Dogfish Head Brewing has plans on bottling Noble Rot, a beer they have been developing over the last year. Rot uses a few wine making techniques. Those that are winos, here’s the breakdown. Grape Must. Must is fresh pressed grape juice, that contains the skin, juice, seeds, etc. Noble Rot- where the beer gets it’s name, come from a fungus called Botrytis cinerea. Botrytis is a good fungus, that will infect or grow on the grapes when they are ripe. (If they stay moist, grey fungus can destroy the crops.) Botrytis on dry ripe grapes that start to raisin (reduces water content) are hand picked to make very sweet wine. To make Noble Rot Ale, DFH took Botrytis infected Viognier grape must from Alexandria Nicole Cellars in Prosser, Washington. The fermentable sugars for the beer comes from the must. The brewpub edition of Noble Rot included red winter wheat, grown and malted near Sam Calagione’s home in Massachusetts.
We brew this unique, sorta-saison with a little help from our friends at Alexandria Nicole Cellars using botrytis-infected Viognier grape must. This “noble rot” magnifies its complexity and long finish.
Style: Saison
Availability: Soon to be 750ml bottles. Has been on draft at the pub.
Flavors? Yeasty. Funky, with grape flavors. Tart. Slight fruit.
Bottle Arrival: TBA
9% ABV
Like the breweries involved with its creation, this ale cheerfully meanders off the beaten path. Join us in celebrating this West Coast to West Coast collaboration.
