Friar Buck's Sarrasin

Buckwheat Beer
What business does a brewer from eastern Ontario have brewing a Quebec/Belgian style Sarrisin, it “would be as welcome as a dog in a bowling alley”, or so the Québécois saying goes.
We brewed it anyway.
Buckwheat, strictly speaking, is not a grain; the little three-sided groats, like miniature beechnuts, are the seeds of a plant in the knotweed family. Hulled and toasted, they are familiar to us as kasha, and are used very like other true grains. More than a quarter of the grist in this beer is kasha, which contributes an aromatic nuttiness and silky, oily textures. There is a small (12Kg) amount of lactose added that helps accentuate the already silky palate of the buckwheat, and the balance of the malt bill is made up of Canadian two-row and organic German wheat and caramel malts. The Sarrasin is lightly hopped using only whole leaf Zeus, and Goldings grown at the brewery. And a bag full of cascade given to us by one of our local regulars. The hop bitterness is low to leave room for the complex yet subtle grain effects. The 7% alc. is buried well with the lactose sweetness.
The colour is light gold with a slight veil. The palette delicate, should be served with lighter fare so as not to overwhelm. Tip of the hat to Bruno, who conjured up this idea while longing for a cold pint while stationed in Afghanistan. Show Less