Wild sour finished on cranberries & raspberries

We combined 40lbs of pacific coast cranberries and 100lbs of pacific coast raspberries and let them ferment using a technique traditionally found in wine making called carbonic maceration, which allowed the fruit to ferment in an anaerobic environment resulting in increased aromatics and tannin breakdown. After one week we added an additional 80L of raspberry purée along with two barrels (450L) of our base beer, a 1.5 yr neutral barrel aged Wild Sour that was fermented with our house mixed culture, and let it continue to naturally co-ferment for and additional 2 months. We then racked the beer off of the fruit and let it condition for 5 months before bottling.

The long fruit contact allowed for the cranberries and raspberries to break down and invoke a rich, bold, sweet berry characteristic to this beer that is beautifully balanced with a bright and complex acidity.