July 31, 2018

Frampaars Vintage 2017


This release represents the third iteration of Frampaars, our Méthode Traditionnelle (MT) blend aged on 2 lbs/gal of purple raspberries from a local Wisconsin berry farm. The spontaneous barrels used in this blend were mostly 2x 3-years old, 2x 2-year old, and 1x 1 year old. While blending, we aimed to build the complex flavor profile that’s become a signature of previous Frampaars releases, but also sought out funky barrels to compliment the jamminess of the fruit. The result is a conceptual continuation of prior batches that shares their vibrant fruit-forward nature and funky complexity, but also builds upon their successes by employing the blending experience gleaned from making this beer annually.

Yield: 836 bottles
“2017” indicates the year the beer was blended and the fruit harvest season.

Arnold Palmer Meerts

After three months of fermentation in our 40hL French oak foeders, we steeped Meerts on Macha’s Nilgiri iced tea blend, lemon myrtle, and plenty of fresh lemon zest to capture the flavors of the iced tea-lemonade drink known as an “Arnold Palmer.” The Nilgiri blend Macha chose for us is renowned for its exceptional clarity and intense flavor and aromatics, and although it still ended up turning the beer hazy, it made for a perfect counterpart in this collaboration.

Yield: 599 bottles, 13 kegs

Abrikoos En Hop

For Abrikoos en Hop, we selected a single two-year old spontaneous MT barrel and fermented it on apricots for eight weeks before a light dry-hopping with Nelson Sauvin hops. It bursts with notes of stone fruit, tropical aromas, and herbaceous white wine flavors. This beer was inspired by one of the entries in our Staff Draft competition during Madison Craft Beer Week.

Yield: 139 bottles

Foeder Saison - Dry Hopped

One of our 40hL foeders (“Foeder Black”) was initially utilized as a Meerts foeder, but in October of 2017, it was converted into a fermentation vessel for beers that fill in the gaps between our Meerts and Méthode Traditionnelle programs. The 2018 “Foeder Saison” series represents the first beers to emerge from that switch, and this beer is the only unfruited and/or unblended product to be bottled from the first fill. It has a delicate mouthfeel from the use of white wheat and flaked oats, as well as a refreshing acidity and complexity from the saison strains and cultured microbes that accompanied the wild yeast already present in the walls of the foeder.

After six months of fermentation, this beer was dry-hopped with Amarillo which accentuates the fruity and earthy characteristics present in the base beer.

Yield: 564 bottles, 9 kegs

Mango-Pink Guava Meerts


After three months of fermentation in our 40hL French oak foeders, we refermented Meerts on over 2 lbs/gal of mangoes and pink guava for an additional six weeks prior to packaging.

Yield: 600 bottles, 12 kegs

July 12, 2018

Braambes en Vlier


This Forager Brewing collaboration began life as the spontaneous beer used in Glory in the Morning, a three barrel blend of different vintages of Méthode Traditionnelle (MT) beer. Prior to packaging Glory in the Morning, roughly 50 gallons was split off and transferred to a punchdown barrel where it was refermented on 2 lbs/gal of wild blackberries and a small portion of wild elderberries, both harvested in the woods of Minnesota by our friends from Forager Brewing Co. The barrel was punched down twice daily to re-submerge the fruit cap that floats to the top due to the CO2 produced during the refermentation, with the goal of increasing fruit contact with the beer. The result is a three-year spontaneous blend bursting with fruity, tannic, and subtly spicy flavors from Forager’s fruit contribution.

172 x 375mL taproom bottles will be available for on-premise consumption.

Framrood Vintage 2017


This release represents the third iteration of Framrood, our Méthode Traditionnelle (MT) blend aged on 2 lbs/gal of red raspberries from a local Wisconsin berry farm. The spontaneous barrels used in this blend were mostly 2-years old, but we also chose several 1-year old barrels, as well as a single 3-year old barrel. While blending, we aimed to build the complex flavor profile that’s become a signature of previous Framrood releases, but also sought out barrels with mellow acidity and oaky characteristics to balance the natural acid content of the fruit. The result is a conceptual continuation of prior batches that shares their vibrant fruit-forward nature and funky complexity, but also builds upon their successes by employing the blending experience gleaned from making this beer annually.

Yield: 1,667 bottles
“2017” indicates the year the beer was blended and the fruit harvest season.

Foeder Saison - Black Raspberry


One of our 40hL foeders (“Foeder Black”) was initially utilized as a Meerts foeder, but in October of 2017, it was converted into a fermentation vessel for beers that fill in the gaps between our Meerts and Méthode Traditionnelle programs. The 2018 “Foeder Saison” series represents the first beers to emerge from that switch, and this beer is the first fruited variant to be bottled from that fill. It has a delicate mouthfeel from the use of white wheat and flaked oats, as well as a refreshing acidity and complexity from the saison strains and cultured microbes that accompanied the wild yeast already present in the walls of the foeder.

After six months of fermentation, this beer was transferred onto 4 lbs/gal of the spent fruit used to make Framzwart (release coming December ‘18).  It is a misnomer to call the fruit "spent" as it imparted plenty of flavor, tannins, and color.  Additionally, the fruit carried over a portion of the Framzwart Méthode Traditionnelle beer adding additional depth to the already sophisticated saison.

Yield: 564 bottles, 9 kegs

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