The Channel Crossing, update.
As already reported here ( http://www.prattstreetalehouse.com/2010/04/channel-crossing-series-vol-1/) and at the Beer In Baltimore blog ( http://beerinbaltimore.com/?p=3262 ) we’re working on an interesting little project with Brian of Stillwater Artisinal Ales which we’re calling the Cross Channel Series. Working with elements from the brewing styles that represent us ie English and Belgian Ales respectively, we’ve come up with a hybrid Biere de Garde of sorts. This seems to have raised a few eyebrows. England and Belgium both have disparate brewing traditions steeped in their own unique history despite their essential geographical proximity (you can board the Eurostar in London, travel under the Channel and be in the heart of Brussels in under 2 hours)! Nonetheless, these days I find the blurring of stylistic beer guidelines to be a wonderfully positive development, with exciting collaborations between breweries becoming a frequent occurrence. How can you not love things like “bashah” the “black Belgian style double India Pale Ale” created by the collaboration of Scotland’s BrewDog and West Coast legends Stone? Collaborating with Brian happened very naturally and seemed like a forgone conclusion from the first time we met and discussed our respective brewing philosophies! It took little more than a few e-mails to develop the recipe. Using Brian’s saison yeast was a must of course for the “style” that we wanted to brew, but using it for the first time in open fermentation adds a little twist to the process. It’s exciting, I think, for both of us to be brewing something where you don’t necessarily have a fixed idea of exactly how the beer is going to turn out. There are many variables that add to the complexity of the process … using the saison yeast in open fermentation is something of an unknown for us, using a malt grist mix of English malts and Franco-Belges Pilsen malt and hopping with a mix of classic English hops and Czech Saaz adds a twist. We adjusted the mash temperature to alter the fermentability of the wort a little with a view to finishing with slightly more sweetness in keeping with an English yeast fermentation than the drier saison style. We intend filling as many casks as we can get hold of. Some will be on French Oak, some with American White Oak. Some will be dry hopped with the same hop mix as used in the brew, others dry hopped with a single hop from the varieties that we used (ie Kent Goldings, Bramling Cross and Czech Saaz respectively). Brian also has ideas for adding herbs/spices to cask so there will be a plentiful array of firkins available that offer unique variations of the style. Despite the gruelling 21 hour double brew day that was required to produce the 14 barrels of Cross Channel Ale, my first brewing collaboration is proving to be an exciting journey into the unknown! I can’t wait to see how it finishes!
Tags: cross channel series vol 1
Very cool. From what I’ve read, open fermentation in Belgium was common before many switched to the closed, taller cylindro-conicals. You should get some great flavors from this yeast this way. Looking forward to trying it!