FV 13 (2016)

FV 13 marks our first venture into the world of foudre beers. Foudres are giant oak tanks used for aging (this one holds 2700 gallons.) FV 13 is a blend of wild yeast and bacteria, a base beer with lots of malt character, and about four years of patience. The finished beer is copper in color, with an aroma of cherries and caramel. The flavor is a blend of sweet and tart, with notes of fruit and caramelized sugar. The full mouthfeel gives way to a tart, mouth drying finish.

Between the first and second batch of FV13, the aging process changed quite a bit. Where in the first batch we started with unfiltered tripel—as we do in Curieux —the second batch was started with tripel that had been put through a centrifuge, for a clearer, smoother final product. In addition, the brewers inoculated the first batch with a starter containing a mixed culture of Brettanomyces and Lactic acid bacteria. The second batch, instead of using a new starter, was simply inoculated with a small sample of F13. Show Less