three new limited editions from dead frog
i have had the big stump spruce golden ale and love it!
the other two are chillin’ in my fridge as i type this:
Dead Frog Brewery is pleased to announce the release of its newest ale, the Big Stump Spruce Golden Ale. Harking back to Captain Cook’s 1778 arrival in Nootka Sound, this 6.5% golden ale incorporates the terroir of the Fraser Valley with Sitka spruce tips harvested a mere 10 minutes from our brewery.
Our brewer, Nick Fengler, was inspired by forays into the old growth forests of British Columbia. We hope this spruce ale will evoke similar images of our verdant land fed by rains nourishing the windward slopes of the Coast Mountains, trickling through the luxuriant growth and into the mighty Fraser River from which we draw our water.
Description
A perfectly balanced golden ale brewed to celebrate summer on the West Coast. Fresh-picked spruce tips and Simcoe hops provide a tropical pine aroma and crisp bitterness to offset a smooth caramel malt profile.
No stumps were used or harmed in the making of this beer. We added fresh-picked spruce tips grown 10 minutes from our brewery, here in the Fraser Valley.
Nick’s Inspiration
Growing up on the West Coast, I’ve spent endless summer days hiking, camping, and wandering in old growth forests. I love being surrounded by the earthy, piney, almost citrusy fragrance. I really wanted to try to capture a small sense of that.
Using locally-harvested Sitka spruce tips, along with a little help from both Simcoe and Norther Brewer hops, I feel like this brew could easily fit in around the campfire or transport you to one when stuck at home. At 6.5%, it pours a rich gold colour. The rich malt sweetness from Cara and Maris Otter plays with both the hop bitterness and bright spruce flavour for a truly unique pint.
Specs
o Ingredients: water, malted barley, hops, yeast, spruce tips
o Malts: Prairie 2-Row, Maris Otter, Cara 30, White Wheat
o Hops: Simcoe, Northern Brewer, Cascade
o IBU: 26
o ABV: 6.5%
o Suggested serving temperature: 12-14°C
o Recommended glass: English pint, dimpled mug
o Suggested food pairing: Asiago or Manchego cheese, pesto pasta, cedar plank salmon, Greek roasted lamb
*****
Is life a struggle between the forces of light and darkness, or is this a mistaken dichotomous moral judgment of the yin-yang duality of an indivisible whole? We’ll leave you to ponder that dilemma as you explore new pastures with our latest release, the Bucking Sheep Buckwheat IPA and Bucking Black Sheep Buckwheat IPA.
Note that the Bucking Sheep duo are not gluten-free, rather they are a blend of buckwheat, wheat, and barley.
Description
Float amongst clouds of Citra hops with this golden IPA brewed using buckwheat. A crisp malt base is complimented by a magnificent tropical fruit flavour and aroma with a hint of bitterness.
— White Bucking Sheep
A one-of-a-kind brew featuring a hop-forward tropical fruit aroma and flavour combined with a rich roasted malt base. Midnight wheat and buckwheat give the beer its unique colour and an irresistible finish with flavours of chocolate and espresso.
— Black Bucking Sheep
Nick’s Inspiration
As buckwheat is a less common ingredient in beer, I thought it would be fun to try utilizing the earthy, nutty, yet bitter flavour it would bring. What better way than in an IPA? And at that, why not try both light and dark versions?
The white was an attempt to capture the unique attributes of the buckwheat and counter the rich flavour with a burst of bright Citra hops. I wanted a light, airy body with strong head retention and minimal malt profile to accentuate the buckwheat and hops.
The black was a fun small-batch brew building off similar characteristics found in our Obsidian Dagger IPA Noire, but again, with the interesting addition of buckwheat—dark in colour and flavour, but still retaining a light body, much like its lighter brother.
Both brews gain a large portion of their bitterness from the buckwheat with hops added late in the boil to produce strong tropical and citrus aromas.
Specs
White
o Ingredients: water, malted barley, hops, yeast
o Malts: Pilsner, Buckwheat, White Wheat, Cara 8
o Hops: Citra, Centennial
o IBU: 35
o ABV: 6.5%
o Suggested serving temperature: 4-7°C
o Recommended glass: IPA, English pint
o Suggested food pairing: fried cauliflower, spicy squid, Vietnamese lemongrass pork chop, chocolate fondant
Black
o Ingredients: water, malted barley, hops, yeast
o Malts: Prairie 2-Row, Buckwheat, Midnight Wheat, Cara 20, Carafa II, Chocolate
o Hops: Galaxy, Centennial
o IBU: 41
o ABV: 6.5%
o Suggested serving temperature: 8-12°C
o Recommended glass: IPA, English pint
o Suggested food pairing: mascarpone, coffee-rubbed barbecue brisket, grilled lamb, mocha torte
Did you know?: Buckwheat is not a grass, therefore, is not related to wheat but to knotweed, rhubarb, and sorrel.
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