Lager Conditioned on Rousanne grapes

This one is a labour of love!

Eric drove up to see our pals at Terravista Vineyards to source the freshly pressed Roussanne grapes and then painstakingly hand de-stemmed them to weed out woody or bitter notes.

Eric says: “We teamed up with our friends at Terravista Vineyards to create this piquette-style beer. Roussanne grapes were pressed early in the morning in Naramata then loaded up into the van to make the journey to New Westminster that very same day. There, we loaded the grapes into a tank and transferred the waiting lager on top of them. Although the grapes are pressed, the remaining juice and sugars ferment out in the beer and leave a delightful wine character. After 1 week conditioning on the grapes, we transferred off and lagered the beer for an additional 10 weeks. This beer is worth the effort.”

Lots going on! Here’s some information to digest:

Roussanne: Roussanne is a white wine grape grown originally in the Rhône wine region in France. The berries are distinguished by their russet color when ripe—roux is French for the reddish-brown color russet, and is probably the root for the variety’s name. The aroma of Roussanne is often reminiscent of a flowery herbal tea. In warm climates, it produces wines of richness, with flavors of honey and pear, and full body. In cooler climates it is more floral and more delicate, with higher acidity.
Terravista Vineyards: A producer of small-lot, specialty white wine in the Okanagan.
Piquette: a French wine term which commonly refers to a vinous beverage produced by adding water to grape pomace. We used lager instead of water.
Pomace: The leftover grape solids after pressing for juice

With vivid minerality, residual bitterness from the grape skins and pits and a tannic finish, this beer is an interesting exercise in mixed mediums.