. When I found out the name I knew I should call the beer this.
Q: What inspired you to brew this beer originally?
Aging clean lagers in barrels with wild yeast seemed like a really cool, unusual approach to barrel aged beer. The goal was to create pleasant, soft brett character and subtle oak presence to act as a background for the bright peach character to take the stage. I also read about a beer Tomme Arthur from The Lost Abbey made using a select barrel and white peaches, which he reportedly really enjoyed.Q: Why peaches?
Peaches are great because they have tremendous aroma and flavor which lends itself to wild beer flavors.Q: Are the peaches sourced from a specific farm?
Kelly Orchards in Acton, ME. I keep in touch with the owner Art Kelly throughout the year on how the trees are producing.Q: What makes this beer special besides the accolades it has received?
It’s soft and balanced with bold peach character. Definitely a crowd pleaser.We’re hoping to release a batch every 6 months moving forward, assuming we can get the peaches. This beer starts as a lager fermented cool in stainless tanks, then is transferred to barrels or our Foeder with brett for 6-9 months, then it’s transferred back to stainless onto the cut up peaches for 2-3 months, all before a minimum 4 weeks bottle conditioning time. Not an easy one to recreate!
Aging clean lagers in barrels with wild yeast seemed like a really cool, unusual approach to barrel aged beer. The goal was to create pleasant, soft brett character and subtle oak presence to act as a background for the bright peach character to take the stage. I also read about a beer Tomme Arthur from The Lost Abbey made using a select barrel and white peaches, which he reportedly really enjoyed.Q: Why peaches?
Peaches are great because they have tremendous aroma and flavor which lends itself to wild beer flavors.Q: Are the peaches sourced from a specific farm?
Kelly Orchards in Acton, ME. I keep in touch with the owner Art Kelly throughout the year on how the trees are producing.Q: What makes this beer special besides the accolades it has received?
It’s soft and balanced with bold peach character. Definitely a crowd pleaser.We’re hoping to release a batch every 6 months moving forward, assuming we can get the peaches. This beer starts as a lager fermented cool in stainless tanks, then is transferred to barrels or our Foeder with brett for 6-9 months, then it’s transferred back to stainless onto the cut up peaches for 2-3 months, all before a minimum 4 weeks bottle conditioning time. Not an easy one to recreate!
Chill, drink and enjoy!
*Peach truck photo from WV Photos, Pearson Farm, Fort Valley