Star Dust - Sour beer

Cranberries, also known as cranberries in German, belong to the blueberry family, although they differ significantly in appearance and taste from their sweet, dark blue relatives Most commercially grown cranberries come from the United States, Canada and Chile Because the berries are quite sour when raw, they are processed into juice, jelly, jams or dried fruit In America, cranberries are a must, especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas: The traditional turkey from the oven is served with a delicious sauce made from the fruit

The full-bodied little red guys are also the star of Espiga's latest creation As part of their Farmhouse project, they have created a sour beer that matures on fresh cranberries: One comes from a grape ale matured in oak barrels and refined with grapes from the Xarel-lo del Penedès grape variety, the other was fermented with a farmhouse yeast and cold-hopped with the Cascade hop variety Both wort varieties are blended together and then stored on the cranberries The brew matures at room temperature for the first four months, after which it is transported to the cool cellar

The result of this labor-intensive process is a beer with a complex character, sparkling carbon dioxide, deep woody notes and a perfect balance between the sweetness and fruity acidity of the cranberry