Bière de Saison – Sour Cherry 2024 – Morello – The Kernel

Description

Farmhouse Ale – Saison – Bottle 330ml – 5.5%

The base beer is our mixed culture fermentation saison containing two or three (depending on who is counting) strains of commercial saison yeast, along with various wild and commercial yeast and bacteria (we have isolated brettanomycs strains from our barrels, we have grown up wild yeast collected from local fruit, we have blended in dregs from bottles of mixed fermentation beers that we have enjoyed, and we have added commerically available brettanomyces strains, 3 lactobacillus strains, and also pediococcus). This beer undergoes a long secondary fermentation / conditioning phase as the wild yeast and bacteria start to make themselves felt once the initial fermentation with the saison strains has run its course.
This initially evolves into something fresh, tart, lively, citric. It has a dry dry finish, a spritz of lively carbonation, the distinctive spiciness of the saison yeast, and lemon, touch of grass and herbs, cleansing hint of a sour tang. Wheat helps with these flavours. Gentle German hops play a small supporting role. As the beer ages, the brettanomyces add their layers to formula, more spices and fruits, and leather and horse blanket.
What make these 2024 iterations so special, is how they showcase the drastically different flavours between the two varieties of cherry. The base beer is unaged providing a bright and realtively clean canvas to let the fruit shine through. The recipes are identical in everything except the type of sour cherry used. Advisable to be drunk side-by-side for full effect.
Morello: dark purple skin and dark pink/red flesh, deeper in flavour, more intense.  More typically associated with Kriek style cherry beers / lambics
Cherryade, (medicine?), christmas spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, clove), round fruit, less acidity.