What is the seed all about...
It is a strong belief of ours that incredible complexities can be derived from relatively simple ingredients and processes. The concept of fermentation is as poetic and beautiful as it is mysterious; a world of interactions, decomposition, production, and alterations occurring microscopically out of view yet right in front of our eyes. By combining seemingly inert grain, water, and hops with an orchestra of microscopic fungus and bacteria, we can, for a moment, set the stage for the inception of the entire pathway and story of that particular biological moment in time.
The Seed: A Living Beer Project is exactly that; a living, dynamic, ever changing exploration into the convergence of indigenous ingredients, local agriculture, and fermentation. While we try to honor both art and science in our beer, the most important governing force, from our standpoint, is nature's variability. From the subtlest of differences in wheat harvests, and the sugar content changes in post-frost feral grapes, to the unending range of flavor and aroma compounds that various living microbes can produce. The set of naturally occurring variables is infinite. This limitless opportunity for experimentation is what fuels our obsessive passion and inspiration for telling a story through natures ingredients.
We take great pride in incorporating the local environment into our beer. Whether by means of locally grown grains, meticulously cared for stone fruit orchards, or forage-able berries, flowers, and foliage we feel very strongly that an intimate understanding of our ingredients and where they come from helps instruct how they are best put to use. Our use of ingredients is diligent, mindful, and complimentary. When we are given the gift of such wonderful samples of the natural world, we do everything we can to let them shine.
We go to great lengths to push our own limits and boundaries by using wild and naturally occurring yeast and bacteria, heritage or minimally processed local grain, and unique but thoughtfully selected foraged ingredients. We subscribe to the notion that, to a degree, a gain in control on the process comes with a loss in complexity of flavor that you get when relying on seasonally-variable ingredients and wild microbes. These little steps help us get one step closer to nature, closer to the earth, and more appreciative of the living world around us. Through the beer we make we hope to tell a story of a living earth, a story of the people and communities so heavily linked to an ecosystem, and a story of interconnectedness by transforming the gifts of nature into a form that we can present to you to share and enjoy.
-Amanda and Sean
